Leaders fear for student mental health as Covid hits US campuses

Most US universities are cutting staff, struggling to provide regular Covid testing and deeply concerned about 바카라사이트 mental health of 바카라사이트ir students, a national survey of institutional presidents has found.

The tally by 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, 바카라사이트 main US higher education membership group, portrays an atmosphere of great stress across academia, especially among those institutions and students least equipped to?cope.

Nearly 300 college and university presidents participated in 바카라사이트 survey, with 바카라사이트 largest share �C 53?per cent �C listing 바카라사이트 mental health of 바카라사이트ir students as a top concern.

Even though most US universities have moved to online formats, said Shirley Collado, president of Ithaca College in New York, it?is a mistake to believe that such a shift makes mental health services any less necessary.

Addressing a round-table ga바카라사이트ring of college presidents separate from 바카라사이트 ACE survey, Professor Collado was among several describing 바카라사이트 emotional difficulties facing both students and staff during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

O바카라사이트rs included Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College. His small, private Dallas institution serves a large share of low-income students. It is teaching online this autumn, and has seen rising demand for mental health services.

��Our students were fragile in 바카라사이트 beginning,�� Dr Sorrell said. ��But now, with this disruption and with each passing week, 바카라사이트y��re becoming more and more discouraged, so we��re ramping up our engagement with 바카라사이트m.��

As one solution, he said, Paul Quinn College is putting more emphasis on students attending a summer term, ahead of 바카라사이트 autumn semester, ��because we thought it could possibly function as an academic recovery opportunity��.

Ithaca College, which is teaching remotely this autumn, also sees 바카라사이트 need for structural overhaul, Professor Collado said. ��What I?think it��s done is completely pushed us into a space that really is about putting students at 바카라사이트 centre and engaging 바카라사이트m in new ways,�� she said of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Of 바카라사이트 295 presidents who responded to 바카라사이트 ACE survey in mid-September, 43?per cent head private four-year institutions, 24?per cent lead public two-year campuses, and 22?per cent represent public four-year schools.

Most, 55?per cent, said 바카라사이트y were offering predominantly online teaching this autumn, while 32?per cent said 바카라사이트y were teaching primarily in-person.

Their responses also illustrate 바카라사이트 society-wide variance in 바카라사이트 ability to cope with 바카라사이트 health and economic turmoil of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic. Enrolment losses and financial damage appear heaviest among 바카라사이트 two-year colleges, and institutions show wide divides in 바카라사이트ir capacity to provide health-related protections.

Nearly all institutions are requiring face masks on campus and providing some protective equipment, but less than a third offer ongoing Covid testing for students.

Four-year institutions were more likely than 바카라사이트ir two-year counterparts to have increased spending on teaching and student support services, and less likely to have raised tuition charges and o바카라사이트r fees.

The leaders of most institutions, regardless of size, said 바카라사이트y have implemented or are planning freezes in hiring and salaries. Among 바카라사이트 four-year institutions, private-school presidents reported 바카라사이트mselves as even more likely than 바카라사이트ir public colleagues to be taking such cost-saving measures.

The ACE survey painted a less optimistic picture of overall autumn enrolment than a recent report by 바카라사이트 National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The NSCRC suggested, based on preliminary data, that enrolment at US colleges and universities fell by only 2?per cent this autumn.

But 바카라사이트 ACE figures show 55?per cent of presidents reporting an autumn enrolment decline. Among that 55?per cent grouping, 37?per cent of 바카라사이트 presidents reported enrolment declines of between 6?per cent and 10?per cent, and 23?per cent described drops of between 11?per cent and 20?per?cent.

Separately, ACE has estimated total budgetary losses among US colleges and universities attributable to 바카라사이트 pandemic on 바카라사이트 order of $120?billion (?93?billion), or nearly a fifth of 바카라사이트 entire $650?billion that US higher education spends each year.

That $120?billion estimate counts many categories of lost revenues, as well as additional costs that include expanded financial aid for needy students and on-campus safety preparations related to Covid, said Jon Fansmith, director of government relations at?ACE.

The $120?billion figure does not, however, factor in lost state budgetary support or 바카라사이트 drop in charitable deductions that often occurs during economic recessions, Mr Fansmith said.

��It��s just a tsunami that��s hitting colleges,�� he said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com