By Destinee Moore
Depression and suicide are issues that have been prevalent across college campuses for years. During their college years, students experience depression on a large scale. Many times in college, students experience true independence for the first time, and are ill prepared for that experience. Students have more trouble dealing with financial issues, relationship conflicts, and academic problems without their authority figures more regularly available. These factors often lead to serious cases of depression and suicidal thoughts in college students. Colleges can take many precautions to help students cope with these issues, such as psychiatric services and more financial opportunities for students.
Virginia became the first state in 2007 to pass legislation that bars public colleges and universities from punishing or expelling students "solely for attempting to commit suicide, or seeking mental-health treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviors." Students should not be punished for seeking help with stressful issues. This adds to students’ reluctance to seek aid in coping with their issues. The new legislation suggests that institutions have a basic duty to prevent student suicide. This opened the doors for school to face more lawsuits for students who committed suicide from depression at their institutions. An institution can be held liable if the court determines that it somehow caused the suicide.
Counseling and suicide preventive services should be regularly made available by college and universities, yet the college/university should not be held responsible for a students’ depression or suicide attempts. Regular services to help students cope with depression will lead to safer and healthier environments for students. Colleges should help promote healthier living for students but are not responsible for student’s depression. Any services that promote safer and healthier experiences for students should be implemented on college campuses.
Response By: Charise Patterson
There is no doubt that depression is often overlooked in our communites, specifically regarding our genreation. It has become taboo to speak upon and not really looked at as a "disease" more so as a disfunction. This causes many teenagres to leave their depression untreated and ignored only making problems worse. But it is not the responsibility of colleges to fix nor suffer from this personal problem. Families, friends, and the individuals should hold this stand; not the school which the individual attends.
Though a college is your place of residence for four years, it is not your home. The institution sereves to educate and that is it's main purpose. Most universities to educate their students upon mental and physical health issues. But "promoting" healthy living is in no way the institutions job to do. Students get stressed about school works, social problems, and extra cirriculars. This stress can lead to depression. But these are stress factors that student controls, not the school.
Depression is very serious, and if a student approaches a counselor at most istitutions about the depression they will be referred to someone who can accurately help them. But if the school can be blamed and possibly punished for the suicidal actions of a depressed student, it is common sense that they would want no part in fixing the problem. Colleges and universities would much rather stay out of it.
I don't look at this as being wrong or uninvolved, it is simply the best and safest measure for schools to take. No one wants blood on their hands, and when it comes to the depression of college students the college should have no part in it.
Depression and suicide are issues that have been prevalent across college campuses for years. During their college years, students experience depression on a large scale. Many times in college, students experience true independence for the first time, and are ill prepared for that experience. Students have more trouble dealing with financial issues, relationship conflicts, and academic problems without their authority figures more regularly available. These factors often lead to serious cases of depression and suicidal thoughts in college students. Colleges can take many precautions to help students cope with these issues, such as psychiatric services and more financial opportunities for students.
Virginia became the first state in 2007 to pass legislation that bars public colleges and universities from punishing or expelling students "solely for attempting to commit suicide, or seeking mental-health treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviors." Students should not be punished for seeking help with stressful issues. This adds to students’ reluctance to seek aid in coping with their issues. The new legislation suggests that institutions have a basic duty to prevent student suicide. This opened the doors for school to face more lawsuits for students who committed suicide from depression at their institutions. An institution can be held liable if the court determines that it somehow caused the suicide.
Counseling and suicide preventive services should be regularly made available by college and universities, yet the college/university should not be held responsible for a students’ depression or suicide attempts. Regular services to help students cope with depression will lead to safer and healthier environments for students. Colleges should help promote healthier living for students but are not responsible for student’s depression. Any services that promote safer and healthier experiences for students should be implemented on college campuses.
Response By: Charise Patterson
There is no doubt that depression is often overlooked in our communites, specifically regarding our genreation. It has become taboo to speak upon and not really looked at as a "disease" more so as a disfunction. This causes many teenagres to leave their depression untreated and ignored only making problems worse. But it is not the responsibility of colleges to fix nor suffer from this personal problem. Families, friends, and the individuals should hold this stand; not the school which the individual attends.
Though a college is your place of residence for four years, it is not your home. The institution sereves to educate and that is it's main purpose. Most universities to educate their students upon mental and physical health issues. But "promoting" healthy living is in no way the institutions job to do. Students get stressed about school works, social problems, and extra cirriculars. This stress can lead to depression. But these are stress factors that student controls, not the school.
Depression is very serious, and if a student approaches a counselor at most istitutions about the depression they will be referred to someone who can accurately help them. But if the school can be blamed and possibly punished for the suicidal actions of a depressed student, it is common sense that they would want no part in fixing the problem. Colleges and universities would much rather stay out of it.
I don't look at this as being wrong or uninvolved, it is simply the best and safest measure for schools to take. No one wants blood on their hands, and when it comes to the depression of college students the college should have no part in it.
13 comments:
It is a common known fact that depression and suicide rates soar at colleges and universities across the nation, however it is little known that colleges and university can be held accountable for the suicides of its students. It is my belief that colleges should not be held accountable for the sole fact that no matter how much help a person is offered, ultimately if they truly want to end their life, they are going to do so. Most colleges offer counseling services which a optional for students to attend if they feel that they are in need of professional help. Being that there is such a vast number of students at any one institution, it is ludicrous to attempt to hold an entire institution liable for a a single student's suicide.
-Justine Burke
I agree with the following blog posted. A lot of students do face depression due to the amount of school work given, the sudden independence and financial problems that are faced. Honestly, I can not say that suicide occurs often to my knowledge, but I can say that attempted suicide is very common among college students. The best thing that a college/university can do to help these students is provide counseling, support and let them know that they are not alone and that they want to help their students. The law that was passed in Virginia does not make to much sense to me because it is not the colleges fault when one of their students commits suicide. If colleges decide to reach out to their students with counseling, then they are doing the best that they can do and should not be blamed.
Wow. This is a very interesting blog. I never knew public colleges and univeristies could be held liable for students that commit suicide. How can public colleges with such large populations honestly maintain and check up on students' behavior. Suicide is a individual action based on conscious thought, how can a school be made responsible for individuals actions. If someone gets pregnant is it the school's responsibility to take care of the babe. No. I agree with the Destinee, there should be workshops and counseling centers set up to help student's cope with their depression and suicide prevention; for those are the most influential and effective methods.
S. Childs...
I agree with Dentinee on this issue of suicide & depression on college campuses. Her claim and support are valid. Colleges/ Universities are indeed the first places where students physically live on their own and gain true independence. In addition to that, students have huge academic responsiblities. Therefore, like with most major changes especially for young people, some type of effective counseling services must be available. Just like housing and food, it is a basic need.
I believe that Colleges should play a role in preventing depression and suicide of the students to a certain extent. At the college age students are grown, point blank period. I'm pretty sure they faced highs and lows in their life before. There may be added stress factors as the arguer stated, but feeling down is nothing new to any student. At Spelman, we do offer counseling services in MacVicar Hall. They cover a wide variety of issues including, grief, stress and suicide. I'm sure many other campuses have some sort of clinical counseling that students can turn to in time of need. However it is not the job of the college to attract students to those services. Nor should they be heeld responsible for students being reluctant to go. As a grown man/woman one knows if he needs to register for classes to go to the registrar's office. Or if he/she is hungry take themselves to the cafe. Although there might be some embarrasment from fellow peers or confidentiality issues that the students might fear that should not stop them from being proactive in getting what they need.
- Jessica Gibbs
Depression is a serious mental health issue that plagues many people, not just college students. While I do agree that financial issues, classes, and relationship conflicts add to the stress of college life, I do not think college is the origin of the problem. Additionally, federal law already mandates certain services for mental health problems. Counseling centers are present on campus and just because financial aid is not available does not add to the "reluctance of a student seeking help." This fallacious argument is terrible slanted FOR the implementation of psychiatric services on campus. Moreover, the claim that these services should be made regularly available is redundant since federal law mandates this already. Also, the writer fails to account for upbringing and the point of college-- independence and growth. It is pure naivete to think that students would get kicked out of school for seeking help. Students get expelled from school for poor performance in class and disorderly behavior (i.e., smoking, stealing, etc). Her choice of words like "financial issues," "suicide," and "authority figures" are charged words that evoke attitudes and predispositions on the issue of depression.
Let's not get it twisted here. If anything should be done it is the open dialog for issues of depression in college and ways to prevent it. Furthermore, her warrant that "Any service that promotes safer and healthier experiences for students should be implemented on college campuses" begs the question which she advocates. It is a sweeping generalization that lends itself to question and should be avoided at all costs.
Lastly, the issue of depression is serious, but not serious enough to warrant additional auditing of already working and existing programs to assist those in depression.
The writers claim Any services that promote safer and healthier experiences for students should be implemented on college campuses. This is a great example of claim of policy. She warrants that the reason students have suicidal thoughts is because students have more trouble dealing with financial issues, relationship conflicts, and academic problems without their authority figures more regularly available. Her support of her claim is the fact that Virginia became the first state to pass legislation that bars public colleges and universities from punishing or expelling students for being suicidal.
By Marquise Alston
Shaunicie Fielder
Educational institutions should take on some level of responsibility for helping to ensure the physical and mental health of students. College can be an extremely stressful time for a young person. This stress can easily breed mental instability and depression. It is the responsibility of an institution to balance the intellectual and social rigors that they help facilitate, with counseling and medical services. Colleges cannot be solely held accountable, but they must do their part to ensure the health of those who attend and reside within their campuses.
In response to blkadonis the blog is meant to focus on college students not single them out as the only ones who experience depression. It states that when students are punished for seeking help, such as being expelled from an institution, students are indeed reluctant to seek help. That aspect does not concern financial aid.
Destinee Moore
Suicide is an important subject to discuss in regards to college students. I too am very surprised to learn about the extremely high suicide rate of college students. However, suicide is an issue that stems beyond the basic facilities of an institution. Young adults commit suicide for various reasons whether it is social acceptance or merely stress and over work. I would like to think that most schools provide healthy living in some aspect. But the underlying question is how one accurately defines healthy living to accommodate everyone’s individual needs. Counseling and prevention services ideally are an excellent idea and possible solution to alleviate depression and suicidal attempts. However, if made available how many students would actually take advantages of the services? Additionally, from my previous observation counseling services and preventive methods have failed. My nineteen year old cousin received year s of counseling and three months after getting out of his last counseling session he committed suicide. With that said sometimes these actions cannot be prevented. Therefore, I agree that holding a school accountable for suicide is unfair and unreasonable. If the majority of students are coping with the pressures of being a student, schools should not have to be responsible for the ones who cannot. Honestly, it would be quite difficult to specifically cater to the needs of a few students. Moreover, suicide is an issue that should be dealt with on an individual basis. However, many depressed students will not openly confront their problems and therefore do not seek help. To help alleviate these issues I think schools should promote more social programs, stress relieving activities and form more intimate teacher student relationships to accommodate the sometime overwhelming struggles of college students.
- A Pruitt
I hope it was made clear in the atricle that students were indeed being expelled for suicide attempts and seeking treatment for suicidal thoughts. That is why the legislation was passed in VA to begin with. This fact is not naive but true.
D. Moore
Depression is very common on college campuses and I do agree that students shouldn't be punished as a result of whatever they do because they are depressed. We pay good money to be educated in a healthy, safe environment. That means physically healthy as well as emotionally and mentally healthy. This is a totally new environment for most college students and brand new pressures exist here that don't exist under the haven of being under your parents home. They may not technically be our home, but universities and colleges share responsibility of us just like parents do.
R Tuzo
It is true that depression rates do in fact rise for college students, however, I agree with Charise -- it is not the college's fault.
But I do believe that colleges should implement mental health in the student health centers.
Post a Comment