THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC Week 12 Reflection Paper Kayla Allen MSHE 631.50OL Dr. Seher Awan THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC A survey was generated of 86,600 students at 123 colleges and universities in 24 states. The data show that 56% of students endured housing insecurity. Also, 30% of student struggles as their rent increases along with 3% summoned to court for lack of payment (Hattersley-Gray, 2019). 19% of students were reported as homeless in the last year ("AB-302 Parking: homeless students", 2019). The cases of homelessness happened predominantly at community colleges. "The harsh reality is that students are already sleeping in their vehicles. When we do not provide a safe place for students to sleep, we force them into the shadows where they are most vulnerable. The long term approach is to build more housing, but while we work to make that a reality, AB 302 is a step that we can take now to ensure that homeless students have a safe place to sleep at night" (Sheeler, 2019). 2018 Still Hungry and Homeless in College study at Temple University and the Wisconsin Hope lab conducted surveys of the students (Writers, 2018). 36% of the survey's respondents claimed to be "food insecure," 36% were "housing insecure", and 9% were homeless in the past year (Writers, 2018). The expensive cost of higher education can be a significant factor amongst student homelessness. The National Center of Education Statistics states in the year 2016- 17; "the net cost of college attendance (the total cost minus financial aid) was $13,400 for students at public universities, $22,300 for those at private for-profit schools, and $26,200 for those at private nonprofit schools" (Writers, 2018). Financial grants at community colleges only cover one-third of the real cost of attendance (Restmeyer, 2018). Although Pell Grants can be used for a price that is not associated with tuition, the amount only provides less than a third of average non-tuition expenses, leaving a prominent gap they have to fill (Restmeyer, 2018). This college report mentioned that community college students are the majority of the ones facing homelessness and housing insecurity, compared to students enrolled 1 THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC in four-year institutions (Writers, 2018). Approximately 46% of the community college students identified as housing insecure, and 12% identified as homeless (Writers, 2018). This number was derived from a survey including 43,000 participators from 66 various colleges and in 20 states and also in the District of Columbia (Writers, 2018). Assembly Bill 302 is a law that would allow homeless students to sleep overnight in a campus parking lot (Sheeler, 2019). This bill advises the campus to provide emergency grants for the housing-insecure student. Distribute hotel vouchers through a community or public agency (Sheeler, 2019). Give "rapid re-housing referral services" to homeless students (Sheeler, 2019). For the student to receive overnight, students are required to be in good standing with the school and enrolled in a minimum of 6 units (Hattersley-Gray, 2019). This bill is supported by the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, the California Faculty Association, and numerous other groups (Hattersley-Gray, 2019). Community colleges aren't fond of this new bill because it raises safety and cost concerns (Sheeler, 2019). Regardless of the bill's amendment, 18 community colleges and their districts opposed to the bill (Hattersley-Gray, 2019). There were also cities opposed to the bill, such as Pasadena, La Palma, and Cypress. The Association of California Community College Administrators opposed to it too. The assembly of people that are opposed to it is concerned about the issues that the bill may cause. The 18 community colleges are against it due to the rising cost that this bill will produce. Multiple costly changes need to be considered. For instance, there will be a need for additional security officers to guard the parking lot (HattersleyGray, 2019). Supplementary infrastructure may be needed to be installed, like campus lighting, security gates. There are also concerns about if it will be a liability if anyone gets harmed, sick, 2 THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC or injured (Hattersley-Gray, 2019). The bill also requires "accessible bathroom facilities that are in reasonable proximity to the parking area or areas" ("AB-302 Parking: homeless students", 2019). Another apprehension is the number of costly grants the school will need to give out. People that are opposed to the law are concerned about how all those additional accommodations will fit this in a tight budget. I am passionate about this issue of college student homelessness because I come from the inner-city. I understand and empathize with the people in urban areas because I grew up with them. I know how hard it is coming from a non-wealthy family as a first-generation student. I understand how hard it is to break the glass ceiling and maintain success when your environment isn't up-to-par. I was privileged to have someone I can rely on, but some of my friends did not have that. Many students from low-income families struggle to focus on their education because of their lack of recourses. I can imagine it would be hard for students to focus if they're hungry, or financially stress, or don't have a desk or room to come home too. It affects their grades. The report Hidden in Plain Sight stated that "students experiencing homelessness are 87 percent more likely to drop out of school than their stably housed peers" (Restmeyer, 2018). More than 1.3 million students are considered homeless in American public schools (Restmeyer, 2018). "Education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and establishing economic mobility. It's the only way we can prevent today's homeless children and youth from becoming the next generation of homeless adults" ("Advocates Set New Goal", 2018). Student homelessness is a hindrance to students' academic success. A nation-wide study found that homelessness severely affects mental health and is linked to a higher rate of depression and anxiety. Those problems can be debilitating for students and cause a lack of focus and lower grades. "CSU students 3 THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC experiencing homelessness reported having poorer mental and physical health, lower GPAs, and more academic concerns compared to their housed peers" ("Advocates Set New Goal", 2018). As an academic leader, there are multiple ways I can help resolve this issue of homelessness. I am supporting national campaigns such as Education Leads Home and connecting homeless students with other organizations that would support them ("Advocates Set New Goal," 2018). Education leads home is a national campaign that focuses specifically on addressing the needs of 1.3 million homeless students enrolled in America's public schools (Hattersley-Gray, 2019). "The campaign, which seeks to focus on homeless students at every stage of academic development, set three goals for the country: young children experiencing homelessness will participate in quality early childhood programs at the same rate as their housed peers by 2026, high school students will reach a graduation rate of 90 percent by 2030, and post-secondary students will reach an attainment rate of 60 percent by 2034" ("Advocates Set New Goal", 2018). Supporting causes and foundations that support homeless students and referring them would be a great way of being an aid to the homeless students. Also, my endeavors of being a chair member in the Cal State University system can contribute to voting and advocating for the homeless students. As an academic leader, I can stay ahead of the climate by educating myself on the new academic policies. Researching policies that pertain to education is essential. Students wouldn't benefit from a leader that is completely uninformed about the current educational climate. Being aware of the amendments and changes and staying up to date with news and social media. 4 THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC Academic leaders must be mindful of societal information so that we can know how to serve students better and be able to relate and communicate with them. 5 THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC References AB-302 Parking: homeless students. (2019). Retrieved from https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB3 02. Advocates Set New Goal to Graduate 90 Percent of Homeless Students by 2030, Enroll 60 Percent in College by 2034. (2018, March 5). Retrieved from https://www.americaspromise.org/press-release/advocates-set-new-goal-graduate-90percent-homeless-students-2030-enroll-60-percent. Hattersley-Gray, R. (2019, May 7). Opinion: Laws Addressing College Student Homelessness Must Be Carefully Crafted. Retrieved from https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/blogs/opinion-laws-addressing-college-studenthomelessness-must-be-carefully-crafted/. Restmeyer, N. (2018). College Ready, Hungry, and Homeless Speaker's Office of Research and Floor Analysis July 2018 an Overview of Basic Needs Insecurity In California’s Public Higher Education System. . Retrieved from https://www.ccleague.org/sites/default/files/images/college-ready-hungry-andhomeless_assembly_office_of_research.pdf. Sheeler, A. (2019, June 25). California community colleges don't want homeless students sleeping on campus. Retrieved from https://www.sacbee.com/news/politicsgovernment/capitol-alert/article231840828.html. Tips for Helping Homeless Youth Succeed in College. (2019, October). Retrieved from https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/tips-for-helping-homeless-youth-succeed-incollege/. 6 THE HOMELESS COLLEGE STUDENT EPIDEMIC Writers, S. (2018, October 30). Student Homelessness and Needs Insecurity Guide. Retrieved from https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/homeless-student-guide/. 7
