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April 2, 2009 - By Travis Ostlund
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Students need help to get through their troubles and thrive at school but they might not get it. In fact, if suffering from a mental health issue, students might get thrown out of school!
Blame overreaction by college administrators on the fear of another Virginia Tech shooting escapade. It has been approximately two years since the Virginia Tech shooting.
And during that time Universities across the United States have been cracking down on students who show signs of mental disorders or who have a history of mental problems. This alarming trend is on the rise. At first glance this might seem like an appropriate course of action in order to prevent another Virginia Tech style massacre from happening.
But instead of trying to help students with problems, too often universities are simply trying to dispose of them as quickly as possible this is called limiting liability! This doesnít help students who have problems. They may feel punished for seeking treatment and afraid of getting help.
There have been many cases in which students have been forced off campus, some even locked out of their dorms, because they sought help for their psychological problems. That is not right! Such actions definitely violate students' rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws protecting people with psychological disorders and other disabilities.
It appears that the campus mental health model is changing from one of compassion to one of punishment and banishment from the campus. School administrators' fear of violence, fear of liability and falling budgets are adding to the tension surrounding decisions regarding these students.
Those fears on the part of college administrators are driving the sharp trend toward punitive actions against students. It is time for them to get a grip, and find positive ways to come to terms with these issues.
The fact of the matter is that college students frequently have more complex problems today than they did over a decade ago, including both the typical or expected college student problems -- difficulties in relationships and developmental issues -- as well as the more severe problems, such as depression, sexual assault and thoughts of suicide.
The number of students seen each year with depression has more than doubled, while the number of suicidal students has tripled on many campuses.
It is clear that college students have mental health issues just as they have physical illness. Colleges need to face the facts. Consider the pressures of college: getting good grades, becoming independent, navigating a new social system, pressures to drink, use drugs and have sex, managing a part-time job or many extracurricular activities.
These are just the basic pressures that most college students have experienced for many years. Now throw in the economy: Will Mom and Dad have enough money to pay tuition? Will I be able to keep my job? Can I come back next semester? Add a load of national insecurity that's shadowed most Americans since 9/11 and since the Virginia Tech shootings.
These students have a right to receive help and ought to be able to get it as as members of the campus.
Some students arenít taking this nasty treatment by colleges lying down; they are fighting back with law suits. For example, one case that has been in the news is Nott v. George Washington University.
Jordan Knott, a student at George Washington University, sued the school following his suspension due to a hospitalization for severe depression. He alleged that the school counselors violated his confidentiality and he was protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, along with other federal and state laws.
This case is just one incident among many that demonstrate how colleges and universities are over-reacting. Rather than kick students out of school for mental health treatment, colleges and universities should view mental illness as a legitimate treatable problem and treat the students who suffer from it. Students with cancer would not be kicked out of school. Neither should a student with a mental issue be kicked out.
Other colleges could follow the example of Arizona State University where students are given the choice of a wide variety of counseling as well as depression screening.
These choices should be available at all colleges. There is good news on the horizon because more than 4,000 universities and colleges are now offering similar resources. Colleges and universities should stop worrying about liability and just do the right thing.
The Americans with Disabilities Act needs to be respected and enforced in regard to college students in need of its protection.
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