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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine release report on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is hosting a webinar, Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education, on January 13th at 1pm to review findings from from a new report by the Committee on Supporting the Whole Student: Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education. The consensus report reviews how institutions of higher education provide treatment and support for the mental health and wellbeing of undergraduate and graduate students in all fields of study. Register for the event here.

Mental and Behavioral Health

On December 31st, Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin lost his son Tommy to suicide. In a beautiful and heartbreaking tribute, Tommy’s family described a remarkable life cut short by a “disease called depression.” The statement has been lauded for the way it places “depression in its proper context,” highlighting the strength of those that battle it.

KQED‘s Chloe Veltman spoke with two University of California Berkeley students from Africa about their experience at US universities during the pandemic. One graduate student expressed his frustration with being stuck in the country alone, with travel restrictions preventing him from going home to his family. “It has been hell” he said, pointing to his experience with racism on campus and the separation he feels from US Black students. He’s reached out to the university’s counseling center, but says he doesn’t talk to his family about mental health, given the stigma in his home country.

The Washington Post reports on the pandemic’s effect on relationships and social rituals for young people. Romantic relationships and friendships are suffering, as public health advice suggests to keep a 6-foot distance, and students miss out on school events, parties and interactions with classmates. Experts say that this could have long-term effects on the way young people form relationships.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Crimson reports that Harvard’s Undergraduate Council launched a petition calling on the school to strengthen support for international students in the spring semester. The petition requested an extension on the deadline for students to decide whether to return to campus for the spring semester, a requirement that professors allow a 12-hour window for international students to submit assignments and exams, and a hybrid academic program that features an in-person component. The Council also urged the College to prioritize international freshmen.

The Chronicle reported on the outsized impact of billionaire philanthropist Mackenzie Scott’s recent donations to small colleges serving minority and low-income students. With the significant donation, West Kentucky Community and Technical College hopes to supply technology and possibly transportation for students in rural areas. Turtle Mountain Community College is now looking to put money toward retention programming, including opening a study center, hiring on-duty tutors, and enriching student clubs in government and research. Alcorn State University plans to invest the donation in its foundation and endowment so it can have sustainable resources for the future.

Coronavirus: Safety and Reopening

Many colleges and universities decided to reopen in the fall only to later alter their plans, leaving students and their families frustrated with their new reality and scrambling to coordinate travel schedules. The Wall Street Journal reports that once again, some schools’ plans for the semester are beginning to unravel. Since mid-December, over a dozen schools including University of Colorado Boulder have updated their academic calendars or instruction methods as the crisis continues to worsen. Mississippi State University delayed its spring term by five days. Syracuse University decided to start the in-person spring semester two weeks later. A number of schools switched to online instruction for the first month of the term. Despite the rise in cases, institutions of higher education appear strongly committed to in-person instruction and creating a more “normal” semester for students, faculty, and staff this spring.

As vaccine rollouts unfold, some have wondered if colleges and universities will require faculty, staff, and students to be inoculated against COVID-19. Colleges can mandate students get vaccinated for meningitis and other infectious diseases, but not emergency vaccines, which is the current status of the COVID vaccine. Much of these decisions hinge on the priorities of the next administration and legislative bodies, as Peter F. Lake, professor of law at Stetson University, noted: “Congress can easily tack something on a bill. Bang. Sign it. Done. But we don’t have a new Congress or a new administration yet. A lot of it is just waiting for the Biden administration.” In addition, the Chronicle covered the history of vaccinations on college campuses, which may be the precedent for upcoming decisions.

Spring reopenings steadily approach for colleges and universities across the country. Two new publications, one in the Annals of Internal Medicine and another from the American College Health Association, provide evidence and instruction for schools to follow as they adapt their fall initiatives in this next stage. The new data out of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Case Western Reserve University indicates that social distancing and mandatory mask policy prevents most infection, and partnering these strategies with testing can prevent 96% of infection. This approach likely appeals to colleges and universities for its low-economic burden. The ACHA‘s updated list of considerations for institutions of higher education reopening this spring recommends testing students twice weekly. Additionally, the Association encourages schools not to replace testing with their other detection methods such as testing wastewater. The ACHA is urging the CDC to organize vaccine rollouts to college students during the spring semester to prevent a “mass migration event.”

College Affordability

Congress recently simplified the Free Application for Federal Student Aid application, extended the Pell Grant program and nullified $1 billion in federal loans owed by HBCUs. Howard University President told WBUR‘s Here and Now that he hopes the changes to the Pell Grant and FAFSA encourage lower-income students to pursue higher education.

Policy

President-elect Joe Biden selected Connecticut education commissioner Miguel Cardona as his education secretary. Dr. Cardona’s background is in elementary and secondary education, and his stances on higher education issues are relatively unknown. However, state education officials in Connecticut said he has worked closely with higher education leaders and he understands the importance of lifelong learning. Mark E. Ojakian, president of the Connecticut system, said, “He is a strong advocate for public higher education. I think he understands the value of higher education and what needs to happen forto make higher education more accessible.” Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association says that Dr. Cardona will help “make community college free, tackle the student debt crisis, and enable college graduates to pursue careers in education and public service by expanding and simplifying the Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Loan Forgiveness programs.”