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In 2015 the CSU implemented Graduation Initiative 2025 (GI 2025), an ambitious effort to ensure that all students regardless of racial, ethnic or financial background have an equal opportunity to earn a college degree. Student Engagement & Well-Being was identified as one of the initiative’s six operational priorities and the CSU developed a full-scale, systemwide effort to take a holistic look at students’ well-being, both inside and outside the classroom, from housing and food security to mental health, to better support students on their path to graduation.
“As we work towards achieving our Graduation Initiative 2025 goals, it is of critical importance to ensure our students’ wellness inside and outside of the classroom,” comments Henoc Preciado, systemwide manager of the CSU’s Basic Needs Initiatives. “Basic Needs Initiatives across the CSU aim to provide our students with the equitable supports needed to ensure that they have food security, housing security, financial stability, and their overall needs met so that they can focus on their coursework and persist to graduation.”
All 23 campuses have a food panty or food distribution program, as well as offer on-campus emergency housing or vouchers for off-campus housing. Additionally, every CSU campus offers application assistance for Cal Fresh, a federally funded program that helps eligible students buy the food they need. In order to capitalize on every opportunity and ensure that all students have access to the services available, each campus has administrators or staff who manage programs and connect students to resources in their community.
Here are some examples of how CSU campuses are supporting students this holiday season:
SAN JOSÉ STATE
San José State University (SJSU) recently kicked off their second annual “Share Your Spartan Heart” campaign to raise awareness and generate donations for their basic needs program, SJSU Cares, during the holiday season. Last year, the campaign raised almost $14k to support students who needed additional assistance.
Along with their annual campaign, SJSU continues to monitor requests for assistance and provides support to urgent cases even while the campus is closed for the holiday break.
STANISLAUS STATE
For the third consecutive year, Stanislaus State University has supplied students with fall and winter dinner kits during the months of November and December. These turkey or tamale dinner kits include all the items needed to prepare a delicious and nutritious seasonal meal.
This supplemental food service was first launched in November 2020 during National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (NHHAW) when the pandemic was in full effect. In an effort to explore new ways to enhance food security for students and their families, Stanislaus State developed the dinner kits as a way to provide a special meal during the holidays, and students loved them.
SAN DIEGO STATE
In addition to the various resources available to students in need through SDSU’s Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT), San Diego State’s residential communities will remain open and staffed over winter recess. If any students need housing during winter break and live in a building that does not remain open, the office of housing administration works with the student to complete a room switch request form so the student can be moved to a building that remains open and staffed.
These examples highlight only a few of the many ways CSU campuses are providing for students needs this holiday season. Visit Student Resources for more information on the services available at each campus.
To learn more about how you can partner with the CSU this holiday season, visit CSU Cares or get involved by donating to your local campus’ food pantry.
