White House

Policy & Advocacy

Higher education is critically important for students and families. It helps them earn more and succeed in the workforce, strengthen their communities, and enrich our democracy. At the same time, college has become much more difficult to afford, particularly for those with the fewest financial resources. Often, policy choices have exacerbated this affordability crisis.

three in five students experience basic needs insecurity

Today, three in five college students do not have enough to eat or a safe place to live, and millions lack access to essential resources such as health care, child care, transportation, course materials, and technology. Nationally representative federal data have also confirmed that all types of students at all types of colleges struggle to meet their basic needs. Few students who experience basic needs insecurity are accessing public or tax benefits or campus supports

The Hope Center at Temple University urges federal, state, and local policymakers to treat students as humans first by helping them afford the full cost of college. We call for major reforms to public benefits to focus on students’ basic needs, significant increases in funding for public higher education and institutions that serve high percentages of students of color, and more equitable design and implementation of financial aid programs. 

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