April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month which reminds us of the urgency to address this persistent problem in America and on campuses across the country. In recognition, the Mary Christie Institute would like to re-share the following stories:
Campus Concern: Sexual Assault Returning to Campus
The Importance of Cultural Competency within Survivor Outreach and Advocacy Resources
CNN reports that the mental health of United States high school students has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to new survey results from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 37% of US high school students experienced poor mental health for at least most of the time during the pandemic. Over 2 in 5 students (44%) felt “persistent sadness or hopelessness,” causing them to stop usual activities. One in five seriously considered suicide. The survey found that students who reported feeling close to people at school, or felt virtually connected, were significantly less likely to report poor mental health during the pandemic.
The Chronicle reports on a high level of student disconnection. Professors report record rates of students’ stress levels, uncertainty for their futures, and overall exhaustion. Kate Marley, a biology professor at Doane University, says she has never witnessed it to this extent in her 20 years of teaching. From a third of student absences and incomplete assignments to inabilities recalling basic information on her exams, Marley describes the level of disengagement as “stunning.” Faculty say trends this year include shorter attention spans, growing mental health problems, and pandemic-related trauma – such as family deaths and financial insecurities.
The Chronicle reports on a faculty member’s resignation during a mental health crisis who is now fighting for her job back. In November 2020, tenured associate professor of sociology, Angela Bryant, angrily resigned in an email during a manic episode of bipolar disorder. When Bryant realized her mistake, Ohio State University of Newark denied her attempt to rescind her resignation. The case is gaining attention nationally on faculty members’ struggles with mental health disabilities and universities’ responses.
Higher Ed Dive reports on the United Faculty of Florida urging students to ignore a survey examining “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” on campus. Due to a 2021 law, Florida’s government began requiring public colleges to distribute the questionnaire. The union argues that the survey may allow lawmakers of the Republican-led state to look more closely at which campuses have left or liberal-leaning viewpoints and potentially penalize those colleges.
Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle report on Oberlin College’s loss in a $31 million appeal for supporting false claims that a local bakery discriminated against students of color. In 2016, Allyn D. Gibson, whose father and grandfather owned Gibson’s Bakery, confronted 3 Black Oberlin students, one of whom they believed was stealing wine. The incident led to an altercation. Student protests ensued with over 200 students standing outside the business storefront, accusing the bakery of a long history of racism. In 2017, Gibson’s Bakery sued the college for damaging its reputation. A state appeals court agreed in a 3-to-0 decision requiring Oberlin College to pay $25 million in punitive damages and $6 million in legal fees.
The Chronicle covers why search committees struggle to diversity faculty. Based on a new study led by Leah Hakkola, an assistant professor of higher education at the University of Maine, and her PhD student, Sarah Dyer, biases and barriers may still be prevalent throughout the search process. Hakkola says the assessment and evaluations in faculty searches can still remain subjective, based on who creates them and which committee members are influencing the decision making.
Inside Higher Ed reports on a new center that helps formerly incarcerated students with college degrees find jobs. The Center for Justice and Economic Advancement is working with colleges and universities, employers, and policy makers to create policies and opportunities to help formerly incarcerated or arrested students and graduates advance their careers. The center also works with employers to develop more inclusive hiring practices.
The Chronicle reports on collegiate addiction-recovery programs working to reach students who need the most help. In 1977, a professor established a “dean for chemical dependency” position at Brown University. Since then, the number of college recovery programs have significantly grown. The Association of Recovery in Higher Education represents 156 member institutions for college recovery programs. Such programs can successfully prevent students from relapsing, “create space for students who seek alternatives to campus drinking and drug culture,” and find “allies of recovery,” according to Christopher Freeman, the founder of the College of New Jersey’s recovery program and assistant director of alcohol and drug support services.
The Chronicle reports on colleges attempting to re-enroll adult learners who never completed their degree. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment has decreased by 8% during the pandemic and approximately 36 million adults have left college without finishing their degree. Inside Higher Ed features Georgia State University’s microgrant program that helps students complete their degrees faster and with less debt.
The Washington Post reports that the White House is expecting to extend the student loan pause until August.
Inside Higher Ed reports on college women experiencing hazing. Recent hazing allegations of waterboarding at Norwich University involved a 22-year-old women’s rugby team member found intoxicated, “branded with pliers and a lighter,” and covered in urine. “Our research at the Piazza Center suggests that women are more likely to engage in hazing for conformity and for identity, and men are more likely to participate in hazing to prove masculinity. But the overall theme is that they want group affiliation and a sense of belonging,” said Pietro Sasso, professor of educational leadership at Stephen F. Austin State University and faculty research fellow at the Piazza Center at Pennsylvania State University.
Inside Higher Ed reports on a professor who called campus police on two Black students for arriving late to class. “The provost and police chief have reached out to meet with the affected students. The professor is no longer teaching in-person classes this semester,” stated Georgia State University on Friday.