Might be behind a pay wall. Just google article title for direct free access.
Article from February 8, 2022 titled:
Civil trial over Penn suicide could shed light on a university’s responsibility for student mental health
The university of Pennsylvania isthe #1 school on this list from May, 2019:
Mental health is a critical topic, deserving of thoughtful analysis. The “Top 50” list in that link has no citations, no sources, no data, no listed methodology, and no substance to back it up. I’d avoid any list like that, period, but especially for something this important.
My only point in citing that list was to show that the University of Pennsylvania was number one which relates to the first article that I cited.
Also, about two years ago, UPenn’s head of mental health services committed suicide after moving to Penn from Cornell.
All of the above suggests that there is an unusual amount of stress at the University of Pennsylvania.
It’s not “number one”, though. There’s zero data supporting that claim.
There are studies done that do look into stress — the National College Health Assessment seems to be the most substantial — and researchers do analyze that data and publish their findings.
And every one of us who has a young person in their life would do well to become familiar with warning signs, coping mechanisms, and other key reasons why stress is so prevalent in young people.
But it’s important to note that there isn’t some college-specific ranking of schools with higher or lower suicide rates, and people should be careful about linking to baseless lists that claim some sort of authority on that. College reporting of suicide data via Clery report is problematic, and at least one analysis shows Penn as the “best” of the Ivy League in terms of mental health support (though still noting that they could do more than they are).
The point of all of this is that this is a complicated topic, and top 50 listicles that try to reduce it down (and without citations, to boot) do everyone a disservice.
Understanding that the University of Pennsylvania has serious issues regarding stress & mental health of its students is not a “complicated topic”.
The captain of the Stanford women’s soccer team also died yesterday, at just 22. So very sad that so many struggle with mental health.
Understanding that colleges and high schools across the country do have serious issues regarding stress and mental health, as indicated by annual suicides on many campuses persisting through the years, naturally is not complicated.
However, the causes behind it, and what should be done so that persons who are struggling will seek and receive help, unfortunately is a “complicated topic”- as is the field of mental health in general. Otherwise someone would already have pressed that “Easy” button!
Some people might be more prone, or might have unknown triggers, to certain environments, or simply how they react to changes in their environment, social circle, and routines. Correlation does not necessarily equal cause. Some people have healthy ways to cope with different types of stresses that we’re all subject to throughout our lives, other people find out that they struggle with some but not others - it’s not always as “uncomplicated” as finding someone who must have been “at fault”.
There is no question that every single incident is of utmost importance and absolutely does deserve to be carefully assessed to see what can be learned. But certainly more complicated than a questionable “Top 10” list.
You intentionally missed my point; my point is:
Understanding that the University of Pennsylvania has serious issues regarding stress & mental health of its students is not a “complicated topic”.
This is not a “Top 10” list; it is a Top One (University of Pennsylvania) list.
I have no relation to UPenn at all, and no insights about them. But while a “top 1” list might add drama, as has been stated before, any such “ranking” is meaningless if the criteria and methodology is not disclosed. Choosing different methods, one could likely have a different “Top 1” every month of the year.
I can make Zeppelin University the top 1, if my undisclosed method is to sort descending by name - yet it would be completely unproductive in finding solutions to this complex problem, which (I assume) is your primary concern after all?
Not interested in debating.
UPenn has had a serious problem in this area for many years.
Understood - and apologies.
I may have missed it, so do you have any particular call to action?
Any specific measures you’d like them to take, based on your own (or your student’s) experience at that university?
I haven’t seen any cause of death for her yet. Has that information been released?
I’m not a believer in rankings since there aren’t any facts to back them up. But nevertheless, even though the pandemic affected the elderly physically, the young have been devastated mentally and emotionally. And its true damaging effects won’t be seen for years to come. I’ve seen it firsthand with my own teenager. Transitioning from live to online, then back to live, then back to online, then back to live again…just think about that from a college student perspective. Not every student is suited to learn online. Now add mask mandates enforced by armed campus police. Add being isolated in a dorm room because of a closed campus. Now open the campus back up…and a few months later…put the mask back on and stay in your dorms (Delta)…then open back up a few months later…then put your mask back on and stay in your dorm (Omicron)…now open back up. There’s your answer.
a new mental health bill may soon become law
Did the law pass since that 2018 article, and what has been the effect for the colleges in PA?
Yes. Self-inflicted.
Recovering from recent knee surgery, the Stanford goalkeeper was facing an upcoming disciplinary hearing for “defending a teammate”.