By: Ron Flowers

There are few moments in a young adult’s life as pivotal as going to college. This transition is a time of significant change and new challenges. This is also the time when most mental health issues begin to be experienced. For nearly two decades, Stebleton reported that university leaders have been warned of the ever-increasing numbers of college students experiencing mental health issues. It was also reported that first-generation students, students who graduate from under-resourced high schools, non-native English speakers, international students, post-traditional learners, and students from underrepresented groups such as Black, Indigenous, and Latinx, as well as students with other identities, including sexual and LGBTQ+, face additional challenges, barriers, and stress, which exacerbate mental health issues. Moreover, the stigma of mental illness is particularly powerful for many young people in these populations. Tragically, suicide is now the second leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 15-25. As U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy has stated, this is “the defining public health issue of our time.” I wholeheartedly agree and believe it will take not only some but all of us to create the conditions that position our young adults for a thriving future.

Not only does mental illness have a devastating impact on the personal lives of students who are in distress, it also compromises a student’s academic success. Untreated mental health can lead to lower grades, discontinuous enrollment, and, too often, a failure to matriculate. The Healthy Minds Survey reports that across all types of post-secondary institutions and fields of study, students reporting mental health problems were twice as likely as other students to drop out of school before completing their degree. Retaining students through to graduation generates tuition revenue for colleges and universities, higher lifetime earnings for students who attain a college degree, and provides the broader society with needed college graduates. This is particularly significant for historically underserved students. 

As an institution of opportunity and among the most diverse campuses in the state and the region, EMU is uniquely positioned to create a campus of compassion, well-being, equity, and justice, improving the mental wellness of all who live, learn, work, and play on our campus (Campus MHAP, 2021). Unfortunately, there is not enough capacity in terms of mental health professionals for the general population, let alone enough professionals to help every student who needs it. As Abrams argues, “we cannot staff our way out of this challenge.” This increased demand requires us to think holistically and embrace a comprehensive public health approach.

Faculty are on the frontline, engaging with students on a daily basis. While most faculty are not trained as mental health clinicians, faculty have a unique opportunity to support students and build a culture of caring at EMU. To this end, I invite you to participate in a learning community I am facilitating, entitled “Building a Caring Classroom Learning Community.” This learning community will begin meeting on September 28; see the box on the right for more information.

Faculty who participate in the learning community will develop methods for enhancing protective/preventive factors and resilience (life skills and connectedness) in the classes they teach. They will develop methods for incorporating life skills and social connectedness into their current course content and pedagogical practices. Participants will learn the strength of concepts related to the hidden curriculum and how to apply them to their classes. The intent is to connect these concepts to the course content already being taught in the various disciplines. As a collective, the learning community will develop ways to creatively and effectively communicate/share mental health resources and supports available in their programs, departments, and across the campus.

This learning community is an important first step in creating a campus community that provides caring, compassionate support so that students can cope with everyday challenges and so that we can address the needs of a diverse student body. As a campus community, we are all responsible for building a culture of caring for our students and each other. I hope you will join me, and others of your colleagues, to take this first step together.