Dear students:
As we wrap up another busy academic year, I write to report about progress on the Rackham mental health awareness campaign that I announced in January.
In February, Rackham launched a survey of graduate and professional school students to assess needs in different categories of health and wellness. We randomly sampled students to take the survey and we received over 1,000 responses. It will probably not surprise you to learn that over 85% of respondents experience “moderate” to “high” levels of daily stress. The majority of respondents reported that they “frequently” experience stress as a result of “academic/job demands.” Thank you to those who took the time to complete the survey, as the results from the survey will guide us in setting priorities for future programming.
In late March, Sylvia Nasar, author of the best-selling book A Beautiful Mind, visited our campus for a seminar and public lecture. Prior to the public lecture, Dr. Nasar participated in a seminar with 40 administrators, faculty, staff, and students to discuss mental health topics of interest to our university community.
We have increased our support for social and cultural activities, to give students more opportunities to connect with one another and avoid a sense of isolation. This semester, we sponsored an international food festival, co-sponsored an international film series, and held several events for graduate student families. More events will be held over the summer.
During the week of April 17, we launch the Mental Health Resources section of the Rackham website. It will feature a guide to resources available on campus, information about obtaining services for yourself and information about how to support others, guidance for insurance issues, and a map to mental health resources. Our goal is to make it easier for graduate and professional school students to navigate the many resources available at the university.
Also next week, you’ll start to see square black brochures in your department and other campus locations that ask if you’ve “got stress?” This brochure is a companion to the new Mental Health Resources section of our website. If you would like more information about the brochure or the web site, or have suggestions to improve either one, please contact Pat McCune at 647-2655.
Finally, I hope that you will take a moment to reflect on what you’ve accomplished this year. Maybe you are preparing to write your thesis or dissertation, have embarked on an exciting research project, or are finishing your first year of course work in graduate school. Take satisfaction in your effort, for you have chosen a demanding path. Remember also that you are not alone; your faculty, your fellow students, and we at the Rackham Graduate School want to enable you to thrive here at the University.
Sincerely,
Janet A. Weiss
Dean, Rackham Graduate School
and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs