College Students' Mental Health a Growing Concern

Read this and other items, including full reference citations, in SCUP's Trends in Higher Education (PDF; August 2008)

Observation

The mental health of students attending college is increasingly becoming a cause for concern, in both the US and Canada.
• Campus shootings appear to be simply the most visible sign of a population that is reporting more depression, anxiety, and major psychological disorders. The rate of students reporting ever being diagnosed with depression has increased from 10 percent in spring of 2000 to 16 percent in spring of 2005.
• Over 90 percent of campus counseling center directors report that the recent trend toward greater numbers of students with severe psychological problems continues to be true on their campuses with 8.5 percent of enrolled students seeking counseling in 2007.

Our Thoughts

The number of students who seek and need mental health services is only likely to rise. Increased awareness and decreased stigmatization for treatment contribute to this trend, but don’t explain it all. How can campuses provide appropriate help?
• The ratio of counselors to students is 1 to 1,969. While smaller schools have better ratios, there are clearly not enough counselors to address the needs of students.
• Ironically, the passage of the new GI bill is only likely to exacerbate the problem as veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan return to college with an increased likelihood of stress related disorders and physical disabilities

What are your thoughts? Please comment.

Scanning the Future of Campus Security

University Business shares this interview by Michele Herrman with five campus leaders in campus security and law enforcement, from the University of South Carolina, The University of Maine, Butler Community College, College of Saint Benedict, and George Washington University. It's clear that the issues they address and plan for touch - like many other areas of planning that are best done in an integrated fashion - all parts of the campus and its surrounding community. Their most significant future concerns include: funding need, the increasing numbers of student with mental health issues, and the growing increase in the level of campus-based service expectations by incoming students.

Environmental Roles and Responsibilities in a Climate of Change: WHat's Changed? What Hasn't Changed?

New Book: "The Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence (C2E2) announced today the availability of a new higher education report titled Environmental Roles and Responsibilities in a Climate of Change (PDF). The document spotlights the evolving environmental, health and safety (EH&S) assignment on college and university campuses where homeland security directives, sustainability initiatives and emerging health and safety issues demand increasing attention. The 16-page booklet illustrates both the challenges and opportunities with narrative, quotes, cartoons and images." It should provide current insights into the minds and perspectives of our colleagues in EHS.