Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is a consistent issue for many Americans including
college students (Payne-Sturges, 2018). In recent years, in order to
assist off-campus students encountering issues with hunger, many
universities have installed food pantries or other auxiliary services to
help meet these needs. Yet despite these additional efforts, some
university food pantries cannot keep up with demand and some students
remain food insecure. According to recent reports (Woods, 2017, Payne,
2018) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U,
2017), food-insecure students were at increased risk of being housing
insecure as well, in fact, 64 percent experienced housing insecurity,
while 15 percent reported homelessness. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
(physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and
self-actualization) matters in this case (Maslow, 1943): If a student’s
basic need are not met, they are unlikely to learn effectively.
While we believe universities should be attempting to provide meals to
food insecure students, we also recognize the large undertaking that
would require. Therefore, as instructors, we can realize that students
are facing challenges that go beyond our course work. Allowing
flexibility, wherever possible, can help students who are experiencing
any number of challenges, find ways to survive, and learn. We may not
know all the details of our students lives, nor should we; nevertheless,
we must accommodate in ways that are uncompromising in a commitment to
equity during this time, and as we move into a post-pandemic society.