Letters to the Editor: Panel on poverty

Being a full-time student these days is stressful. There is no doubt about it, what with papers to turn in, exams to study for and classes to attend. Imagine, though, what it would be like to have the stress of school mixed with the uncertainty of where you will get your next meal or if you will be able to pay rent on time. Currently, 29 percent of university students live at, or below the poverty line and in 2009, 47,209 college students were identified as homeless. That means that one-third of our students live with this amount of stress everyday. Not only that, but if you are a student taking any number of credits at a university, you must be working no less than 20 hours per week in order to receive food stamps from the USDA. This means that somewhere in the creation of the policy, many students were forgotten and now have to face the stress of satisfying basic needs while attending school.

This month, the Associated Students of the University of Montana Student Political Action Committee is addressing these problems through some different ways. On Nov. 17, in the University Center atrium at noon, there will be a panel discussion informing students about the politics of poverty in Missoula. Speakers such as Representative Ellie Hill and social work major Christopher Williams, will speak to inform students about the issues facing Missoula and what students can do to fix these problems. The panel discussion will also kick-start a coat drive hosted by SPAC for the next two weeks. So even if you are unable to attend the discussion, we would appreciate a coat donation to help students get through the upcoming winter months. Also, check out our Facebook page to help out by signing a petition on the inaccessible nature of food stamps for students.

Neil Bennett

ASUM Senator