Findings from the last four years of research, including 2500+ completed surveys, show that 25% to 35% of SCU students are food insecure and have contributed to creating SCU’s basic needs program. If you know someone who needs support, please fill out the Basic Needs Support form. After meeting with an Office of Student Life representative, students may gain access to the Bronco Pantry, financial assistance, technology, and community resources.
- Basic Needs Support Form: The Basic Needs Support Form is designed to help students connect with essential resources and services to support their well-being. Students in need of assistance, such as food, housing support (e.g., emergency rental assistance), or a loaner laptop, can start by completing this form to access the appropriate resources. For more general inquiries and questions, please contact basicneeds@scu.edu.
- Visit the Basic Needs Program Website: www.scu.edu/osl/basicneeds/
- The Bronco Food Pantry and the Basic Needs Coordinator’s office are located in the Office of Off Campus Living (862 Market Street, across from Swig)
Basic Needs are fundamental to students’ dignity and success in their higher education experience. “They include, but are not limited to, Food security; Housing security; Financial stability; Health and wellness; Child/dependent care; Transportation; and Technology and Broadband.” These reports use a food justice framework to analyze food and housing security, and explore intersection with ethics, values, economic and racial justice. The Student Food Security and Basic Needs project is an ongoing, participatory action research and mixed methods study of Santa Clara University student food and basic needs security. Our team conducted the first research in 2020-2021 as the early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted campus student life, families, and communities worldwide. This study included a student survey, interviews, and focus groups. In 2021-2022, our team continued the research and conducted a smaller, quantitative study on students at SCU’s College of Arts and Sciences using the same survey questions as the 2020 study. In 2022-2023, we conducted a more extensive survey and several student and key stakeholder interviews. We used the data and our report findings to make recommendations to the SCU administration. In 2023-24 we sampled more than 800 students as we have continued expand the research and action agenda through the Basic Needs Committee and mutual aid efforts to meet all students’ basic needs with dignity and care.
Please visit the following links to explore our yearly reports.
2020 – 21 SCU Food Security and Basic Needs Report
- First annual assessment on student food security and basic needs at SCU. This is a mixed methods study, with 484 survey responses largely representative of the SCU undergraduate population. Includes full report and summarizing fact sheet.
2021 – 22 SCU Food Security and Basic Needs Report
- Second annual assessment on student food security and basic needs at SCU. This quantitative study has 161 survey responses from students at the Arts and Sciences school. Includes full report and summarizing fact sheet.
2022 – 23 SCU Food Security and Basic Needs Report
- Third annual assessment on student food security and basic needs at SCU. This is a mixed-methods study, with 750+ survey responses largely representative of the SCU undergraduate and graduate population. Includes full report and summarizing fact sheet.
2023 – 24 SCU Food Security and Basic Needs Report
- Fourth assessment on student food security and basic needs at SCU. This is a mixed-methods study, with 840+ survey responses broadly representative of the SCU undergraduate and graduate population. A summary presentation of recent findings is available to SCU personnel.