College students across Texas and the United States struggle to meet basic needs like housing, food, transportation, and emergency expenses. According to the Fall 2024 Trellis Student Financial Wellness Survey, 56 percent of undergraduates could not access $500 in an emergency. Many students drop out not because they lack ability, but because the system does not provide the support they need to survive and succeed.

Without accurate data showing the realities of students’ basic needs, colleges and policymakers cannot design programs or policies that effectively support them.
Students continue to face inconsistent emergency aid and other support services, making it harder to earn a degree and achieve long-term stability. Collecting this data is the first step toward creating fair, equitable systems that ensure students do not have to choose between survival and education.

Our communities need workforce development, degrees that lead to livable wages, and systems that restore equity in higher education. DEI rollbacks are limiting opportunities for students and reducing access to support systems, making it even more urgent to collect data on student wellness and basic needs, including housing, food, and emergency funds. This information will allow policymakers, colleges, and universities to design support programs that ensure no student has to choose between survival and completing their degree. Collecting this data is the first step toward meaningful, lasting change.

Sign this petition to urge the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, state legislators, colleges and universities to collect comprehensive data on student basic needs and wellness. Understanding these realities is essential to design support systems and emergency aid programs that ensure no student has to choose between survival and completing their degree. Together, we can help ensure every student has the support they need to succeed in higher education.