Free Webinar on Faculty's Role in Students' Mental Health April 8

Checking in with students to make sure they are prioritizing their mental well-being is important now more than ever. That's among key roles faculty can play in addition to helping students succeed academically.

Richard Hurst, with the College's Office of Student Success, recommends a free webinar, The Role of Faculty in Student Mental Health. The 90-minute session is presented by the Mary Christie Foundation, in collaboration with the Healthy Minds Network, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, and faculty at the Boston University School of Public Health.

It will present the findings of a recent national pilot study examining the perceptions and behaviors of college and university faculty as they relate to supporting student mental health and substance use. A presentation of topline results by Principal Investigator Sarah K. Lipson, Ph.D. will provide policy-relevant information including faculty's experiences supporting students in distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, sense of responsibility to provide guidance and referrals for students around mental health, and needs and preferences in terms of future training.

The session will include a panel discussion on the important implications for programs, prevention strategies, and campus policy. The three-person panel, moderated by WGBH's Kirk Carapezza, will feature Elon University Provost Aswani Volety, Ph.D.; Zoe Ragouzeos, Ph.D., Executive Director of Counseling and Wellness Services at New York University (and MCF President); and Lisa J. Schnell, Ph.D., Associate Professor in University of Vermont's English department, who will discuss their reactions to the survey data, and the development and enhancement of approaches to optimize the role that faculty play in student mental and behavioral health.

To take advantage of this informative webinar, you must register by clicking here.