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Hunger on college campuses: it's a real thing
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Tweaking_Time
Posts: 733 Member
in Debate Club
hahahaha - what a bunch of hogwash.
If this article is true, explain to me how the "Freshman 15" happens?
I know - Lets just give 3 "free" meals a day to college kids to save them from starving to death on college campuses.
GET A JOB!
here is a link to the article
http://www.philly.com/philly/health/kids-families/hunger-on-college-campuses-its-a-real-thing-20170911.html
And I have cut and pasted the article here:
An 18-year-old patient of mine recently started college. After overcoming many hurdles in life, including the death of one parent and the absence of the other, this outstanding athlete and student was recruited by a coach at a four-year university—and given a full scholarship. But I’m worried: will my patient have food insecurity?
We don’t usually think of college students as having food insecurity. It’s time that we do. Food insecurity, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, is limited ability to acquire, or uncertain availability of, nutritionally adequate and safe foods. A 2015 study found that college students were far more likely than the general population to suffer from food insecurity.
Hunger is more than a pang. It is defined as a very high level of food insecurity. In fact, 22 percent of college students in the U.S. are hungry, according to a 2016 report, “Hunger on Campus”, which surveyed almost 4,000 college students. The findings may alarm you:
Hunger hurts. It causes fatigue and poor concentration and can contribute to depression and anxiety. Students that are hungry consume cheaper and higher calorie foods with limited nutritional value which can lead to anemia, infections and chronic illnesses including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes—and even obesity.
I did the math based on projected college enrollment: More than four million students will go hungry this year. Feeding these individuals and preventing hunger on campuses is the mission of organizations like these:
The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. This is a non-profit organization that “is committed to ending hunger and homelessness by educating, engaging and training students to directly meet individuals’ immediate needs while advocating for long-term systemic solutions and food recovery programs and coordinated benefits access programs.”
Challah for Hunger is a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization that creates communities inspired and equipped to fight hunger. Challah for Hunger is working with student volunteers on 80 campuses to learn more about college food insecurity and to advocate for change through an initiative called the Campus Hunger Project. The Campus Hunger Project includes research, an educational campaign and a learning community where students from multiple campuses create projects to help food-insecure students.
My advice:
Parents and guardians: talk with your children about what it means to have food insecurity. Together, donate to food pantries and contribute money to organizations that fight hunger.
Parents and guardians of college-age children: discuss the problem of food insecurity on college campuses and make sure your child is not one of the 22-33 percent. Encourage participation in campus projects aimed at fighting hunger on college campuses. If your children identify peers with food insecurity, they should encourage them to get help from advisors, deans, financial aid officers or student health. The “Hunger on Campus” report contains additional resources for college students with food insecurity.
Our students should be hungry for knowledge—not hungry for food.
If this article is true, explain to me how the "Freshman 15" happens?
I know - Lets just give 3 "free" meals a day to college kids to save them from starving to death on college campuses.
GET A JOB!
here is a link to the article
http://www.philly.com/philly/health/kids-families/hunger-on-college-campuses-its-a-real-thing-20170911.html
And I have cut and pasted the article here:
An 18-year-old patient of mine recently started college. After overcoming many hurdles in life, including the death of one parent and the absence of the other, this outstanding athlete and student was recruited by a coach at a four-year university—and given a full scholarship. But I’m worried: will my patient have food insecurity?
We don’t usually think of college students as having food insecurity. It’s time that we do. Food insecurity, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, is limited ability to acquire, or uncertain availability of, nutritionally adequate and safe foods. A 2015 study found that college students were far more likely than the general population to suffer from food insecurity.
Hunger is more than a pang. It is defined as a very high level of food insecurity. In fact, 22 percent of college students in the U.S. are hungry, according to a 2016 report, “Hunger on Campus”, which surveyed almost 4,000 college students. The findings may alarm you:
- Almost half (48 percent) reported food insecurity, including 22 percent with very low levels of food security that qualify them as hungry.
- Food insecurity was more prevalent among students of color: 57 percent of African American students reported food insecurity, compared to 40 percent of white students.
- More than half (56 percent) of first-generation college students were food-insecure, compared to 45 percent of students who had a parent who attended college.
- Almost two-thirds (64 percent) received some form of financial aid.
- More than half (56 percent) of food-insecure students reported having a paying job, but were still food-insecure.
- Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of food-insecure students also reported housing insecurity.
- Not buy a required textbook (53 percent)
- Miss a class (56 percent)
- Drop a class (25 percent)
Hunger hurts. It causes fatigue and poor concentration and can contribute to depression and anxiety. Students that are hungry consume cheaper and higher calorie foods with limited nutritional value which can lead to anemia, infections and chronic illnesses including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes—and even obesity.
I did the math based on projected college enrollment: More than four million students will go hungry this year. Feeding these individuals and preventing hunger on campuses is the mission of organizations like these:
The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. This is a non-profit organization that “is committed to ending hunger and homelessness by educating, engaging and training students to directly meet individuals’ immediate needs while advocating for long-term systemic solutions and food recovery programs and coordinated benefits access programs.”
Challah for Hunger is a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization that creates communities inspired and equipped to fight hunger. Challah for Hunger is working with student volunteers on 80 campuses to learn more about college food insecurity and to advocate for change through an initiative called the Campus Hunger Project. The Campus Hunger Project includes research, an educational campaign and a learning community where students from multiple campuses create projects to help food-insecure students.
My advice:
Parents and guardians: talk with your children about what it means to have food insecurity. Together, donate to food pantries and contribute money to organizations that fight hunger.
Parents and guardians of college-age children: discuss the problem of food insecurity on college campuses and make sure your child is not one of the 22-33 percent. Encourage participation in campus projects aimed at fighting hunger on college campuses. If your children identify peers with food insecurity, they should encourage them to get help from advisors, deans, financial aid officers or student health. The “Hunger on Campus” report contains additional resources for college students with food insecurity.
Our students should be hungry for knowledge—not hungry for food.
3
Replies
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To me, it reads a lot like a sob story. Much talk about how terrible food insecurity is, not much talk on what causes food insecurity. Is it a lack of funds, cooking facilities, cooking skills, or bad priorities of time and money?8
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I don't know what to make of this, honestly. I graduated from college in 2000 and things were cheaper then. I was a commuter student who worked full-time at entry level jobs during all of my college years. I was still lacking for food at times, though. Truly. And not because I made poor decisions with money. I learned to budget better and make eggs and refried beans last for weeks. But I feel like with the world being different now and everything being more expensive, it might be even worse. I really don't know.
I'll also admit that my INITIAL reaction to this was a huge eyeroll because like many other Gen X-ers I am seeing the current generation of college-aged people living with their parents and expecting the world to fall into their laps.
So yeah. Very torn.4 -
From the article:
"An 18-year-old patient of mine recently started college. After overcoming many hurdles in life, including the death of one parent and the absence of the other, this outstanding athlete and student was recruited by a coach at a four-year university—and given a full scholarship. But I’m worried: will my patient have food insecurity"
The writer should not worry.
From the NCAA website:
Full scholarships cover tuition and fees, room, board and course-related books
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/scholarships
Are there college students that are hungry? I'm sure there are. However the author lost all credibility talking about a full scholarship athlete and food insecurity.10 -
Packerjohn wrote: »From the article:
"An 18-year-old patient of mine recently started college. After overcoming many hurdles in life, including the death of one parent and the absence of the other, this outstanding athlete and student was recruited by a coach at a four-year university—and given a full scholarship. But I’m worried: will my patient have food insecurity"
The writer should not worry.
From the NCAA website:
Full scholarships cover tuition and fees, room, board and course-related books
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/scholarships
Are there college students that are hungry? I'm sure there are. However the author lost all credibility talking about a full scholarship athlete and food insecurity.
Agree.
I'd distinguish in general between college students who are paying for board or otherwise on a college meal plan (who should have all the food they can eat), and those who are attending school and otherwise paying for food/board, which would of course explain why it's higher among community college students.
Not convinced this is a college-specific thing at all, and telling parents to worry that their college kids will be food insecure seems odd to me.3 -
The fact that some people in college gain excess weight doesn't mean that *all* college students have sufficient food.
College students come from a variety of backgrounds and have varying circumstances. Why is it so hard to believe that some college students don't always get enough to eat?
Also, why would you assume that these college students aren't already working? I worked 25-40 hours a week when I was in college. I was fortunate enough never to experience real food insecurity, but there were times when it was close.13 -
First world problems...
Sure to be followed up with sensitivity training over the term snowflake.
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1
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Someone can be fortunate in the sense that they are going to college and still have real problems. If someone was going to college and had cancer, I wouldn't scoff at their "first world problems." Same with not having enough to eat. It's a real problem, even if you're a college student.17 -
We ate like crap but we always had money for booze and the things we wanted at that point in life. Had food and decent food been a priority then it probably would have taken priority over cheap Tuesday at the bar.6
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I get so f'n sick of these college sob stories. I went to school M-F, did 7a-11p shifts every weekend, had a baby and buried my Brother.
[Edited by MFP Staff]10 -
My life wasn't nearly so hard as that Heather4448 but I did go to school FT while working FT, so I understand the anger to a point. College students I know currently have cars that are like four years old, "work" 6 hours/week on campus, and ask for the latest smartphone for Christmas. I actually struggled and I still managed to buy everyone thoughtful gifts on my crazy-tight budget when I was in college. My nephew didn't buy anyone - not even his MOM - a gift until he was 27 because he's thought of as "a kid". Sometimes people just need to grow up.
I've gotta admit I also roll my eyes at friends in their 30s and 40s who are nontraditional students and whine about balancing parenthood and school. They don't have jobs and their spouse provides a good income. Waaah.
Also, my alma mater now posts on facebook near-daily about free pizza, subs, ice cream, etc, provided by local businesses at various events on campus. Not limited to on campus students, either. Students certainly could make a meal of the freebies on a regular basis. Obviously that doesn't apply to everyone at every school.2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
Agreed. Malnutrition is kind of the poster child of third world problems.4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
Someone can be fortunate in the sense that they are going to college and still have real problems. If someone was going to college and had cancer, I wouldn't scoff at their "first world problems." Same with not having enough to eat. It's a real problem, even if you're a college student.
Being in the First World and earning a minimum wage puts one in the top 10% of income earners worldwide.
Having access to post secondary education puts one in the top 5% of the world's population.
Speaking as someone who was undergoing radiation and chemo and completing graduate work in microbiology - all while working a 40 hr job. Everyone has problems...it's how you deal with those problems that matters.
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To those who are reacting so negatively to the idea that people in college can experience food insecurity, is the thought that bad things can't really be happening in someone's life if they're going to college?
Note that a good chunk of these students are going to community colleges. This isn't a case of Yale students spending their allowance on alcohol and iPhones and having to skip some meals until they get more money from their parents. That isn't what is being discussed here.
I went to a community college for two years and then a public state college after that. The pressures of paying rent, keeping a car running, getting food . . . these were reality for me and many of my classmates. And that's on top of the regular college expenses. Some people are fortunate enough to have parents help them out, but there are many students who don't have that. A college student can be just as vulnerable to hunger as anyone else.
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janejellyroll wrote: »
Someone can be fortunate in the sense that they are going to college and still have real problems. If someone was going to college and had cancer, I wouldn't scoff at their "first world problems." Same with not having enough to eat. It's a real problem, even if you're a college student.
Being in the First World and earning a minimum wage puts one in the top 10% of income earners worldwide.
Having access to post secondary education puts one in the top 5% of the world's population.
Speaking as someone who was undergoing radiation and chemo and completing graduate work in microbiology - all while working a 40 hr job. Everyone has problems...it's how you deal with those problems that matters.
Even if you're in the top 10% of income earners worldwide, it sucks to be food insecure.
Is it as bad as being food insecure in, say, the Democratic Republic of Congo? No. But to be "first world problem" is unnecessarily dismissive of something that can be a real issue.
To acknowledge that food insecurity in college students can be a real problem doesn't keep one from understanding that everyone has problems. Everyone does have problems. A "first world problem" is typically used -- in my experience -- to describe a minor problem or frustration. An inability to regularly get sufficient food doesn't fall in that category. It's not like your WiFi going down or your bus being late.12 -
janejellyroll wrote: »To those who are reacting so negatively to the idea that people in college can experience food insecurity, is the thought that bad things can't really be happening in someone's life if they're going to college?
Note that a good chunk of these students are going to community colleges. This isn't a case of Yale students spending their allowance on alcohol and iPhones and having to skip some meals until they get more money from their parents. That isn't what is being discussed here.
I went to a community college for two years and then a public state college after that. The pressures of paying rent, keeping a car running, getting food . . . these were reality for me and many of my classmates. And that's on top of the regular college expenses. Some people are fortunate enough to have parents help them out, but there are many students who don't have that. A college student can be just as vulnerable to hunger as anyone else.
Anyone can be "just as vulnerable to hunger as anyone else" if they manage their finances poorly.
I disagree with the suggestion of the author. This is treating a symptom without addressing the root cause. Why are these people going hungry? Unless you address this you are perpetuating an ongoing problem and making it worse.
No such thing as a free lunch.6 -
Packerjohn wrote: »From the article:
"An 18-year-old patient of mine recently started college. After overcoming many hurdles in life, including the death of one parent and the absence of the other, this outstanding athlete and student was recruited by a coach at a four-year university—and given a full scholarship. But I’m worried: will my patient have food insecurity"
The writer should not worry.
From the NCAA website:
Full scholarships cover tuition and fees, room, board and course-related books
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/scholarships
Are there college students that are hungry? I'm sure there are. However the author lost all credibility talking about a full scholarship athlete and food insecurity.
Most sports do not offer all athletes full scholarships, even in D1. And a full scholarship in D3 is rare. When I've worked D1 doing compliance: football (American), men's and women's basketball are the full coverage sports. The rest of the teams often don't have the budget to fully cover their teams. They may cover tuition, but room and board are usually partial. And student athletes will be really hard pressed to find a job with hours they can work outside of class and practice.
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janejellyroll wrote: »To those who are reacting so negatively to the idea that people in college can experience food insecurity, is the thought that bad things can't really be happening in someone's life if they're going to college?
Note that a good chunk of these students are going to community colleges. This isn't a case of Yale students spending their allowance on alcohol and iPhones and having to skip some meals until they get more money from their parents. That isn't what is being discussed here.
I went to a community college for two years and then a public state college after that. The pressures of paying rent, keeping a car running, getting food . . . these were reality for me and many of my classmates. And that's on top of the regular college expenses. Some people are fortunate enough to have parents help them out, but there are many students who don't have that. A college student can be just as vulnerable to hunger as anyone else.
Anyone can be "just as vulnerable to hunger as anyone else" if they manage their finances poorly.
I disagree with the suggestion of the author. This is treating a symptom without addressing the root cause. Why are these people going hungry? Unless you address this you are perpetuating an ongoing problem and making it worse.
No such thing as a free lunch.
Some people experiencing food insecurity probably are managing their finances poorly. But college is expensive and many of the jobs college students are working aren't very high paying, so it's possible to do everything right and still not have much money. I was lucky and had some scholarships, but unexpected expenses still made things really tight some months.
The root causes could be as simple as that -- it's a time in many people's lives where they're living close to the edge financially anyway.
I agree that we should figure out the root cause and that would be the best way to address it. I think, in some cases, the root cause is going to be a combination of college expenses, low paying jobs, and people without family resources to fall back on.6 -
You don't have to care about a problem if you can assume it's the person's fault. Anybody who is hungry must be spending their money on things they shouldn't have.11
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