DINING DOLLARS

Report: More Than a Third of College Students Face Food, Housing Insecurity

A new survey says 36 percent of students are struggling to feed themselves and pay for housing.

A survey conducted by Temple University and the Wisconsin HOPE Lab found that 36 percent of college students across the country "have faced food and housing insecurity in the past year." The survey—which included 43,000 students at 66 public and private schools—found that thousands have been dealing with "low food security," with many forced to skip meals or eat smaller meals because they can't afford adequate food. "Basic needs insecurities are associated with poor academic outcomes," the report says. "For example, several researchers have found that food insecurity is correlated with lower grades in college." The survey also found that 36 percent of university students have struggled to pay for housing and utilities, and 9 percent have been forced to sleep in places “not intended as housing” without knowing where they would stay the next night.