Food Insecurity Remains a Continual Challenge at Santa Clara University

Photo by Dylan Ryu

At Santa Clara University, where annual attendance costs top $80,000, nearly 28% of students face food insecurity, part of a hidden crisis highlighted by recent research found in the 4th Annual Assessment of Food Security and Basic Needs at Santa Clara University 2023-2024. 

Research conducted by the University’s Agroecology, Climate Resilience, and Food Justice Lab found that while food insecurity rates improved from 35% in 2022 to 28% in 2023, the issue continues to affect a significant portion of the student population.

“I have friends who really have to work hard to stay afloat and pay their own rent,” said Mary Xiang ’25, a public health and biology major, a student representative on the University’s Basic Needs Committee. “It’s just very difficult. Life is different for everyone, and I think it's not talked about enough.”

The University, which enrolled 9,178 students during the 2023-2024 academic year, has taken steps to address these concerns. In recent years, the University hired Alexis Tagagi as the basic needs coordinator and established the Basic Needs Committee with student, faculty and staff representatives to help address these growing concerns.

Vanessa Errisuriz, a professor in the public health department, conducted an environmental assessment of food options on and off campus with her students during a capstone course. Their findings revealed significant price disparities.

“The pricing of a lot of these items was much higher on campus versus off campus,” Errisuriz said. “To give you an example, a pound of apples might cost $1.29 or $1.99 at one of these bigger stores. On campus, one apple will cost like $3.”

When asked about high food prices, Harvey Smith, the resident district manager for Bon Appetit—the University’s dining service, explained that several key factors influence campus food costs.

“We prioritize high-quality, fresh and often locally sourced ingredients, which can be more expensive than mass-produced alternatives,” Smith stated in an email to The Santa Clara. “Bon Appetit is dedicated to paying employees a living wage, ensuring our staff are compensated fairly for their work.”

The research also highlighted difficulties for students with dietary restrictions, with Errisuriz noting it's “really hard to find plant-based milks, plant-based meats, or even gluten-free bread” on campus.

The University has made efforts to address dietary concerns with the opening of the Simply Oasis dining station in Benson Memorial Center, the University’s main dining hall, in 2023. According to the University’s Auxiliary Services website, Simply Oasis features “entrées that celebrate fresh, simple, whole ingredients while avoiding all of the top-9 allergens + gluten.” However, despite the promise of serving food without the risk of cross-contact with potentially deadly ingredients, students continue to struggle with food accessibility on campus.

“Simply Oasis absolutely does not meet the goal of being an allergy safe station,” stated Tay Grett ’25, the Associated Student Government’s Senator At Large of Health and Wellbeing. “They frequently even list dairy as an ingredient in their food. They also do not have the ability to tell me if the food contains gluten and is celiac safe.”

For Grett, who has celiac disease, Simply Oasis has not resolved her challenges. “Due to Benson being inaccessible with celiac precautions, I cannot eat anything in Benson,” she explained. “I have to make sure that I meal prep and plan my grocery shopping in advance, otherwise I don't have food accessible to me easily.”

The financial implications have affected Grett’s meal plan choices. “At the beginning of my first year, I had the basic meal plan. I was then able to negotiate down to an apartment plan,” she stated. 

All students living on campus are required to purchase a meal plan alongside their housing payments, regardless if they plan on spending their dining points or not.

Students similar to Grett who do not, or cannot, eat in Benson often end each quarter with hundreds of dining points left over. Students now have the option to donate up to 50 of their dining points during the last two weeks of a quarter to help support those with are experiencing food insecurity, according to Auxiliary Services.

The University has implemented various other resources to address food insecurity, including the Bronco Pantry, a food pantry serving students. However, awareness and stigma remain challenges.

“I don't think things like the Bronco Pantry (Santa Clara University’s food pantry) are really like advertised,” a student reportedly said according to the Annual Report. “Those who are struggling would really appreciate it... because we're just trying to eat and survive.”

Xiang has worked to implement new programs, including a Free Food Network Slack that alerts students about available food from campus events. Students can join the Slack channel through links found in the Associated Student Government’s email newsletters. 

“A lot of people don’t even know that our numbers are at 28% for food insecurity from last year, and 24% for housing security,” Xiang said. “The hungry college student stereotype is so normalized. Lots of people say ‘Yeah, I had ramen and noodles every day,’ but when someone's not actually choosing to do that, that’s the only thing they can afford, that's a whole different story.”

When asked about his thoughts on the concerns surrounding Bon Appetit’s food pricing, Smith responded, “We understand these concerns and are committed to balancing affordability with quality and sustainability.” He additionally wrote, “In response, we have launched a Value Menu featuring multiple meal options under $11 to provide more accessible pricing for students. We continuously evaluate pricing structures to ensure we are operating efficiently while maintaining the integrity of ingredients, wages, and ethical sourcing.”

Errisuriz emphasized that food insecurity impacts more than just physical health. “When it comes to food security or food insecurity, I think a lot of people think about access to food in general. It’s not just access to food, it’s access to nutritious foods,” she said. “If students don't have access to those nutritious foods, then not only is health impacted. We also see impacts on mental health, academic outcomes and absenteeism.”

The University’s research found racial disparities in food insecurity rates, with African American/Black students experiencing the highest rates, while White and Middle Eastern/North African students reported the lowest rates.

As the University works to expand its basic needs programs, students like Xiang continue advocating for increased awareness and resources to ensure all students have consistent access to nutritious food.

However, these solutions are not as simple as just lowering the cost of the dining hall food. “A common misconception is that food prices are arbitrarily set. In reality, pricing is based on extensive research, financial analysis, and ethical considerations, including ingredient costs, labor wages, sustainability initiatives, and operational expenses,” Smith stated. “Our pricing reflects the value of responsibly sourced food, fair employee wages, and maintaining a dining program that aligns with SCU’s Jesuit values.”

“Food insecurity impacts mental health, academic performance, and overall student success,” Errisuriz said. “Ignoring this problem isn't just a moral oversight—it’s an academic and public health failure.”