Viewpoint: It's time for Oklahoma Legislature do its part to combat campus hunger
When we talk about hunger, we cannot leave behind Oklahoma college students facing food insecurity. The state’s food insecurity rate remains high — fourth in the nation according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture — and includes hunger on college campuses. As leaders in higher education and champions of adult learning, we see firsthand the challenges students face to not only stay in school but also have what they need to stay focused in the classroom.
Science tells us that nutrition — brain food — fuels our minds to think and plays a critical role in academic performance. We also know post-secondary education yields economic value for graduates and elevates their earning potential. It grows their ability to contribute to our economy and communities. The more we invest in our students, the less we will spend on social services in the future. If we truly want to end hunger and improve outcomes in our state, we must do what it takes to address campus hunger.
A recent survey from Temple University’s Hope Center found nearly 50% of students at more than 100 post-secondary schools couldn’t afford to eat a balanced meal and 35% of students were skipping meals entirely because they did not have enough money for food. Removing nutritional barriers for postsecondary learners can keep students in school and ultimately help elevate completion rates.
Tackling hunger takes community partnerships. Since 2012, the Oklahoma Food Banks have partnered with more than 30 post-secondary institutions to establish pantries on campuses, including the University of Central Oklahoma, Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma. Despite these efforts, campus hunger remains an issue for too many of our students. Addressing student hunger matters and takes multiple interventions to alleviate it. It’s time for the Legislature to do its part.
We believe a pilot program called the Hunger Free Campus Act can move Oklahoma in the right direction in combating hunger on our college campuses. Imagine if public and private resources came together to provide the needed wraparound support that helps students with food insecurity allowing them to focus on completing their degrees. The Hunger Free Campus Act has a targeted approach allowing the state to gain more insight on campus hunger, explore strategies to mitigate food insecurity and ultimately help boost post-secondary completion rates.
This session, the Legislature has an opportunity to invest in colleges working to reduce hunger on their campuses or who want to do more in that area. The Hunger Free Campus Act supports strategies that combat hunger on college campuses, educate students on resources available to alleviate food insecurity and measures outcomes for the Legislature to scale the most effective approaches to offer to postsecondary institutions statewide. We have a chance to measure the impact and witness a strong return as we reduce college dropout rates.
An investment in college students' wellbeing is an investment in Oklahoma’s future. We ask Oklahomans to join us in supporting the Hunger Free Campus Act.
More: While food access improves in some parts of OKC, other areas still struggle with food deserts
Daniel Pae is a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, representing District 62. As an undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma, he led efforts to create a campus food pantry. Leigh Goodson is president of Tulsa Community College. Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar is president of the University of Central Oklahoma.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Viewpoints: Oklahoma legislators can help address campus hunger
