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The conversation around college affordability so often stops when we talk about tuition and student debt. These are important factors, and there are large, mobilized forces advocating change through student debt forgiveness programs, as well as making community college free.
What is less discussed is the ways in which life becomes more expensive when someone decides to attend college. All of these concerns are on the ballot this year, and that is why we are urging students who are concerned about college affordability to get to the polls on November 5! Early voting is also available to all at Milwaukee Area Technical College until November 2, at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, S building, room S114.
College students take on an unusual risk attending school, in what is often characterized as a time to party and enter into adulthood, the picture of college students we see looks significantly different. Many students from diverse backgrounds are sacrificing their ability to work jobs that once helped them to make ends meet, all in the pursuit of higher education.
Vulnerable to Instability
The reality of the student experience is that it is a time in life where one is specifically vulnerable to instability with an array of basic needs. While one might assume that college students can simply stay in dorms and eat in the student dining hall, in reality many students struggle. Data from the 2019-20 National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) revealed that about 1 in 5 (23%) of undergraduate students are facing food insecurity—meaning they don’t always know where their next meal is coming from.
And it’s even worse for students at certain schools, like Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), where nearly 2 in 5 (38.8%) of students are affected. This lack of access to basic needs not only impairs the quality of life for students, it also produces a deleterious impact on their ability to succeed in school.
The solution will require a collaborative effort from elected officials with the administration at college campuses. The staff at these institutions are intimately familiar with the struggles of students and can work with politicians to provide funding where it will be most effective. This ideally includes funding for support programs like food assistance, affordable housing, and student emergency financial aid. We need policy changes that require higher educational institutions to provide basic needs resources on campuses, such as food pantries and affordable healthcare services. We need policy makers like Kamala Harris to shift focus to addressing the basic needs crisis affecting students across the country.
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Students are also burdened by rising rents and inflation, much of which is driven by corporate greed. Addressing the basic needs of college students is essential to ensuring their success. By voting for leaders who prioritize funding for higher education and support services we can create a more equitable future where every student has the resources they need to thrive. This is why it is fundamentally essential for students to make their voices heard this November 5, and vote for leaders who will address the current issues students face in higher education.
