1. A Survey Study on Student Basic Needs at University of California
Ruben E. Canedo, University of California, Berkeley
Tongshan Chang , University of California Office of the President
The 42nd CAIR Annual Conference
November 8th - 11th, | Concord| California
The University of California

2. Presentation Outline Background Assessing food insecurity
UC surveys of basic needs
Survey results
Future directions
The University of California

3. What is Food Insecurity?
Uncertain or limited ability to get adequate food
due to lack of financial resources (USDA)
Leading to reductions in:
- Diet quality (low food secure)
- Diet quantity (very low food secure)
USDA defines food insecurity as the uncertain or limited ability to get adequate food due to lack of financial resources:
Resulting in reductions in:
QUALITY: Diet quality, variety or desirability (low food security)
QUANTITY: Food intake and disrupted eating patterns (very low food security)
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):
The University of California

4. Food Insecurity in U.S. Households
14 percent of households (17.4 million households) were food insecure. Just under half of these (6.9 million households) experienced very low food security.
Note: prevalence among adults = 13.4%
In 2014: 48.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, including 32.8 million adults and 15.3 million children (~ 1 in 4 children live in food insecure households – though all FI themselves)
17M American households
48M Americans
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2014 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement
The University of California

5. Food Insecurity in U.S. Colleges
35% Illinois U campuses (n=1882)
59% W. Oregon U (n=354)
25% UMass Boston (n=390)
19% CSU Sacramento (n=67)
56% Maryland community colleges (n=301)
32% Arizona State (n=209)
We know relatively little about FI in college students
Food insecurity has not missed college students
2006 – first study conducted in 2006 at the U Hawaii in Manoa
CUNY
2011 – U Oregon, U Alabama
2012 – CC Maryland (urban n=150 and suburban n=150)
2013 – 4 Universities in Illinois
2014 – U Arkansas
2015 – 10 CC – black and whites more likely to experience
All studies used the USDA 6 or 10 item module using convenience samples
All in all, food insecurity has been assess in less than 10,000 students which is very low compared to expected 20 million students projected by the National Center for Education Statistics (Fall 2015)
73% U of North Carolina (n=504)
31 % U Texas (n=258)
21% U Hawaii Manoa (n=410)
14% U Alabama (n=557)
The University of California

6. UC Global Food Initiative
“Addressing how to sustainably and nutriciously feed a world population expected to reach 8 billion in 2025”
Identify best practices and share widely
Use the power of UC research and extension to help individuals and communities; and
Deploy UC’s research to shape, impact and drive policy discussions at the local, state, national and international levels.
-Launched in July 2014
-Over 27 committees: curriculum, operations, policy, research service
-Currently In Phase II-->expanding, partnering, and advancing best practices
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7. GFI Food Access & Basic Needs Leadership
UC President’s Staff
VP Student Affairs
Financial Aid
VP Institutional Research & Academic Planning
UC Berkeley
Graduate Assembly
Nutrition
Policy Institute
Campus GFI Food Access & Security Committees
UG and Grad Students,
Staff, Faculty, Admin,
Community Experts
Undergraduate & Graduate Student Leadership
Student Orgs/Clubs, UCSA, UC Council of Presidents, Student Regents
The University of California

8. Assessing food security/insecurity
USDA Modules
18-item – households w/children
10-item – households w/o children
6-item module
The University of California

9. Assessing food security/insecurity
Six-item module by USDA
The University of California

10. Assessing food security/insecurity
Two-item module
The University of California

11. Assessing food security/insecurity
Defining food security/insecurity
Six-item module
Affirmative Response
a. The food that I bought just didn’t last, and I didn’t have money to get more. 1
b. I couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals.
c. Did you ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?
d. [If ‘Yes’ is selected to c] How often did this happen?
almost every month, some months but not every month/only 1 or 2 months
2/1
e. Did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn't enough money for food?
f. Were you ever hungry but didn't eat because there wasn't enough money for food?
0 – 1: high or marginal food security
2 – 4: low food security
5 – 6: very low food security
food insecurity
The University of California

12. Assessing food security/insecurity
Defining food security/insecurity
Two-item module
Affirmative Response
a. I was worried whether my food would run out before I got money to buy more. 1
b. The food that I bought just didn’t last, and I didn’t have money to get more.
0 : food security
1 – 2: food insecurity
Research on development and validity of a 2-item screen to identify families at risk for food insecurity shows that an affirmative response to Item 1 and/or Item 2 of the HFSS (Household Food Security Survey, a validated instrument from the USDA) provided a sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 83% (Hager et al, 2010).
Hager, R. et al. (2010). Development and validity of a 2-item screen to identify families at risk for food insecurity. Pediatrics.
The University of California

13. UC basic needs surveys Student Food Access and Security Study (SFASS)
Student Food Access and Security Study (SFASS)
Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES)
Graduate Student Well-Being Survey (GSWBS)
Population
Undergraduates & Graduates sample
Undergraduates population
Graduate sample
Survey time
April-May, 2015
March-August, 2016
Jan.- Apr., 2016
# Responses
8,932
63,132
6,764
Response Rate
14%
33%
50%
Periodicity
One-time administration
Every two years
Survey Module
Six-item
Two-item
The University of California

14. UC basic needs surveys in the future
Undergraduate
Graduate
Survey
Undergraduate Experience Survey
Cost of Attendance Survey
Module
Six-item
Administration
Every two years
The University of California

15. UC basic needs survey results
Prevalence of food insecurity UC undergraduate and graduate students experienced.
low food security
25%
low food security 16%
Very
low food security
23%
very low food security 9%
The University of California

16. UC basic needs survey results
Prevalence of food insecurity UC undergraduate and graduate students experienced.
Global Food Infinitive:
Food and Basic Needs
Security at the University of
California
low food security 16%
Very
low food security
23%
very low food security 9%
A comprehensive basic needs report will be published soon.
The University of California

17. Food Insecurity is unacceptably high among students
Conclusion:
Food Insecurity is unacceptably high among students
low food security 16%
Very
low food security
23%
Food insecurity was high and similarly, a recent study of California households found a similar prevalence in a similar age group
The increased risk among black and white students is similar to findings in U.S. households
Identifying students who were food insecure as children may be one way to ensure that students have the resources and services to be successful food secure students
very low food security 9%
The University of California

18. Structural Integration
Micro-Macro Policy Engagement
Cross-Sector Strategy
National Collaborations
Prospective Students
New Admits
1st Year Experience
CalFresh
Skills/Services
Emergency/Crisis
Policies, structures, and decision making processes
Directly and indirectly impact student basic needs
Student Experience, Impact, Suggestions
Deepen understanding
Evaluation
Reporting
Research
Structural Integration
Advocacy
Preventative
Campus Model
UC is #1 performing model
May have funding to fund 1-2 of us to go to Philadelphia with Ruben to go to the conference in October
Research: happens in 2 different levels: basic need (experience, challenge), administrative (policies, evaluation, performance, systems/solution to that challenge)
Prevention model
Integration: make sure this issue doesn’t just get resolved for current students, but that from here on out hunger/malnourishment/housing insecurity/homelessness are not going to be at such high levels). Want university experience to improve over time
Advocacy: make sure all those three models/policies actually get integrated
The University of California

19. All Students Basic Need Insecure Populations Pre UC
Admissions Messaging
1st YR Experience
UC CalFresh
Basic Needs Skills
Emergency Relief
Crisis Resolution
All
Students
Basic Need
Insecure
Populations
nverse pyramid: campus preventative model. Largest population → crisis to most absolute population
pre-UC = students are not getting prepared to support themselves and take care of basic needs. Missing curriculum on that.
Admissions messaging: needs to be updated and include basic needs resources
We want to make basic needs included in the post-SIR step. Basic Needs website needs to be legit so that the energy makes them feel good and supported.
Blue = impacting whole population
Gold = insecure students
    CalFRESH: AB 1930 (clear guidance on exempting college students from 20-hr workweek. #1 Cal Grant A/B, #2 EOP/federal programs, #3 work-study package that shows need
        Avg: $160-$170/month
        Bear market will be EBT accessible. This next year will be trying to make GBC/other on-campus services EBT accessible.
        Food assistance program: just like CalFRESH but for population that doesn’t qualify for CalFRESH
    Food Pantry team/Carolyn is amazing
    Skills Development: students need to learn about financial packages/personal finance use/food + cook on budget
    Emergency Relief: Food pantry/quick + helpful + stable/people coming on emergency basis
    Crisis Resolution: many different cases, life happens, students need help
   
The University of California

20. Explore the UC story through data at UC Information Center!
Thanks! Questions?
Explore the UC story through data at UC Information Center!
The University of California