Should College Students Be Allowed on Food Stamps?

At the height of the economic downturn Michigan had the highest unemployment rate at around 14.1 percent. It held this distinction for nearly 25 months and today unemployment in the state lingers at around 10.5 percent. While an improvement, it's still no easy feat to find a job in the state. And for college students in need of part time work, it can be even more difficult.

Many students depend on food stamps to make ends meet but undoubtedly, rampant abuse has called the system into question. Michigan has ten times as many students on food stamps as California and Illinois. It's these numbers along with massive budget cuts which led to removing 30,000 students from the program.

Federal law states that college students are not eligible for foods stamps in many cases but states like Michigan have gotten around the law in the past by considering job preparatory programs (mandatory to students on food stamps) to be college itself.

"Maybe (students) could go get a part-time job — that's what I did," said Human Services Director Maura Corrigan, a former justice of the Michigan Supreme Court who attended Detroit's Marygrove College and University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

Quite an insensitive comment coming from the Director of Human Services, but of course, she has a point. A job should be the first means by which students feed themselves while in school. But what if there are no jobs? Students like 19 year old Kayla Neff claim that they can't find work and need food aid in order to stay afloat in school.

According to the Detroit News:

Neff said she and her father share about $150 a month in grocery money from the program, which "made all the difference in the world," but her eligibility is now under review.

The Social Security Administration states that "[m]ost able-bodied people between the ages of 18 and 60 must register for work to qualify for food stamps. Many people may be required to participate in an employment or training program. Some college students also may be eligible."

It becomes a sticky subject when you consider that unemployment numbers in this country are much higher for those without an education. Part of boosting this economy back up means educating our workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, unemployment was at 10.3 percent for those with just a high school diploma and just 5.4 percent for those with a Bachelor's degree in 2010.

Brian Rooney, Deputy Director of Michigan Human Services, says that starting October 1, applicants will be "evaluated based on assets, not just income." This likely includes grants and scholarships. It's about finding a balance between maintaining a safety net that boosts the next generation's highly skilled workforce and plucking out instances of abuse. On a case by case basis it can be done correctly, but let's hope the state realizes that its students are also the key to Michigan's economic future.

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