Recognizing Pride Month
The month-long celebration of LGBTQ+ voices and culture is also an opportunity to focus on how colleges and universities are supporting LGBTQ+ students. This month on the Quadcast, we will speak with David P. Rivera, PhD, an associate professor of counselor education at Queens College-City University of New York and special advisor to the Steve Fund. Dr. Rivera is also one of the editors of the new book, “Affirming LGBTQ+ Students in Higher Education,” who will speak about how institutions of higher learning can make practical and effective changes at many levels to better support LGBTQ+ students and, ultimately, improve the campus climate for all. Part of the discussion will include improving support for the mental health of LGTBQ+ students.
Here, we share a Q&A from the Mary Christie Quarterly with the University of Massachusetts first trans mental health clinicians on supporting trans students on that campus. Aspen Alterkun (they/them) and Bradley Landon (they/them) discuss unique challenges trans students faced during the pandemic.
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
Pace University President, Marvin Krislov, wrote an oped for Forbes recognizing mental health awareness month from a presidents’ perspective. “In National Mental Health Awareness Month, What We Can All Do For The Mental Health Of College Students” he writes, “May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and before the month ends it’s time for us all to commit to giving our students the support and resources they need,” said Krislov. “Colleges and universities can lead the way, but we’ll need work alongside parents and families, and with the support of government and philanthropy.”
In an op-ed for Slate, Stanford athlete Mikaela Brewer writes about how college sports can better protect student athletes’ mental health. After being hospitalized for her own mental health, Brewer explains the pressure she experienced from social media and news outlets. “In loneliness, I was left mindlessly scrolling through social media, articles, and message boards that only wore me down more … When we lost Stanford soccer player Katie Meyer recently, the anger I felt broke my heart,” wrote Brewer. The op-ed outlines three takeaways: understanding performance pressure and athletic identity foreclosure, redefining and expanding the shared symbol of mental toughness, and eliminating the notion of being in crisis to seek help.
The New York Times explores how gun violence affects mental health – both for survivors and family of the victims – but also for the many who regularly consume news media about mass shootings and gun violence. Erika Felix, an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who has studied survivors of shootings said, “It’s felt everywhere,” describing the impact as a public mental health crisis.” Dr. Sara Johnson, a professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who has studied how chronic stress affects child development and behavior explained that some develop a sense that the world is not a safe place or that they are powerless to change their circumstances. Of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Johnson said, “These kinds of mass shootings really tear at the fabric of society.”
Other News
Today features an article on 9 things college mental health counselors wish parents understood. Advice includes offering sideline support and not assuming that children do not want to speak with their parents.
West Virginia News reports on college student leaders discussing mental health issues and initiatives. A newly launched West Virginia Green Bandana Initiative trains students to be mental health advocates on their campuses.
An op-ed for Phys.org argues that beyond research output, student wellbeing should be part of university quality indicators.
Psychiatric Times reports on research related to substance misuse in college students. According to the report, annual alcohol consumption is highest in full-time college students 1 to 4 years after high school.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Inside Higher Ed shows findings on the barriers faced by incarcerated women when it comes to completing their degrees. According to a new report, incarcerated women enroll in college degree programs at high rates yet complete credentials at lower rates than men in prison. Brenda Smith, a law professor at American University and director of the law school’s Community Economic and Equity Development Law Clinic, says women face unique obstacles to receiving prison education, such as limited program offerings, gender-based discrimination and harassment from prison staff.
Diverse Education reports on how colleges are reflecting on the murder of George Floyd, after two years has passed. George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020. A wave of colleges and universities released campus-wide statements addressing the widespread racial reckoning across America and announced efforts towards systemic change. A number of colleges and universities are remembering George Floyd through commemorating events, such as screenings of documentaries and hosting summits with panel discussions on supporting Black mental health and work being done in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Diverse Education reports on the baby formula shortage and how it is increasing stress on college students who are parents. As the summer months approach, experts say institutions should support parenting students by looking for innovative solutions to provide resources. “Student parents are more likely to be low income, struggling with basic needs like housing or food insecurity, and they are experiencing extreme time-poverty between working, school, and care-giving,” stated Nicole Lynn Lewis, founder of Generation Hope.
The Chronicle and The Washington Post report on Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s pledge of $1.5 billion to support scientists of color. The funding is named after Freeman A. Hrabowski III, retiring president of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who spearheaded STEM education for students of color. It will sponsor 150 early-careers scientists, covering their salaries and research. Efforts for faculty include providing more time for the scientists to build labs and work with students to conduct research. Additionally, Leslie B. Vosshall, HHMI’s vice president and chief scientific officer, hopes to avoid the “minority tax,” which are known as added responsibilities in DEI typically given to professors of color, such as having them sit on diversity committees or run equity programs, that take them away from focusing on their research.
Student Success
The New York Times, Higher Ed Dive and The Chronicle report on the decline in spring 2022 undergraduate enrollment. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, about 662,000 fewer undergraduate students enrolled in college this spring compared to the year before. The drop in enrollment reflects a 4.7% decline across all institution types and mimics downward trends in higher education enrollment in recent years.
The Hechinger Report covers how California colleges are having difficulty shifting away from remedial courses. A 2017 law aimed to reduce lower-level math and English classes has some community colleges resisting the change. According to the California Acceleration Project, at least 1 in 5 introductory math courses is remedial at 69 California community colleges. Advocates argue students should not pay for courses that do not get counted towards their degrees and say many college students can handle college-level coursework when provided the opportunity and resources.
The Chronicle reports that students may be questioning their college careers, with many experiencing alienation from their institutions. Professors report a high level of disengagement amongst their students, and faculty are noticing the physical, emotional, and social challenges left by the pandemic.
The Hechinger Report reports on a program by Morgan State University specifically designed to re-enroll adults who have dropped out of college. As more institutions attempt to target the 39 million who never completed college, MSU, a historically Black university, has launched a program specifically for adult learners who work full time. “It’s not enough to have low tuition. It’s not enough to have courses online. There’s also a support mechanism that a lot of adult learners need,” said Nicholas Vaught, the interim assistant dean for academics and student success in the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies.
Diverse Education reports on research conducted by Oregon State University that looks at how college students can make better use of academic support services. According to findings, students were more likely to click on links sent over email instead of text message, and the resources most frequently utilized were supplemental, online practice problems. Limiting email reminders to an optimal number of two worked best when trying to inform students of campus academic resources.
College Affordability
The Washington Post and Inside Higher Ed report on President Biden considering canceling $10,000 in student debt relief. As part of a pivotal campaign promise by Biden, White House officials plan, yet have not finalized, to relieve thousands for each borrower. Currently, $1.7 trillion is owed to the federal government in student debt. Some advocates argue that $10,000 would not be enough, especially for Black households. “Two key data findings bolster our claim that student debt disproportionately harms low-income households and, in particular, low-income Black households,” stated the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Higher Ed Dive reports on a new survey showing that adults who borrowed for college doubt the value of higher education. According to a report by the Federal Reserve Board examining responses of 11,000 households in the United States, adults who still owe loans feel more pessimistic about the value of college than those who do not have any debt. Forty percent of those with debt said the benefits of their education exceeded the costs, and 63% of those who paid off their debt, along with 51% of those who attended college but never took on debt.
The Washington Post reports on employers offering to help workers repay student debt, assisted by a COVID-era tax break that can help make it cheaper for companies to offer the benefit. The competitive labor market is leading employers to offering the perk to pay off employee student loans. Inova Health Systems, for instance, recently announced contributing $150 a month to help with paying off education debt for employees who have been in the workforce for under 3 years.
Policy and Politics
The Washington Post reports on a Texas official wanting to arm more teachers, following the recent mass shooting in Uvalde. In 2019, Republican Texas governor Greg Abbott signed legislation to allow more teachers to be armed in response to a 2018 mass shooting.
Reproductive Health
The Chronicle reports on new laws that may soon require some public universities to offer abortion pills. Massachusetts policymakers will most likely vote on a bill requiring public universities to make medication abortions available via campus health centers. To make abortion more accessible for patients in states with harsher restrictions, the law comes in await of an impending Roe v. Wade decision. The bill resembles a law enacted in 2019 by California, which California campuses offer medication abortions.
