New Quadcast: Ep. 40
In this week’s Quadcast, UMass Chan Medical School’s Dr. Maryann Davis gives practical advice on how campus stakeholders can better support students with mental health conditions.
Maryann Davis, Ph.D. is a professor of psychiatry at the UMass Chan Medical School and the Director of the Implementation Science & Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC) and the Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research (Transitions ACR).
She discusses the challenges students with mental illness face in their journey towards a college degree and how campus community members, particular faculty, can better understand and support these students. Transitions ACR recently released a video guide series with faculty and student narratives that help inform faculty on issues such as accommodations, reducing stigma around mental health conditions, and helping students thrive academically.
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
In an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal, Generation-Z students share their perspectives on the student mental health crisis and the rise in depression and anxiety of the past years. Prolonged social media use was a key theme, along with isolation.
“Especially during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, many young people who lost time at school filled the void with social media,” said Jesse Hagy, a student at Bates College.
“The greatest source of mental-health issues I’ve observed has been isolation and a lack of meaningful relationships,” said student Zachary Mason from Carnegie Mellon University.
“The anxious awareness that notifications could ping our phones at any moment makes it all the more difficult to be in the here and now, which increases anxiety and dissatisfaction,” said Joshua Gammariello, a student at the University of Tennessee.
Inside Higher Ed reports on Student Voice survey findings and 7 ways professors can prioritize student wellness. The study showed actions faculty can take and adjustments they can make to help lessen student mental health and wellness challenges. Students reported their top stressors as “pressure to do well in college” and “balancing school and work obligations.” They also wished professors educated themselves on how different mental illnesses can affect schoolwork and showed empathy and flexibility around deadlines. The infographic includes striving for equity and access in the classroom environment and including wellness resources in syllabi and class sessions.
Other News
In an opinion guest essay for The New York Times titled “My College Students Are Not Okay,” Jonathan Malesic, professor and author of “The End of Burnout,” narrates his experience with student disengagement this past semester.
The Hechinger Report reports on how the University of Iowa’s counseling center has doubled its counseling staff yet still struggles with overload. “It’s bottomless demand and finite resources – and that begins to erode people’s feelings of efficacy,” said Barry Schreier, former director of Iowa Center for School Mental Health.
Diverse Education reports on how the pandemic has disproportionately negatively affected Black families, exacerbating mental health issues for Black students. Black families were more likely to be front-line workers, more likely to die from the virus, and face ongoing racism and systemic inequities.
Inside Higher Ed reports on a new program at the University of Rochester that pairs faculty and staff with international students whose families cannot attend graduation. They will share a celebratory meal, cheer on graduates, and take commencement photos.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Washington Post covers how teachers are addressing their students on the grocery store shooting in Buffalo, where 11 of the 13 people shot were Black. Many educators fear losing their jobs to speak about race-related matters, particularly in Republican-led states that have restricted what instructors can say about race and racism in their classrooms. Teachers are grappling with whether they should or should not discuss current events due to recent laws on censorship.
Inside Higher Ed reports on new initiatives by campus leaders and state policymakers to provide tuition waivers for Native American students. In efforts to “right historical wrongs,” schools are supplying funds to enroll students from tribal communities. President of the University of California System, Michael Drake, announced that all California residents of federally recognized tribes would be able to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees in the UC system for free. Another law in Colorado is providing in-state tuition to its state’s Native American students.
Inside Higher Ed reports on new medical schools, two of which will be at HBCUs, that can aid efforts in increasing the number of Black physicians. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, HBCUs produced nearly 10% of Black medical school graduates in 2019. Black students make up only 2.3% of U.S. medical schools.The National Institutes of Health estimated in 2015 that there would be a shortage of 33,000 primary care doctors in 15 years. Black communities may face the worst of these shortages in healthcare.
Reproductive Health Rights
Inside Higher Ed reports on student protests demanding action and accessibility to abortions in the wake of the Supreme Court potentially overturning a 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. “An unplanned or unwanted pregnancy can derail a student’s ability to complete their studies and earn a degree,” said Rachel Mack, a spokesperson for the American College Health Association. “Research shows that being denied an abortion can negatively impact a woman’s financial health for years and that women who are denied an abortion are also more likely to stay with violent partners.”
The Chronicle covers how overturning Roe v. Wade can impact female college students. According to a new study from Tulane and Stanford University, researchers found that the most cited reason poorer women were more likely to stop out of college than wealthier female peers and more likely to take breaks than men from all socioeconomic backgrounds was due to child-care responsibilities. New abortion restrictions can cause for more unwanted pregnancies and childbirths, leading to more college students’ trajectories to be interrupted.
Substance Use
An op-ed for The Daily Trojan argues on how college students can use the summer months to abstain from cannabis use. Gabriel Marquez writes, “Research has shown that smoking marijuana impacts the parts of the brain related to memory, learning, concentration and problem-solving. Additionally, continuous usage of weed can lead to severe brain fog, memory loss and the inability to focus.”
Student Success
Higher Ed Dive reports survey findings showing that students and higher education leaders diverge on post-COVID priorities. In North America, 63% of students said they preferred fully online classes or classes that blend a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning, yet one in four college leaders said their institutions are not planning to offer remote or virtual course options by 2025.
Inside Higher Ed reports on the rise of students without degrees. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the total number of students who have not completed college increased by 8.6%, showcasing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education. The pandemic led to challenges for college students who faced financial hardships and personal challenges, such as job and income losses, and the illness and deaths of family members.
The Hechinger Report reports that more A students now make up the majority of ACT test takers. According to an analysis of over 4 million high school seniors who took the ACT from 2010 to 2021, trends of rising GPAs have accelerated after 2016. High school grades have apparently risen from a 3.0, or a B grade, to a 3.39, or a B-plus, in 2021. The study, however, relies on self-reporting by students on an optional survey when registering for the ACT.
College Affordability
The Chronicle covers the complexities that lead to why college costs so much. A breakdown of reasons include states disinvesting in public higher education, colleges spending more money due to external pressures and stakeholders, and the public’s lack of understanding of what college costs and the represented sticker-price. “There is always going to be pressure for new spending [for institutions],” said Liz Clark, vice president for policy and research at the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
Inside Higher Ed reports on rampant inflation driving up tuition costs. The current inflation rate has risen by 8.3% in the last 12 months, according to new data released last Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation has hit the highest rate in March since April 1981. After low tuition increases over the past two years, tuition is set to rise at many public and private colleges this year. The Washington Post reports on interest rates on federal student loans rising in July, increasing costs to borrow money for college. Financial aid administrators are calling for student loan system reforms.
Physical Health
James Madison University reports on an exercise mentorship program. The program combines coaching, mentorship, and physical activity between faculty and staff and students. Program participants are paired after filling out an online questionnaire and meet weekly for a commitment of 10-weeks. Activities can range from weightlifting to rock climbing to racket sports at the center.
