Major changes for college students experiencing financial insecurities
are coming within the 2023 year. These changes could make resources more
difficult to find and acceptance to programs more problematic to navigate. This
makes a position like Faren Leader’s as the Affordability Resources Coordinator
all the more important.
LBCC has many resources for students who struggle with food, housing, and
financial insecurities. In 2021, however, the Oregon Legislature realized more
was needed and, thanks to Oregon House Bill 2835, the state created a
position on every public college campus to help students navigate the choppy
resource waters.
Faren Leader, 36, was hired at LBCC to do just that. The State of Oregon calls
the position a Benefits Navigator, but Leader prefers to use the title LBCC
chose for her position, Affordability Resources Coordinator, as it better
describes the work that she does. She is, essentially, a walking phone book.
Students needing to find some kind of assistance can meet with Leader, discuss
their situation, and she can help point them in the right direction, as well as
assist with often confusing applications.
Leader has held many positions before coming to LB, such as in health services, substitute teacher, teacher and more. But no other position has offered her a chance to be the advisor she has always desired, until now.
“This work culture here is probably the healthiest workplace I've ever been in and so I try to make sure I transfer that to students,” said Leader.
“You know when I meet with students, often the first thing I ask them is
‘Have you had lunch yet?’ ‘Have you eaten anything today?’ ‘How are you doing
on water?’ ‘Do you wanna walk together and go fill up your water bottle cuz you
didn't stop at the drinking fountain cuz you were worried you were running late
to this meeting?’ ‘Do you want to walk around and talk … like if you're feeling
anxious being in this enclosed office?’ ‘Do you wanna walk and talk?’
“I just feel like you know it's a trickle down, in a good way, of, you know,
when the work culture is healthy then I feel more energized to be able to pass
that care down to other people.”
Today’s students are facing a tremendous amount of stress. Many are having to figure out how to pay their rent and put food on their table. In 2020, 41% of students in Oregon reported food insecurities according to a survey done by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice.
Then came the pandemic and prices skyrocketed. Food wasn’t the only insecurities faced by students. Housing became a real problem as well.
The authors of HB2835 “recognized a crisis of basic needs and security among college students, which is contributing to some of the worst dropout rates the colleges have seen since the Great Depression,” said Leader.
“Enrollments are down across-the-board and the students we already have are leaving in droves because they can’t afford to be here. They can’t afford to be here for lots of reasons … which is that not only is college expensive, but financial aid is complicated and hard to get.”
As students face these challenges, they often seek full-time employment while carrying a full credit load at school. Often feeling like less than full-time employment is not an option, students are struggling to pay their rent, utilities, phone and other bills, not to mention paying for the gas it takes to get back and forth to school or the wear and tear on the vehicle to do so.
In an answer to this crisis, HB2835 mandated that a Benefits Navigator be available on all 17 community college campuses, as well as the seven university campuses in the state of Oregon. Twenty-four navigators exist to find answers for these students facing significant insecurities by forming a consortium and coming together every month to share information.
With such a tumultuous task before them, their jobs are about to become more difficult. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) applications for food assistance may become more difficult this year and emergency pandemic funding will be ending at the end of the fiscal year which is in June 2023. Navigators, like Leader, will be more important than ever.
This line of work can often wreak havoc on the mental health of the navigators, so self-care is an integral component for each of them. For Leader, her 15-year-old son, gardening, and other self-care activities allow her to renew and refresh to be ready for meeting new challenges. And it works as she is excited to meet with students to help them deal with challenges. She loves helping and desires to remove some of the insecurity burdens from their shoulders.
Many ask her what they can do to help the situation. Donations to the LBCC Foundation are wonderful and always accepted, but right now the legislature is working on the budget for the next fiscal year. Leader encourages everyone to call, email, or stop by the capitol to express your support for full funding of the bill.
As LB’s student advocates remind their fellow students, “Our legislators can't do good work for the community if we don't tell them what we want.”
In the meantime, it is important for students who are struggling to know
that they are not alone.
Leader is one of many on campus who wants to help. There are resources
available through the STEP program, RoadRunner Resources, and the LBCC Foundation
as well.
At a Glance:
Name: Faren Leader
Occupation: Benefits Navigator / Affordability Resources Coordinator
Contact Information: leaderf@linnbenton.edu (541) 990-6142
Office Location: Temporarily located in Willamette Hall
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