A Framework to Assess Food Insecurity Responses Among Colleges and Universities

Background/Objectives: Food insecurity affects college students at nearly twice the rate of US households, with documented impacts on student academic performance, physical and mental health, and socialization. While frameworks exist to conceptualize general food insecurity and food insecurity in specific contexts, researchers and practitioners lack resources to guide system-level responses to food insecurity on college and university campuses and assess those responses. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a simple yet comprehensive framework for assessing food insecurity responses within the context of higher education. Methods: We adapted an eight-phase process for framework development: (1) map selected data sources within the multidisciplinary literature, (2) read and categorize selected sources, (3) identify and name concepts, (4) deconstruct and categorize concepts based on their features, (5) group similar concepts together, (6) synthesize concepts into a framework, (7) validate the framework using expert panel review, and (8) revise as necessary. Results: The developed Campus Food Aid Self-assessment (CFAS) framework consists of six dimensions: Student Services and Supports; Involvement; Advocacy; Awareness and Culture Efforts; Education and Training; and Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works. Expert panelists (n = 7) reviewed the proposed framework and confirmed the clarity, comprehensiveness, and representativeness of the proposed dimensions, conceptual definitions, and operational variables. Conclusions: With a comprehensive yet accessible structure, the CFAS framework supports the development, coordination, and improvement of campus-based strategies to address food insecurity and support positive student outcomes.