I just got done reading an article on InsideHigherEd.com about the recent college student suicides at Cornell University (you can read the full article here) and obviously my first reaction is to be sad, about the desperation that some people go through and the results of that desperation, especially for those at the student level. My second reaction is to wonder if there was anything that could have been done about these tragedies before they happened. I know that's a common response to have, and we all look back on instances like this and wonder what could have been done differently. Looking back on what we think might have helped can sometimes help us change how we respond to people/situations in the future.
In this case, I'm wondering if anyone out there has had any positive situations, stories, or activities that have directly reached out to students who are having problems? If so, please share in the comments below. I'd like to hear from those who have participated in activities or groups that reach out to students at this level and hear what colleges and universities are doing around the country to help their students.
I'm also posting a link to an article written in Campus Activities Programming Magazine by Heather Larabee. She talks about a program that the University of Southern California set up up after a student tragedy on their campus left them wanting to reach out to students on campus that need help (you can read the pdf article here). The program is called "Trojans Care for Trojans" and it was established to help students to be aware of available help and services on campus and to encourage others to be aware of the potential issues with their friends and fellow students. They started with an idea and a broad mission, and developed it into an interactive website with educational videos, on and off-campus resources, anonymous reporting and other ways to help. You can view the site here: http://sait.usc.edu/ca/tc4t/.
Post your university's program information (if they have one) in the comments below, or share your thoughts and suggestions on how to deal with troubled students.
Resources:
Posted
03-16-2010 11:03 AM
by
Chris