UC regents hear annual basic-needs report as campuses expand CalFresh, food and housing pilots

The University of California Board of Regents on Wednesday received an annual report on student basic needs that said UC basic-needs centers served more than 70,000 unique students in 2023–24 and described campus programs and state partnerships intended to expand access to food and housing supports.

Provost Scott Newman introduced the report, saying, “I am pleased to introduce this annual report on basic needs.” The presentation said UC permanently funds basic-needs centers on every campus and that system efforts range from campus food pantries to expanded CalFresh enrollment and housing subsidies.

The report provided systemwide figures and program examples. Jeannie Kim, director of student mental health and well-being, summarized survey results, saying that undergraduate food-security rates “have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2024 at 48%” and that undergraduate housing insecurity “has reduced to 2020 levels at 7%.” Kim said those figures come from the biannual undergraduate and graduate student experience surveys (the undergraduate survey was last administered in 2024; the graduate survey in 2023) and that the measures are not directly comparable to other data…