In Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention, editors Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady present background research and case studies from American college campuses that are in the fight to end hunger among their students, an issue only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers, students and administrators are among those who can use these essays as a blueprint ... Continue

Howard, Rebecca

English

In Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention, editors Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady present background research and case studies from American college campuses that are in the fight to end hunger among their students, an issue only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers, students and administrators are among those who can use these essays as a blueprint to implement change within their communities, writes Rebecca Howard. Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention. Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady (eds). Johns Hopkins University Press. 2020

LSE Research Online

Book	Review:	Food	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	andIntervention	edited	by	Katharine	M.	Broton	and	ClareL.	CadyIn	Food	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	and	Intervention,	editors	Katharine	M.	Broton	and	Clare	L.	Cadypresent	background	research	and	case	studies	from	American	college	campuses	that	are	in	the	fight	to	end	hungeramong	their	students,	an	issue	only	exacerbated	by	the	COVID-19	pandemic.	Policymakers,	students	andadministrators	are	among	those	who	can	use	these	essays	as	a	blueprint	to	implement	change	within	theircommunities,	writes	Rebecca	Howard.Food	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	and	Intervention.	Katharine	M.	Broton	and	Clare	L.	Cady	(eds).	JohnsHopkins	University	Press.	2020.	Find	this	book	(affiliate	link):	The	current	student	loan	debt	balance	in	the	United	States	is	over	1.6	billion	USdollars	with	no	sign	of	slowing	down.	The	cost	of	college	continues	to	rise	as	thepurchasing	power	of	federal	student	aid,	such	as	the	Federal	Pell	Grant,	declines,leaving	students	with	fewer	resources	to	afford	the	cost	of	living.	There	is	a	significantbody	of	research	and	recommended	policy	interventions	to	tackle	the	cost	of	collegeand	the	student	debt	crisis,	from	debt	cancellation	and	free	community	college	toincreased	accountability	of	colleges	and	universities.To	reckon	with	the	growing	price	tag	of	higher	education,	colleges	and	stakeholdershave	been	thinking	creatively	about	how	to	address	the	costs	students	face	outside	ofthe	classroom,	such	as	food,	housing	and	childcare.	While	the	issue	of	foodinsecurity	on	campus	is	not	new	to	many,	it	has	been	made	abundantly	clear	thanksin	part	to	the	research	done	by	the	U.S.	Government	Accountability	Office.Unbeknownst	to	the	editors	at	the	time,	Food	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	andIntervention	comes	as	COVID-19	shines	a	light	on	existing	inequities	that	students	and	their	families	face	on	and	offcollege	campuses.	Editors	Katharine	M.	Broton	and	Clare	L.	Cady	have	edited	a	collection	of	essays	that	coupleresearch	with	ongoing	efforts	at	colleges	and	universities	across	the	US	in	the	hope	that	more	schools	andstakeholders	will	develop	similar	interventions.	While	evidence-based	approaches	to	addressing	campus	hungerare	still	in	the	early	stages,	this	book	is	the	first	of	its	kind	to	provide	a	comprehensive	look	at	the	various	methodsused	to	confront	food	insecurity	in	higher	education	(6-7).Nonprofit	leaders,	college	administrators	and	faculty	as	well	as	former	students	contribute	detailed	background	andguidance	on	the	steps	they	took	to	develop	their	intervention	on	campus	or	with	a	campus	partnership.	Fromcampus	food	pantries	to	emergency	grants,	the	editors	provide	the	reader	with	a	wealth	of	practices	andprogrammes	taking	place	at	a	variety	of	institutions,	such	as	a	community	college,	a	university	system	and	analliance	of	colleges	across	the	US.	Such	need	for	intervention	often	began	with	interactions	with	students	or	peerswho	were	struggling	to	make	ends	meet.LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-04Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/03/04/book-review-food-insecurity-on-campus-action-and-intervention-edited-by-katharine-m-broton-and-clare-l-cady/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/Personal	stories	of	those	benefiting	from	campus	interventions	paint	a	powerful	picture.	Unfortunately,	the	trope	ofthe	‘poor	college	student’	sustaining	themselves	on	a	‘ramen	noodle	diet’,	which	is	referenced	throughout	the	book,remains	a	narrative	that	is	harmful	in	many	ways.	Such	thinking	normalises	and	glosses	over	the	essential	needs	ofstudents,	who	often	have	to	choose	between	feeding	their	families	and	remaining	in	school.	As	Jennifer	J.	Maquireand	Rashida	M.	Crutchfield	write	in	Chapter	Eight,	‘there	was	a	belief	that	the	problem	was	unique	to	a	few	studentsand	that	addressing	their	unmet	basic	needs	was	not	the	responsibility	of	higher	education’	(196).One	way	to	systematically	reimagine	how	we	help	students	in	need	is	through	data.	In	the	first	chapter,	Brotonstates	that	although	the	data	is	not	perfect,	it	is	safe	to	assume	that	approximately	half	of	undergraduate	collegestudents	are	food	insecure	(17).	Student-level	data	collection	on	costs,	graduation	and	outcomes	is	a	tricky	subjectin	the	higher	education	world,	but	when	collected	and	utilised	in	a	meaningful	way,	it	can	be	a	powerful	agent	forchange.In	Chapters	Seven	and	Eight,	a	system-level,	top-down	approach	is	demonstrated	when	the	former	chancellor	ofthe	California	State	University	system	commissioned	a	study	for	a	holistic	understanding	of	the	barriers	thatstudents	face.	As	a	result,	all	23	campuses	in	California	now	have	some	form	of	food	insecurity	and	basic	needsintervention	in	the	form	of	a	food	distribution	system	or	food	pantry.In	Chapter	Nine,	Amarillo	College’s	president,	Russell	Lowery-Hart,	initiated	a	data	assessment	to	track	studentsuccess	but	quickly	came	to	the	realisation	that	poverty	held	students	back	more	than	academic	challenges.Lowery-Hart	instituted	an	entire	culture	change	where	every	employee	job	description	now	lists	‘serve	students’(228)	as	the	first	item.	Amarillo	College	now	uses	data	analytics	to	assist	students	at	risk	of	dropping	out	but	theyhave	also	trained	school	personnel	to	identify	warning	signs	in	students.Top-down	or	nonprofit	interventions	can	often	break	through	the	campus	bureaucracy	but	students	play	a	uniquerole	in	creating	action	to	combat	food	and	housing	insecurity.	They	are	often	more	aware	of	the	plight	of	their	peerswho	may	be	a	roommate,	classmate	or	friend.	In	Chapter	Six,	students	at	Oregon	State	University	began	organisingin	the	early	2000s	to	help	fellow	students	and	the	Human	Services	Resource	Center	(HSRC)	was	born.	It	started	asa	one-stop	hub	for	students	to	submit	paperwork	for	the	federal	Supplemental	Nutrition	Assistance	Program(SNAP),	to	acquire	basic	groceries,	to	take	a	shower	and	so	on.	As	the	needs	have	become	more	apparent,	theHSRC	has	evolved	over	time	to	include	textbook	rentals,	cooking	classes	and	dedicated	housing	for	those	inemergency	situations.	Ongoing	data	and	anecdotal	collection	has	been	critical	for	HSRC’s	strategic	growth.LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-04Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/03/04/book-review-food-insecurity-on-campus-action-and-intervention-edited-by-katharine-m-broton-and-clare-l-cady/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/Data	and	individual	stories	not	only	make	a	difference	on	campuses,	but	they	also	have	the	potential	to	impactlocal,	state	and	federal	policy.	In	Chapter	Eight,	former	California	assemblywoman	Shirley	Weber	had	an	intern	inher	office	struggling	to	use	her	SNAP	benefits	for	on-campus	dining.	Weber	decided	to	introduce	legislation	to	allowfor	the	proper	machines	to	be	installed	on	campus;	however,	she	was	met	with	pushback.	Once	the	report	from	theCalifornia	State	University	system	was	released,	she	was	able	to	get	that	legislation	and	a	number	of	other	billsacross	the	finish	line.This	is	just	another	example	of	how	developing	interventions	and	tracking	data	can	impact	more	than	one	campusor	one	student.	The	editors	and	contributors	admit	there	is	no	perfect	solution	to	ending	food	insecurity	oncampuses.	For	one,	it	is	linked	to	a	greater	problem	of	poverty	in	the	United	States.	However,	they	acknowledge	thelimitations	head	on	while	suggesting	changes	that	can	be	made	on	the	local,	state	and	federal	level,	specificallyregarding	SNAP,	formerly	known	as	food	stamps.Overall,	this	book	is	organised	well	for	those	unfamiliar	with	current	research	and	strategies,	yet	is	still	illuminatingto	readers	more	familiar	with	the	subject	matter.	The	editors	demonstrate	through	their	choices	of	contributors	thatchange	can	occur	at	all	levels.	While	some	information	throughout	is	repetitious,	the	contributors	present	acompelling	case	that	although	data	and	evidence-based	approaches	are	still	emerging,	this	should	not	stop	action.The	more	campuses	and	organisations	intervene,	the	more	students	will	succeed.Note:	This	review	gives	the	views	of	the	author,	and	not	the	position	of	the	LSE	Review	of	Books	blog,	or	of	theLondon	School	of	Economics.	The	LSE	RB	blog	may	receive	a	small	commission	if	you	choose	to	make	a	purchasethrough	the	above	Amazon	affiliate	link.	This	is	entirely	independent	of	the	coverage	of	the	book	on	LSE	Review	ofBooks.Image	Credit:	Photo	by	Storiès	on	Unsplash.	LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-04Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/03/04/book-review-food-insecurity-on-campus-action-and-intervention-edited-by-katharine-m-broton-and-clare-l-cady/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/

Book review: Food insecurity on campus: action and intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady

Book	Review:	Food	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	andIntervention	edited	by	Katharine	M.	Broton	and	ClareL.	CadyIn	Food	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	and	Intervention,	editors	Katharine	M.	Broton	and	Clare	L.Cady	present	background	research	and	case	studies	from	American	college	campuses	that	are	in	the	fight	to	endhunger	among	their	students,	an	issue	only	exacerbated	by	the	COVID-19	pandemic.	Policymakers,	students	andadministrators	are	among	those	who	can	use	these	essays	as	a	blueprint	to	implement	change	within	theircommunities,	writes	Rebecca	Howard.This	review	originally	appeared	on	LSE	Review	of	Books.	If	you	would	like	to	contribute	to	the	series,	pleasecontact	the	managing	editor	of	LSE	Review	of	Books,	Dr	Rosemary	Deller,	at	lsereviewofbooks@lse.ac.ukFood	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	and	Intervention.	Katharine	M.	Broton	and	Clare	L.	Cady	(eds).	JohnsHopkins	University	Press.	2020.	The	current	student	loan	debt	balance	in	the	United	States	is	over	1.6	billion	USdollars	with	no	sign	of	slowing	down.	The	cost	of	college	continues	to	rise	as	thepurchasing	power	of	federal	student	aid,	such	as	the	Federal	Pell	Grant,	declines,leaving	students	with	fewer	resources	to	afford	the	cost	of	living.	There	is	a	significantbody	of	research	and	recommended	policy	interventions	to	tackle	the	cost	of	collegeand	the	student	debt	crisis,	from	debt	cancellation	and	free	community	college	toincreased	accountability	of	colleges	and	universities.To	reckon	with	the	growing	price	tag	of	higher	education,	colleges	and	stakeholdershave	been	thinking	creatively	about	how	to	address	the	costs	students	face	outside	ofthe	classroom,	such	as	food,	housing	and	childcare.	While	the	issue	of	foodinsecurity	on	campus	is	not	new	to	many,	it	has	been	made	abundantly	clear	thanksin	part	to	the	research	done	by	the	U.S.	Government	Accountability	Office.Unbeknownst	to	the	editors	at	the	time,	Food	Insecurity	on	Campus:	Action	andIntervention	comes	as	COVID-19	shines	a	light	on	existing	inequities	that	studentsand	their	families	face	on	and	off	college	campuses.	Editors	Katharine	M.	Broton	andClare	L.	Cady	have	edited	a	collection	of	essays	that	couple	research	with	ongoing	efforts	at	colleges	anduniversities	across	the	US	in	the	hope	that	more	schools	and	stakeholders	will	develop	similar	interventions.	Whileevidence-based	approaches	to	addressing	campus	hunger	are	still	in	the	early	stages,	this	book	is	the	first	of	itskind	to	provide	a	comprehensive	look	at	the	various	methods	used	to	confront	food	insecurity	in	higher	education(6-7).Nonprofit	leaders,	college	administrators	and	faculty	as	well	as	former	students	contribute	detailed	background	andguidance	on	the	steps	they	took	to	develop	their	intervention	on	campus	or	with	a	campus	partnership.	Fromcampus	food	pantries	to	emergency	grants,	the	editors	provide	the	reader	with	a	wealth	of	practices	andprogrammes	taking	place	at	a	variety	of	institutions,	such	as	a	community	college,	a	university	system	and	analliance	of	colleges	across	the	US.	Such	need	for	intervention	often	began	with	interactions	with	students	or	peerswho	were	struggling	to	make	ends	meet.Personal	stories	of	those	benefiting	from	campus	interventions	paint	a	powerful	picture.	Unfortunately,	the	trope	ofthe	‘poor	college	student’	sustaining	themselves	on	a	‘ramen	noodle	diet’,	which	is	referenced	throughout	the	book,remains	a	narrative	that	is	harmful	in	many	ways.	Such	thinking	normalises	and	glosses	over	the	essential	needs	ofstudents,	who	often	have	to	choose	between	feeding	their	families	and	remaining	in	school.	As	Jennifer	J.	Maquireand	Rashida	M.	Crutchfield	write	in	Chapter	Eight,	‘there	was	a	belief	that	the	problem	was	unique	to	a	few	studentsand	that	addressing	their	unmet	basic	needs	was	not	the	responsibility	of	higher	education’	(196).Impact of Social Sciences Blog: Book Review: Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-06Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2021/03/06/book-review-food-insecurity-on-campus-action-and-intervention-edited-by-katharine-m-broton-and-clare-l-cady/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/One	way	to	systematically	reimagine	how	we	help	students	in	need	is	through	data.	In	the	first	chapter,	Brotonstates	that	although	the	data	is	not	perfect,	it	is	safe	to	assume	that	approximately	half	of	undergraduate	collegestudents	are	food	insecure	(17).	Student-level	data	collection	on	costs,	graduation	and	outcomes	is	a	tricky	subjectin	the	higher	education	world,	but	when	collected	and	utilised	in	a	meaningful	way,	it	can	be	a	powerful	agent	forchange.In	Chapters	Seven	and	Eight,	a	system-level,	top-down	approach	is	demonstrated	when	the	former	chancellor	ofthe	California	State	University	system	commissioned	a	study	for	a	holistic	understanding	of	the	barriers	thatstudents	face.	As	a	result,	all	23	campuses	in	California	now	have	some	form	of	food	insecurity	and	basic	needsintervention	in	the	form	of	a	food	distribution	system	or	food	pantry.In	Chapter	Nine,	Amarillo	College’s	president,	Russell	Lowery-Hart,	initiated	a	data	assessment	to	track	studentsuccess	but	quickly	came	to	the	realisation	that	poverty	held	students	back	more	than	academic	challenges.Lowery-Hart	instituted	an	entire	culture	change	where	every	employee	job	description	now	lists	‘serve	students’(228)	as	the	first	item.	Amarillo	College	now	uses	data	analytics	to	assist	students	at	risk	of	dropping	out	but	theyhave	also	trained	school	personnel	to	identify	warning	signs	in	students.Top-down	or	nonprofit	interventions	can	often	break	through	the	campus	bureaucracy	but	students	play	a	uniquerole	in	creating	action	to	combat	food	and	housing	insecurity.	They	are	often	more	aware	of	the	plight	of	their	peerswho	may	be	a	roommate,	classmate	or	friend.	In	Chapter	Six,	students	at	Oregon	State	University	began	organisingin	the	early	2000s	to	help	fellow	students	and	the	Human	Services	Resource	Center	(HSRC)	was	born.	It	started	asa	one-stop	hub	for	students	to	submit	paperwork	for	the	federal	Supplemental	Nutrition	Assistance	Program(SNAP),	to	acquire	basic	groceries,	to	take	a	shower	and	so	on.	As	the	needs	have	become	more	apparent,	theHSRC	has	evolved	over	time	to	include	textbook	rentals,	cooking	classes	and	dedicated	housing	for	those	inemergency	situations.	Ongoing	data	and	anecdotal	collection	has	been	critical	for	HSRC’s	strategic	growth.	The	editors	demonstrate	through	their	choices	of	contributors	that	change	can	occur	at	all	levels.Data	and	individual	stories	not	only	make	a	difference	on	campuses,	but	they	also	have	the	potential	to	impactlocal,	state	and	federal	policy.	In	Chapter	Eight,	former	California	assemblywoman	Shirley	Weber	had	an	intern	inher	office	struggling	to	use	her	SNAP	benefits	for	on-campus	dining.	Weber	decided	to	introduce	legislation	to	allowfor	the	proper	machines	to	be	installed	on	campus;	however,	she	was	met	with	pushback.	Once	the	report	from	theCalifornia	State	University	system	was	released,	she	was	able	to	get	that	legislation	and	a	number	of	other	billsacross	the	finish	line.Impact of Social Sciences Blog: Book Review: Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-06Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2021/03/06/book-review-food-insecurity-on-campus-action-and-intervention-edited-by-katharine-m-broton-and-clare-l-cady/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/This	is	just	another	example	of	how	developing	interventions	and	tracking	data	can	impact	more	than	one	campusor	one	student.	The	editors	and	contributors	admit	there	is	no	perfect	solution	to	ending	food	insecurity	oncampuses.	For	one,	it	is	linked	to	a	greater	problem	of	poverty	in	the	United	States.	However,	they	acknowledge	thelimitations	head	on	while	suggesting	changes	that	can	be	made	on	the	local,	state	and	federal	level,	specificallyregarding	SNAP,	formerly	known	as	food	stamps.Overall,	this	book	is	organised	well	for	those	unfamiliar	with	current	research	and	strategies,	yet	is	still	illuminatingto	readers	more	familiar	with	the	subject	matter.	The	editors	demonstrate	through	their	choices	of	contributors	thatchange	can	occur	at	all	levels.	While	some	information	throughout	is	repetitious,	the	contributors	present	acompelling	case	that	although	data	and	evidence-based	approaches	are	still	emerging,	this	should	not	stop	action.The	more	campuses	and	organisations	intervene,	the	more	students	will	succeed.	Note:	This	review	gives	the	views	of	the	author,	and	not	the	position	of	the	LSE	Impact	Blog,	or	of	the	LondonSchool	of	Economics.Image	Credit:	Caroline	Attwood	via	Unsplash.Impact of Social Sciences Blog: Book Review: Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-06Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2021/03/06/book-review-food-insecurity-on-campus-action-and-intervention-edited-by-katharine-m-broton-and-clare-l-cady/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/

Book review: food insecurity on campus: action and intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady

In Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention, editors Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady present background research and case studies from American college campuses that are in the fight to end hunger among their students, an issue only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers, students and administrators are among those who can use these essays as a blueprint to implement change within their communities, writes Rebecca Howard

http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/110057/1/impactofsocialsciences_2021_03_06_book_review_food_insecurity_on.pdf

Book review: food insecurity on campus: action and intervention edited by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady

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