30 April 2020 T0: Central Washington University Board of Trustees FROM: Roger Schaefer, Ph.D. & Teresa Divine, J.D., LL.M. RE: APOYO
Department of Law and Justice 400 East University Way • Ellensburg WA 98926-7580 • Office: 509-963-3208 • Fax: 509-963-3205 Office location Farrell Hall 300 • E-mail: laj@cwu.edu • Web: www.cwu.edu/law EEO/AA/TITLE IX INSTITUTION • FOR ACCOMMODATION E-MAIL: CDS@CWU.EDU The common tread to that unites APOYO’s mission with that CWU is an underlying desire to strive for an equitable and socially justice community. Failure to acknowledge APOYO as a vital partner is our efforts to accomplish this mission is a mistake. Identifying ourselves as an access point university is meaningless if we are unwilling to protect access to basic needs like food and clothing. For many of our students APOYO is the only resource they have; and or many of our most vulnerable students, APOYO is the key to their success at We are writing in support of the APOYO resource center in Ellensburg, Washington. As faculty in the Department of Law and Justice at Central Washington University we can offer a unique perspective on the issues of food security, resource access, social justice, and student success. Our hope is that this letter highlights the need for APOYO as a vital resource for both the CWU and the Ellensburg communities. Like most college towns, Ellensburg is vulnerable to social and cultural divisions between the campus community and those not affiliated with the university. During our time at CWU the relationship between these two groups has seen its ups and downs, but there has always been a recognition of shared reliance. For many of our students, APOYO represents an access point for necessities such as food and clothing, while also providing a bridge between campus and the larger community. Understanding that the CWU student body represents a vital economic and cultural force in Ellensburg, APOYO provides citizens with an opportunity to provide resources to the students who bring energy, enthusiasm, and passion to our community. The realities brought about due to the COVID 19 pandemic has shown just how important the student population is to the collective success of this region. Ensuring access to resources, like those provided by APOYO helps ensure that CWU’s students and the Ellensburg community are able to continue to thrive. The research illustrating the link between food security and academic success is fairly conclusive. At all levels of education, hungry students struggle to concentrate, are unable to focus on immediate tasks, and are less likely to succeed. As CWU renews its focus on retention, we must consider how access to necessary resources impacts a student’s ability to remain enrolled in classes – particularly on campus. Food insecurities among student populations are being exacerbated by growing threats of long-term student loan dept, limited employment opportunities in rural college towns like Ellensburg, and a lack of access to nutrient rich foods. Furthermore, given that many of our students are first generation university students, it is likely that their parents and families are unable to supplement the students’ budgets for food or other necessities provided by APOYO. Our collective efforts to address the issue of university retention are shortsighted if we are unwilling to recognize how programs like APOYO help students remain students. For students in Ellensburg, access to resources – food or otherwise – is generally limited. While Grocery Outlet and Safeway are within walking distance from campus, other necessities such as clothing and housewares are not so close. Having APOYO near-by provides students with access to resources that would otherwise be too difficult to impossible to obtain.
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