Young adults in the United States are at the center of an alarming mental health crisis, with a 2021 national survey finding almost three-quarters of college students reported moderate or severe psychological distress. While experts have proposed varying explanations for the phenomenon, from social media to the pandemic, there is no doubt the crisis exists. However, GW has failed to meet the moment with a comprehensive plan to address it. Aiming to address this, the Student Government Association passed a resolution earlier this month calling on the University to grant students two mental health days per semester, officials to create a Mental Health-Informed Teaching Guide for faculty to include a Personalized Mental Health Statement in course syllabi. The resolution represents a step in the right direction toward a more comprehensive plan, and when considering how to tackle declining student mental health, GW must take the SGA’s recommendations into account and couple those efforts with institutional support for students in a crisis.

In colleges across the United States, the mental health crisis continues to get more and more pervasive. About 37 percent of college students in the United States report experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and about 32 percent report high levels of anxiety. Any measures officials take must be rooted in an understanding of the nature of these conditions, that they do not simply go away, but instead can prove debilitating for extended periods of time. The diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder explicitly mention the need for symptoms to be ongoing, lasting two or more weeks. And for generalized anxiety disorder, the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders spells out the need for experiencing “persistent” symptoms.

In addressing this crisis, the SGA resolution spells out some policy recommendations that the University should consider. For one, officials should provide students with reasonable opportunities to make up missing work with minimal penalties, accommodating mental health needs without negatively affecting grades. The SGA’s proposed teaching guide would provide professors with suggested language for offering academic flexibility for students experiencing mental health problems and guidance on distinguishing between short-term distress and situations that warrant referral to Counseling and Psychological Services. Similarly, the resolution recommends professors provide an explicit statement in their syllabi telling students extension policies in mental health situations and the professor’s communication preferences regarding mental health-related absences. Having these changes written into course syllabuses would provide students clear procedural guidelines for if they experience a mental health episode, reducing further anxiety caused by remaining in academic limbo. This would also give clear communication channels for students and professors regarding mental health related topics, as professors could expand on their expectations for students who have missed classes or assignments due to depression or anxiety.

Officials should also couple the SGA’s recommendations with improvements to institutional mental health resources. Students this year have complained that CAPS discontinued walk-in appointments in the fall, which the center has offered since at least 2017. Students said this limits options for students experiencing mental health problems in the office that is supposed to be designated for this exact purpose. The University cannot claim to be committed to bolstering student mental health while also cutting resources meant to help students’ wellbeing.

Similar programs for increased mental health days already exist at other accredited academic institutions, like Villanova’s excused mental health days initiative and Northeastern’s wellness days. These kinds of policies gives GW a proper footing in tackling mental health issues, along with leaving room for further expansion. Like the resolution proposes, the provost’s office should be used to provide guidelines for professors when amending syllabi, finding fair compromises between performance and the toll of mental health disorders. This way, academic rigor can be balanced with a compassionate resolve that recognizes the real and growing mental health crisis.

GW must adopt the SGA’s proposals as a first step because it provides a solid foundation for students undergoing crisis, and the interpretive language of the resolution allows the University to chart further policy. Long-term solutions are necessary for the well-being of the student body, and the University must do more to meet the moment.