Dear Professor: Here’s What We Wish You Knew
To better understand students’ perspectives on the role that faculty play in mental wellbeing, the Mary Christie Institute interviewed college students over the summer of 2021. The interviews helped create the MCI Faculty Guide on Student Mental Health, providing keen insights into how classroom dynamics affect mental health and what support students want from faculty. Insights from these interviews include students’ views and experiences on issues that affected their mental health, what their professors have done to alleviate stress, and what they wish faculty knew.
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
The Chronicle features an article on how the pandemic’s effects on college student attendance, motivation, and mental health have led faculty to allow more flexibility. During the spring of 2020, emergency online teaching forced many professors to restructure their assignments and teach via video conferencing. Strict classroom policies on deadlines and extensions shifted for students with unexpected circumstances and nonacademic difficulties. Many are now proponents of the shift toward showing flexibility permanently. Matthew Cheney, director of interdisciplinary studies at Plymouth State University, argues that faculty can become more aknowledging of the fact that students have responsibilities outside of the classroom.
Other News
According to two new studies by North Carolina State University researchers, declines in outdoor activities and park use last year were linked to poor mental health of teens and young adults. “Reducing park use was one of the stronger predictors of emotional distress; people who stopped using parks suffered worse mental health impacts in the early stages of the pandemic,” said Lincoln Larson, lead author of the study.
The Conversation reports on 9 ways parents can support teen mental health as restrictions ease. Guidelines include establishing routines, supporting teens to follow local restrictions and rules, and knowing when to seek professional help.
Students at the University of South Carolina are reporting increased rates of anxiety and depression, according to Jason Stacy, USC’s health official.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Chronicle covers recommendations on how colleges can move from pledges of racial equity towards strategic action. Findings from the report “Moving From Words to Action” by NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education showed that few statements from institutions acknowledging the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor listed measures institutions would be taking. Hundreds of diversity officers convened a task force this year, establishing antiracism strategies in the newly released guideline: “A Framework for Advancing Anti-Racism Strategy on Campus.” The framework expands on 10 focus areas institutions should prioritize to improve conditions for Black, Indigenous, and other students of color, which include resource allocation, curriculum and pedagogy, admissions and access, campus climate, and more.
The Chronicle reports on a new campaign initiative to help refugee immigrants resettle in the United States and access higher education. On Thursday, The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration announced the RESPONSE campaign, which creates college sponsorship for refugee students to obtain legal permanent residence in the United States, and enroll at a participating postsecondary institution. Refugees who qualify would enter the country under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, a new private-sponsorship category. Additionally, participating colleges will also offer financial, social, and logistical support. The initiative would provide refugee students the opportunity to stay protected in the country and significantly increase the number of refugee students at U.S. colleges.
A new report titled “HBCUs Transforming Generations: Social Mobility Outcomes for HBCU Alumni” found that historically Black colleges and universities are better vehicles of social mobility than other institutions. Contrary to preconception, the report shows that elite institutions are not the only accelerator to social mobility for Black students. The research analyzed “access rates,” a college student’s family income, and “success rates,” the student’s income post-graduation, across 1,285 public and private nonprofit colleges, 50 being HBCUs. The study then examined the “mobility rate” of students’ earning incomes after graduating and found that HBCUs’ mobility rates outperformed all institutions, including elite or “Ivy Plus” colleges.
Student Life
According to Inside Higher Ed, Wake Forest University is reimagining the ways students socialize, attempting to make their tailgates more inclusive. The school is hoping to draw more students into the events where they have often felt unwelcomed or unable to attend. By adding music, seating, food trucks, and tent rentals to the pre-football games, associate dean Tim Wilkinson said, “We wanted to really think about how we could take cost out of being a determining factor for students attending tailgates, as well as have a unified experience.” Wake Forest University’s tailgates saw the largest student attendance in university history this semester.
Sexual Assault and Title IX
The Chronicle reports on unresolved sexual violence investigations under the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights. According to the Education Department database, there are still 243 sexual violence or sexual harassment college campus investigations remaining, 108 of which are five years old or more. The Education Department’s manual states that investigation decisions are supposed to be completed in 30 days. The department said the delays were a result of the change in presidential administration. However the Office of Civil Rights has also lacked staffing and resources to maintain the growing Title IX caseload in recent years.
Inside Higher Ed provides updated details on the ongoing lawsuit against Liberty University and the investigation into the school’s policies and handling of sexual assault cases. This past summer, a dozen former students and employees sued Liberty University, alleging that the evangelical Christian university’s policies and honor code prevents students from reporting sexual violence and punishes students when they do. Former university spokesman Scott Lamb said he was terminated for retaliating against the university’s protocols and handling of sexual misconduct complaints. Liberty University countersued Lamb for defamation, breach of contract, and more. This week, the production company Talos Films announced their plans to release The Liberty University Project to document the legal battle.
Student Success
The Hechinger Report’s proof points show that the number of college graduates in the humanities has dropped for the eighth consecutive year. According to federal 2020 data, the percentage of humanities graduates dropped between 16% to 29%, depending on which fields classify as humanities. Under 200,000 humanities degrees were granted last year, which is less than 1 in 10 college graduates in 2020. After the Great Recession in 2008, more college students moved away from the humanities. Meanwhile, a recent November 2021 survey also showed that humanities graduates were happy with their lives, and 40% of humanities majors go on to attend graduate school.
New data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows a continual decline of 3.5% in undergraduate enrollment. At the steepest declines, for-profit four-year institutions experienced a drop of 8.5% while community colleges dropped by 6% in enrollment. Private nonprofit four-year institutions were only down by 0.6%. Graduate student enrollment, however, grew by 2.1%.
College Affordability
Inside Higher Ed reports student debt from private lenders has hit a historic high. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, the private debt market increased by almost 50 percent in the past decade. “It’s not just the overall amount of debt that students have that matters, but also what types of debt students take on, because some kinds of debt can be costlier, have higher interest rates and also have fewer protections than debt from the federal government,” said co-author of the report and research director Oliver Schak. In some states, mostly in the northeast, students graduated owing an average of over $40,000 in private loans.
Inside Higher Ed reports that federal loan payments will resume on February 1st – approximately two years after deferral from the pandemic. The majority of student loan borrowers say they will be unable to pay by the seventy-day deadline. Advocates have been calling for a fourth extension this fall due to lack in communication on the resumption of student loan payments from the Education Department and servicers. According to a recent survey by the Student Debt Crisis Center, 57% of student loan borrowers received notification this month from loan servicers on payments resuming and only 33% knew of the news from the department.
Physical Health
Campuses are reporting severe flu outbreaks throughout the country. Due to social distancing, a higher prevalence of wearing masks, and school shutdowns, there was a lower risk of influenza last year. With more students returning to in-person activities, health centers and campus officials are working to mitigate and prevent the spread of the flu as students return home for Thanksgiving break. Experts say flu vaccines are key to preventing the spread, and some worry that the lack of exposure last year could have impacted people’s immune systems and affect the upcoming winter season.
Coronavirus: Safety and Reopening
Inside Higher Ed reports on the various ways colleges are imposing COVID-19 protocols for when students return from Thanksgiving break. Students may be required to undergo additional testing, extended mask mandates, online classes, or no required COVID measures. Last year, prior to most students being vaccinated, some institutions ended the semester early after Thanksgiving break or restricted them from leaving campus at all. Most institutions are encouraging testing after the break, and others are taking greater measures depending on vaccination rates and location.
