Minority Mental Health Month
July is minority mental health month and the Mary Christie Institute is pleased to announce that The Steve Fund, the nation’s premier research organization on the mental health of students of color, will be contributing regularly to the Mary Christie Quarterly through a content partnership. Our first Steve Fund column is an interview with Steve Fund Director, Dr. Tia Dole, on the organization’s partnership with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to transform student mental health and wellbeing outcomes with a focus on campuses of the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU’s) and predominantly Black institutions (PBI’s).
Other articles of note from the MCQ:
The Mental Health of Black Student Athletes in 2020
New Healthy Minds Research Shows Worsening Trends in Mental Health Overall, BIPOC Students at Particular Risk
The Disempowerment Trap Map
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
Fortune Well reports on the results of its recent survey, which polled 1,000 college students and found that three out of five of them had received a mental health diagnosis. The most common diagnoses were anxiety and depression, with women more likely than men to report receiving a diagnosis. The prevalence of these mental health issues then casts doubt on whether most colleges and campus wellness centers are prepared to meet student needs.
Both The Hechinger Report and Forbes note growing attention in Washington to the rampant mental health issues among college students. Two bills concerning student mental health have already passed in the House but not yet in the Senate: One would encourage mental health support and suicide awareness programming on college campuses and the other would help fund substance abuse prevention and recovery programs. There are also murmurings of additional legislation on mental health, including a potential package of bills to address the issue.
Mental health challenges abound for college students, but prospective students may be able to take steps to mitigate the issues. For high schoolers concerned about their mental health, US News recommends a number of considerations to take into account when choosing a college. Then, once students have chosen a college, The New York Times suggests they can continue to prepare for a smooth transition by making a “mental health checklist.”
Other News
The Wall Street Journal reports that schools nationwide are using this summer to address the mental health needs of students, particularly those who suffered as a result of the pandemic. Non-academic programming in many of the largest districts will try to mitigate the socio-emotional deficits students have faced in recent years.
For Community College Daily, Tina Hardy, coordinator for the Center for Accessibility and Neurodiversity at Illinois Valley Community College, offers advice to community colleges struggling to support students with mental health problems. Her suggestions specifically target rural colleges, where access to mental health services can suffer while stigma around getting help remains.
In Higher Ed Dive, a new report from Mantra Health reveals that most schools from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics don’t offer psychiatric services to their student athletes but wish they did.
Emory University’s student newspaper, The Emory Wheel, covers student concerns with and common misunderstandings of campus services, as well as how some students have come up with alternatives.
New research out of the University of Texas at Austin reveals that a 30-minute online training program can alleviate mental health problems in high schoolers and college students. Specifically, the program introduces students to a “growth mindset,” which helps frame the challenges or stress they face as opportunities for improvement.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
According to Diverse Education, the new California State budget will devote $5 million to expand Cal-Bridge, a program that helps underrepresented students earn doctorate degrees. Since 2014, Cal-Bridge has connected undergraduates who qualify to advanced PhD programs with the end goal of enlisting them in the state’s science and technology workforce.
Diverse Education reports that experts are concerned about how the recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade may negatively affect college students’ mental health. Difficulty accessing abortions as well as feelings of lost bodily autonomy may lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Particularly for students with marginalized identities who may have financial concerns or lack support systems, the prospect of an unwanted pregnancy can be especially daunting.
Inside Higher Ed reports on new research around measuring equity gaps in academic advising. The report examined academic advising at higher education institutions with minimal rates of racial and ethnic disparities in degree completion rates. Successful institutions’ advisers had a smaller number of advising caseloads, increased technology usage in advising, and more student data. “The fact that the majority of advisers are white women is a problem, particularly if they lack racial literacy and … the knowledge to understand how racialization plays out in advising practices,” stated Estela Bensimon, professor emeritus and founder of the Center for Urban Education at the University of Southern California. “They may believe that advising is advising is advising and not realize that practices they see as race neutral are in fact harmful to racially minoritized students.”
The Chronicle reports on one college’s extension of its need-blind admissions policy to international students. Bowdoin College, a small private college in Maine, joins six other American colleges with similar packages. “We believe our liberal-arts education should be accessible to students from all economic backgrounds regardless of citizenship,” said Claudia Marroquin, senior vice president and dean of admissions and student aid. For many other institutions, the pandemic led to a drop in international enrollment, which may have significantly affected their funding.
Reproductive Health and Justice
Inside Higher Ed reports on medical schools affected by the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In states where abortion is criminalized, medical students are being restricted in their education related to abortion care and reproductive health. According to a study conducted in April, approximately 45% of residents in OB-GYN residency programs are in states where abortion is likely to be banned. “In 2020, 92% of obstetrics and gynecology residents reported having access to some level of abortion training. We predict that, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, this would plummet to at most 56%,” stated researchers of the report.
Substance Use
Penn State University reports on a new study finding that ethnic pride may help protect Latino college students from alcohol abuse. The study may help inform culturally competent interventions for Latino students in the first and second years of college. The study surveyed 245 Latino college students on their cultural values, drinking behaviors, and consequences related to alcohol. Findings showed that ethnic pride – defined as the extent to which one feels proud or confident about their ethnic identity – correlated with significantly less drinking and alcohol-related consequences. Ethnic shame, inversely, led to higher rates of alcohol usage.
Student Success
Diverse Education reports on colleges hoping to retain student enrollment over the summer. High school graduates who accept an offer of college admission and ultimately do not attend schooling by the fall is what is known as “summer melt.” Community colleges have witnessed stark declines, notes Dr. Doug Shapiro, vice president of research and executive director of the National Student Clearinghouse. “We’re hearing from community colleges across the country that their local entry-level jobs are paying in some cases $25 an hour. So, these potential students are working full-time at an entry-level job for a decent wage that includes benefits. That’s tough to compete with,” said Dr. Martha Parham, spokesperson for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).
Basic Needs
Higher Ed Dive reports on a survey revealing that 2 in 5 Utah college students experience food insecurity. According to findings from the Utahns Against Hunger, food insecurity disproportionately affected students of color, students who were family caregivers, and rural students. The report found almost half of students of color, or 47.9%, experienced food insecurity as opposed to 36% of white students. Responses from nonbinary students suggest that LGBTQ+ college students are the most at-risk. About 61% of nonbinary students faced food insecurity in the last year. Additionally, 38% of students who worked full time while attending college were still food insecure.
College Affordability
The Chronicle reports on the college affordability conundrum. According to a recent survey on people’s attitudes on student loan forgiveness, many feel the greater issue is making college more affordable. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents said the government should prioritize lowering the cost of college. Data from the National College Attainment Network shows that the “affordability gap” – unmet financial need – is growing. Low-income families seem to suffer most when it comes to college costs. According to data from the College Board, tuition and fees at four-year public schools increased by 150% in the last 30 years. Another study reported on by Inside Higher Ed reveals that most Americans are skeptical of higher education’s value.
Inside Higher Ed reports on the U.S. house committee voting to advance higher education funding. In a house vote of 32 to 24, the bill would allow for a $3.9 billion increase towards higher education. The added funding would lead to increasing the Pell grant and other forms of student aid, increased accountability towards for-profit institutions, and an increase in funding by 13% for the 2023 fiscal year. Other changes include expanding federal student aid to Dreamers, students who without permanent residency from the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, increased allocation of funds towards HBCUs and minority-serving institutions, a $30 million increase towards childcare and technical and adult education.
The Wall Street Journal and Higher Ed Dive report that the U.S. Department of Justice advocated to continue an antitrust lawsuit towards elite colleges. The lawsuit alleges that 17 top-ranked colleges, such as Yale and Johns Hopkins, engaged in price-fixing to drive down financial aid packages towards prospective students. Former students are suing the universities alleging that financial aid were pre-strategized and that they are not correctly engaging in need-blind admissions, which would be in violation of antitrust law. Earlier this year, the institutions requested the judge dismiss the case. On Thursday, however, the Justice Department filed interest in pursuing the case with the federal court.
