1. “Starving College Student” is not a joke: Changing the culture around food insecurity on campus
Chris Partridge, Coordinator, Student Engagement – University of Nevada, Reno
Amy Koeckes, Associate Director, Student Engagement – University of Nevada, Reno
Jennifer Lowman, Ph.D., Director, Student Persistence Research – University of Nevada, Reno
Sandra Rodriguez, Director, Center for Student Engagement – University of Nevada, Reno

2. Session Objectives Participants will be able to:
Identify sources of data that can assist in proactively reaching students who would benefit from food pantries and other emergency aid programs
Apply strategies for fighting food insecurity on their campuses through outreach, education and partnerships
Develop civic learning opportunities for students based on campus food insecurity

3. NASPA's Lead Initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (Lead Initiative) is committed to encouraging and highlighting the work of student affairs in making civic learning and democratic engagement a part of every student's college education.
The University of Nevada, Reno has been recognized as a LEAD institution, joining only 96 others nationally. The University of Nevada, Reno has also been named a LEAD Consulting Institution working with 8 other institutions on civic engagement initiatives.
This designation comes from NASPA, which recognizes colleges and universities that are committed to civic learning and democratic engagement.

4. The University of Nevada, Reno
Current Enrollment- 22,500 students
Projected Enrollment in 5 years – 24,800 students
Majority minority in 5-10 years
First Year classes have already hit 43%
Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution – 18%
Currently 30% of our students are Pell eligible
Estimate 45% of students are first generation
70% of students are on some form of financial aid
Estimate 90% will be on financial aid by 2025
Access, persistence and graduation an imperative
Graduating citizen students is a necessity

5. Center for Student Engagement
Works collaboratively with the Associated Students of the University of Nevada (ASUN) and The Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Life Services under the Division of Student Services.
Purpose is to engage, educate and empower undergraduate students to take action in the best interest of the student body and the University community.

6. Social Integration, the College Experience and Responsible Citizenship
Student Services, Academic Affairs, Extended Studies
Student Governments
Community Partners
Service Recipients
Persistence and Graduation

7. Handout Definitions worksheet

8. “Starving College Student”

9. Food Insecurity & College Campuses
Food Insecurity: A household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food (United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, 2016)
*General U.S. population food insecurity estimated at 12.7% in 2015 (USDA, 2016)

10. Food Insecurity Literature
21% of students were food insecure at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Chaparro, Zaghloul, Holck & Dobbs, 2009)
39.2% of students who responded were food insecure at the City University of New York (CUNY) (Freudenberg et al. 2013)
Multi-Institutional Hungry to Learn report stated half of all community college students struggling with food and/or housing insecurity (Goldrick-Rab, Broton & Eisenberg, 2015)
Multi-Institutional Hunger on Campus report stated that 48% of respondents reported food insecurity in the previous 30 days (Dubick, Mathews & Cady, 2016)

11. Framework for Student Aid Programs
Source: Kruger, Parnell & Wesaw, Landscape Analysis of Emergency Aid Programs. p. 20

12. More From NASPA Landscape Analysis of Emergency Aid Programs
Of year and 4-year institutions with an emergency aid program, 45% indicated they have a food pantry
73% reported data not used to proactively identify students who may benefit
Some are using financial aid, bursar/student accounts information and academic performance

13. 2016 Wolf Pack Civic Community Assessment
Attitudes, behaviors & planned behaviors around civic engagement
Six-Item Short Form of the USDA Food Security Survey Module, a widely-used instrument for assessing levels of food insecurity in communities
Unique comparison between students’ experiences and ideas about civic engagement and food insecurity + =

14. 2016 Wolf Pack Civic Community Assessment
May 2016, 3 weeks, 6 invitations, prizes as incentives
Census approach to all 16k undergrads and 2k grads
Participation = 4,242 (23% of student body)
Undergrads were 85% of participants, equates to 21% of population or 3,591
Potential source of participation bias:
More women, 63% v. 52%
Representative sample across demographics and academic status

15. USDA Food Security Survey Module

16. Survey Data
Question
Reporting “sometimes” and “often true”
“I can’t afford to eat balanced meals.”
“I skip meals because I don’t have enough food.”
“I eat less than I want to because there is not enough money for food.”
“The food I buy each month does not last and I do not have money to buy more.”
“I am often hungry because I don’t’ have enough money for food.”
*All questions answered sometimes or often is 902 participants or 21%.
Students experienced food insecurity sometimes or often over past 6 months

17. 22%
39%
39%
Question

19. Implications of Data
“We need to move beyond being surprised at the numbers and develop action plans” (Goldrick-Rab, 2016)
Develop strategies to identify and reach more students
Normalize/reduce stigma
In Dubick et al., 48% reported food insecurity but only 17% reported using on-campus food pantries
Food insecurity as a civic learning opportunity – both for recipients and volunteers
Present both as forms of civic engagement – in our survey >50% volunteering/donating but only 14% willing to accept assistance

20. History
1993
Food Pantry established; small closet in administrative building
2007:
Food Pantry relocated to new student union. Higher traffic area.
2011:
Associated Students agree to bring program into Center for Student Engagement

21. 2016: 2015: Partnered with local Food Bank Student Director Hired
Name changed to Pack Provisions
2016:
Center for Student Engagement remodeled by ASUN, Pack Provisions receives a high-visibility office space
Refrigeration Unit
Non-Food Items added
Student Driven
Entirely student-staffed
Students create publicity
Students develop new initiatives
Students solicit donations from other students
Students serving students

22. Pack Provisions Today Entirely student-staffed
Students create publicity
Students develop new initiatives
Students solicit donations from other students
Students serving students

24. “Meal swipe” donation drive: 244 meals in one night
>10 student organizations hosted drives
15 student volunteers, over 200 hours in fall 2016
Partnership with student owned campus book store, $1,800 raised
Plans for additional programs in April

25. Fall 2016 User Data 63 Visits & 42 Users
Average GPA is 2.69 while campus is 3.02

26. Future Possibilities Assessment:
of volunteers
of student recipients
of campus
Programmatic changes and outcomes
More civic engagement related to food insecurity – activism, engaged scholarship, etc.
Serve more students!

27. Discussion
What are some possibilities for using data to identify student beneficiaries of aid programs?
In what ways can we work to change the culture around food insecurity?

28. Upcoming Presentations
“First Generation Students Redefined: Challenging Modern Day Perceptions”– in Convention Center, 217 B

29. References
Chaparro, M.P., Zaghloul, S.S., Holck, P., & Dobbs, J. (2009). Food insecurity prevalence among college students at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. Public Health Nutrition, 12(11), p
Dubick, J., Mathews, B., Cady, C. (2016) Hunger on campus: The challenge of food insecurity for college students. Report by College and University Food Bank Alliance, National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, Student Government Resource Center, Student Public Interest Research Groups. Accessed at
Freudenberg, N., Manzo, L., Mongiello, L., Jones, H., Boeri, N. & Lamberson, P. (2013). Promoting the health of young adults in urban public universities: A case study from City University of New York. Journal of American College Health, 61(7). p
United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (2016). Household food security in the United States in Economic Research Report No. (ERR-215), September Accessed at
University of Nevada, Reno Office of Student Persistence Research & Center for Student Engagement (2016). Wolf pack community needs assessment: A civic engagement survey preliminary report of undergraduate and graduate student descriptives & frequencies.