USU’s Transforming Communities Institute has released their findings from a survey about food security conducted at USU during the fall of 2023 and winter of 2024. The study focused on the impact of the Student Nutrition Access Center, more often called SNAC.
It was led by Dr. Dorothy Wallis from the Department of Social Work and involved students, faculty, and staff across USU’s main and statewide campuses.
The survey findings reveal that over 60% of students reported low or very low food security, with many saying they had trouble accessing proteins specifically. More than half of the students also said that hunger both sometimes or often made it hard for them to stay focused in class.
SNAC has played a key role in addressing these challenges, according to many of the participants involved in the study. More than half of the students surveyed said they had used SNAC services before, and 83% said SNAC helped ease their concerns about having enough food. Participants also showed strong support for funding SNAC with their student fees, saying they’d be willing to contribute an average of about $18 per year.
Faculty and staff are helping as well, with about 64% saying they’ve told students about SNAC at some point. They were also informed during the study that they could donate to SNAC through a payroll deduction, and 70% of them had not previously known this.
The study also highlighted a need for more on-campus food resources at non-residential statewide campuses, since many of those students expressed a desire for pantry services but were hesitant to use off-campus options.
