R.5: Graduate Mental Health Care

Whereas, mental healthcare has been of concern to the graduate and professional student community for some time and was recently addressed in Raising the Bar: Graduate & Professional Student Community Response to the Strategic Plan;

Whereas, in Fall 2010, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) voted to re-establish the GPSA Ad-hoc Graduate Mental Health Committee, which was formed to address the specific mental health care needs of graduate and professional students;

Whereas, in Spring 2010, Gannett Health Services administered the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) survey to graduate and professional students;

Whereas, on November 18th, 2010, Gannett Health services shared the results of the NCHA 2010 mental health survey with the GPSA Ad-Hoc Graduate Mental Health Committee, identifying stress as one of the top reasons for mental health distress (due to academics and career related issues);

Whereas, the NCHA 2010 noted that mental health distress results in the feeling of being overwhelmed by all that has to be done and by anxiety;

Whereas, The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article on January 27th, 2011 entitled “College Freshmen Report Record-Low Levels of Emotional Health,” stating that emotional health is at its lowest levels since the survey began in 1985;

Whereas, advisors and classroom instructors have the ability to impart a positive learning environment that can benefit student mental health;

Whereas, in an April 5, 2010 Cornell Daily Sun article, President Skorton stated that the University as a whole needs to “consider the totality of the student experience�I call on my colleagues in the faculty, staff and student body of Cornell, as well as our alumni, to focus on the myriad aspects of student life that together frame the experience of our 20,600 students”;

Whereas, in the aforementioned address, President Skorton specifically addressed faculty, stating: “I call on faculty members to reflect on the classroom environment as well as grading practices, the academic calendar, and advising systems. I ask that faculty think about ways to create a supportive context for students without comprising the academic excellence and rigor that you have achieved”;

Whereas, the Student Assembly passed Resolution R.40 on November 11th, 2010, entitled Recommendations to Faculty Regarding Mental Health and Well-Being of Students, which called for professors to create a healthier and more supporting learning environment;

Be it therefore resolved that the GPSA recommends that the Dean of Faculty and the Faculty Senate contact all faculty advisors and instructional staff annually and remind them of the importance of articulating clear expectations and processes for research, teaching and class work.

Be it further resolved that this annual message include processes for accommodating students under distress, as outlined in the Faculty Handbook “Recognizing and Responding to Student in Distress. “
Advisors and instructional staff should keep in mind instances including, but not limited to:

• Situations where students have an unusually high amount of work/exams/assignments and/or research/teaching responsibilities in a shortened period of time
• Situations when students are having personal issues
• Situations where graduate students have multiple responsibilities.

Be it finally resolved that this resolution be sent to the following individuals such that conversation between students and faculty about reducing stress at Cornell University can continue:

• Susan Murphy, Vice President of Student and Academic Services
• Tim Marchell, Director, Mental Health Initiatives at Gannett Health Services
• William Fry, Dean of Faculty
• Barbara Knuth, Vice Provost, Dean of the Cornell Graduate School
• Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students
• Vincent Andrews, President of the Student Assembly

Respectfully submitted,

2010–2011 GPSA Ad-Hoc Mental Health Committee Amit Anshumali
Travis Chapin
Chris Clarke
Shama Iyer
Edward Miles
Rachel Pfuntner
Vatsav Raman
Jayasri Srinivasan

Rebecca Robbins
Graduate & Professional Student Assembly Field Representative - Communications

Roneal Desai
Student Assembly Liaison to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly

Brian Forster
Counsel to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly