Quadcast Ep. 35
Dr. Marcus Hotaling, President of the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors, on trends in college mental health
The pandemic has led to increased demand for services at campus counseling centers as well as counseling staff turnover. Dr. Hotaling, the Director of the Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center at Union College and President of the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), joins the Quadcast to talk about how counseling centers are evolving, creating communities of care, and what today’s students are experiencing. The AUCCCD is the largest organization of campus mental health leaders in the world.
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
The Chronicle reports on the struggle of campus administrators in assessing the risk of suicide in students. While mental health professionals want students to trust confidentiality in treatment sessions, the risk of suicide complicates matters for campuses, making for difficult judgment calls in sending students home. At times, leaves of absences may be the best option for students in crisis, yet involuntary leaves can lead to feelings of betrayal and isolation for some students. Accommodations can include letting students take classes online, providing extra time to complete a course, and allowing students to withdraw from some classes. Karen Bower, a civil-rights lawyer who advocates for more options for students with mental health disabilities, believes students should participate in the decision-making process.
The Chronicle features an article on the redefinition of rigor, amplifying the debate on how professors should challenge and support their students. While some professors prioritized compassion and flexibility throughout the pandemic, others emphasized maintaining rigor and structure. “Courses can be difficult intellectually; they can be difficult logistically. Professors sometimes conflate the two, imagining that content and policies move together. But they need not,” said Kevin Gannon, director of the teaching center at Grand View University. Jamiella Brooks, an associate director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Pennsylvania, and Julie McGurk, director of faculty teaching initiatives at Yale University’s Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, say professors may often rely on the wrong information as evidence of achieving rigor.
Other News
A newly published paper showcases findings from the national Healthy Minds Study on trends in college student mental health and help-seeking by race/ethnicity. Conducted between 2013 and 2021, the study measures survey data from over 350,000 students at 373 campuses.
The Washington Post reports on a new study by Harvard University researchers that the primary cause of mental health concerns for college students is academic pressure. The authors say the mission for higher education in the 21st century should be reframed “to place academic values as well as mental health and students’ sense of belonging at the center of the college experience.”
The Temple News reports on students advocating to increase the suicide hotline staff to help more people.
The Cornell Sun features an article on students experiencing frustration over its university’s mental health resources. The deaths of 3 Cornell students during the spring semester has sparked campus-wide discussion on student mental health.
Syracuse University News covers trans and gender affirming services in its supporting student wellness series. The Barnes Center’s Trans and Gender Affirming Services aims to embrace emotional wellness, environmental wellness, physical wellness and social wellness.
In an op-ed for West Chester University’s student newspaper, student Ali Castronuovo argues the need for mental health days. “According to a study done by the Mary Christie Institute, 87.1% of professors think that their students’ mental health worsened during the pandemic.”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Hechinger Report covers the growing philanthropic support and potential increases in federal funding that can boost historically Black colleges and universities. Melanie Carter, the director of the Center for HBCU Research, Leadership, and Policy at Howard University, says HBCUs are finding themselves in a more powerful and positive position compared to the past. “Black people, for example, really felt like they needed to have their institutions close — that they are safer there. There has been a Black agency around being vocal about our institutions, and other people have felt the need to join that,” said Carter, who believes the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement has created “a tipping point.”
Inside Higher Ed reports on the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education including social equity into the Carnegie Classifications. In a recent podcast interview with the organization’s leaders, Tim Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation, and Ted Mitchell, president of ACE, discussed their plans to weigh how much colleges and universities contribute to social mobility and racial equity. The change could create a new classification, evaluating and ranking higher education institutions on their contributions to social mobility and racial equity.
Student Success
The Chronicle analyzes data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, on who colleges consider as their peer institutions. The reporting allows colleges and universities to receive a customized report that compares their performance to their selected peers on measures such as enrollment numbers, admissions, graduation rates, and average staff salaries. “Are they doing something really well that you want to get better at? I think it’s important to ground your choices in data and look at the goals and the purpose of what you’re trying to accomplish,” said Christine M. Keller, executive director and CEO of the Association for Institutional Research.
In an opinion piece for The Hechinger Report, Daniel Chambliss, Professor of Sociology Emeritus at Hamilton College, argues that students should study what they love instead of picking the most marketable field. “To have recommended that they major in applied math and go on to work as a corporate accountant would have been like suggesting a personality transplant. It wasn’t going to happen.”
The Washington Post and Higher Ed Dive report on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reinstating its requirement for standardized test scores, after waiving the SAT and ACT tests for admissions during the pandemic. On Monday, MIT announced that the institution’s own research showed that considering standardized test scores improved its ability to predict students’ academic success at the university, especially in mathematics.
College Affordability
The Chronicle reports on how FAFSA requirements aim to boost college enrollments. More states are requiring high-school seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to graduate. States hope that helping students take advantage of unclaimed financial aid may encourage students who may not have considered college to possibly enroll. According to the National College Attainment Network, nearly half of all high school graduates in the Class of 2021 did not complete the FAFSA, resulting in millions of students unclaiming an estimated $3.75 billion worth in federal Pell Grants. Sara Urquidez, executive director of the Academic Success Program, discusses what it means to complete the FAFSA, especially for students who may be fearful of doing so due to their undocumented status or complicated family relationships.
Inside Higher Ed reports on Biden’s newly released proposed budget plan for 2023, which would increase the Pell Grant award. In the fiscal proposal to Congress, Biden proposed a $2,175 increase for the maximum Pell Grant award, bringing the maximum annual Pell award to $8,670. “Pell Grants have been the foundation of low- and moderate-income students’ financial aid for decades. However, the value has diminished as college costs continue to rise … This historic increase is a significant down payment on the president’s commitment to doubling the grant,” said the Education Department’s budget book.
Basic Needs
Inside Higher Ed reports on the California student housing demand. Due to higher rent costs at California colleges, a growing number of students are facing housing insecurity, living in hotels or cars. Many institutions are unable to build dorms fast enough. California’s public in-state tuition is quite affordable in comparison to other states, yet the price of housing is forcing students to defer their higher education.
