The Definition of Success: What Students Think
As students head off for a new semester, or begin their first one, the expectations most have about their “success” in college remains predominantly around grades. In the Mary Christie Quarterly, one of MCI’s Active Minds Fellows, student Caroline Mannnion, reflects on this dynamic and the excessive stress and burnout it can cause for some students. She concludes, “The college journey is about more than academic attainment, and schools should recognize and celebrate students’ experiences, responsibilities, and achievements outside the classroom.”
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
Futurity reports that academic stress can weigh heavily on certain student groups. According to the study, which examined the correlation between academic stress and mental wellbeing and affected groups, nonbinary students face worse mental health. “To raise awareness and destigmatize mental health, colleges can distribute confidential validated assessments, such as the PAS and SWEMWBS, in class and teach students to self-score so they can monitor their stress and mental well-being,” stated study author Xue Ming, a neurology professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
An opinion piece for Inside Higher Ed argues that advisers can play a key role in student mental health, particularly anxiety. “Using scaffolding techniques, advisers can work with students to articulate several short- to medium-term goals that they could meet and would ultimately give them a sense of accomplishment rather than stagnation,” writes James Wicks, a district college and career counselor at Collin College. “Advisers can also mitigate student stress by encouraging them to build a strong internal locus of control rather than an external one.”
Other News
Inside Higher Ed reports on new survey findings showing that 35% of Gen-Z population respondents said they did not trust higher education.
CNET reports on the high schooler who won this year’s annual Google Doodle competition. “I care for myself by accepting others’ care for me,” explained artist Sophie Araque-Liu, who will receive a $30,000 college scholarship in reward.
An op-ed for The Daily Tar Heel, the student newspaper of The University of North Carolina, reports on the new national mental health hotline. Dialing 988 can connect to local crisis centers and reduce the response of law enforcement in mental health emergencies.
Long Island Press features an article on mental health care being a key part of preparing a first year student for college. The article advises new students to start their fall semester with a solid support system.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
NPR reports that historically Black colleges and universities are experiencing increasing enrollment of Black students, after years of decline. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Black student enrollment at HBCUs increased by 9% in 2020. A number of contributing factors include a national movement for racial justice, such as the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, and notable HBCU alumni or celebrities advocating for their HBCU alma maters.
Diverse Education reports on building Black medical schools, increasing the nation’s current number from four to six. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates a shortage of 120,000 physicians in the near future, and creating new minority serving institutions for medical students can alleviate that shortage. Experts say doing so can also improve access to healthcare for communities of color and reduce health disparities.
Sexual Assault and Title IX
The Chronicle cites new research investigating why universities are struggling to engage men in sexual assault prevention efforts and how to improve partication. Interviews with male college students revealed that they are often unaware of the pervasiveness of sexual assult at their schools and may not feel they received adequate training to engage with the issue.
After a report from the New York Times found that over 30 former Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructors had been criminally charged with abusing students, Congress has ordered further investigation into misconduct by J.R.O.T.C. instructors. The investigation will consider the need for more thorough oversight for instructors going forward, in addition to the background checks they already face.
Greek Life and Hazing
The New York Times sheds light on the paranoia pervading sororities at the University of Alabama, which is reportedly dismissing hopeful members suspected of video-taping rush activities. After video footage of Alabama rush went viral on TikTok last year, and as rumors about a documentary on sororities at Alabama swirl, a crackdown on social media and even cellphone use has emerged.
Student Success
The Chronicle, The Hechinger Report, and Diverse Education report on declining enrollment trends and public opinion in higher education. Though universities have returned to in-person instruction, student attendance has dropped by 10% since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. With historically high tuition rates, the public’s opinion of higher education has declined.
The Washington Post and The Hechinger Report report on the “summer melt” phenomenon, where high school students graduate with the intent of attending college yet ultimately decide not to enroll by fall. Students are most likely to undergo summer melt when they are from low-income families, are first-generation students, or from racial and ethnic minority groups. Financial instability from the pandemic has also been a significant factor for some students who are unable to attend school with other family responsibilities. Counselors are hoping to reverse trends by assisting students with the financial aid process.
The Chronicle reports that online education is booming, however a report shows that there could be lapses in quality. Leadership and officials and American colleges say they are planning to grow online education for the long-term. But experts say enforcing and developing a protocol of quality standards for virtual education may take time, and data remains limited in analyzing the student outcomes.
College Affordability
Although not quite the 8.5% annual inflation rate currently plaguing the country, college tuition has spiked up to 7% for some schools since last year, according to The Washington Post. For students who have to worry about other school-related costs, including housing and supplies, rising tuition is a significant source of stress. At the same time, some experts argue that raising tuition is necessary in order for schools to offer financial aid.
Inside Higher Ed provides an overview of the current state of federal student aid after the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators released its most recent report showing where funds are being allocated. In 2020-21, most funds were awarded via Pell Grants, which are based on financial need and provided $26.5 billion to 6.4 million different students, and via the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program, which is not based on financial need and provided $45.5 billion to 6 million borrowers.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Department of Education will pay off federal student loans for over two hundred thousand former ITT Technical Institute students, who argued that their school misrepresented the value of its programs. The decision to waive this debt comes as Inside Higher Ed reveals the Education Department received thousands of comments on its recent proposal to, among other things, “make it easier for students who were defrauded by their college or who attended a college that closed to get debt forgiveness.”
Basic Needs
Hundreds of students at Florida Atlantic University will be living in hotel rooms due to a record-setting shortage of on-campus housing. As more students require housing due to sky-high rent costs for off-campus apartments, The Chronicle highlights the challenge of offering students a traditional—and satisfactory—college experience when they live in hotels, instead of dorms.
Physical Health
Universities around the country are reporting their first cases of monkeypox, inspiring efforts to institute precautions against the virus, including educating students about its risks. The Washington Post highlights the importance of these safety measures for students living and socializing in close proximity, as well as the challenges for colleges already weighed down by the fatigue of years addressing Covid-19.
NPR reports that Covid-19 restrictions are looking different—that is, lighter—on many college campuses this fall. While experts encourage schools to stay vigilant, students may also expect a more typical college experience, free of masks, remote coursework, and frequent testing requirements. In part, The New York Times says that schools will have more flexibility in terms of safety precautions thanks to updated C.D.C. guidelines, which no longer include a quarantine mandate for unvaccinated people exposed to Covid-19.
Campus Safety
The Washington Post covers the controversy surrounding efforts at John Hopkins University to establish a new campus police force. The university originally put plans on hold due to community backlash but now hopes to have officers on patrol as early as next year. While the university is trying to ease concerns of overpolicing by partnering officers with therapists for mental health emergencies, fears of corruption, racial profiling, and excessive force remain.
