The University of Texas at San Antonio canceled classes Friday for a campus-wide Day of Reflection.
UTSA leaders sent an email to students Thursday evening inviting them to come to campus Friday to support one another and connect with mental health resources.
“We know there are deep concerns about the well-being of members of our community as we witness an increase in stress, anxiety and uncertainty across our campuses,” UTSA’s president, provost and associate dean of students all wrote in the email. “We’re writing to share how we plan to do better and be better as an anchor of support for you.”
On Wednesday a UTSA doctoral student died on campus in a likely suicide.
“I know our entire community is feeling a sense of confusion and loss, especially those who knew the student best,” UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said Wednesday in an email to faculty, students, and staff. “If you or someone you know is struggling, I urge you to utilize the free well-being resources available to you 24/7.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988.
UTSA also provides 24/7 counseling for students through an app called TimelyCare and support for employees through an app called iConnectYou.
The 2024 election and other recent events around the world elevated mental health concerns for college students across the United States, according to Kirk Dougher, associate vice chancellor for student health and well-being at Washington University in St. Louis.
“Against a backdrop of inflation and several levels of international unrest, politics, and especially during a closely-fought election season, it tends to trigger for people things like sleep loss, shortened tempers, obsessive thoughts, increased mental health appointment usage, drug and alcohol use, and elevated levels of depression and anxiety, which we're seeing also in our college student populations as well,” Dougher said.
UTSA’s Day of Reflection will offer counseling sessions, mental health screenings, therapy animals, and bystander intervention training for suicide intervention.
UTSA has also set aside a space for graduate students to “join [their] peers for community, company and to reflect.”
Times and locations for UTSA’s programming Friday:
• Counseling sessions: Wellness 360 (RWC 1.500) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Suicide prevention bystander intervention training: Wellbeing Meeting Room (RWC 1.806) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Virtually from 3 to 4 p.m.
• Therapy animals: Campus Recreation from 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.
• Mental health screening: Student Union NEST space (HSU 2.207) from noon to 2 p.m.
• Mindful coloring program: Downtown Student Success Center (DB 2.114) from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
• Graduate student reflection space: Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building (BSE 2.102) from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m.
• Athletics programming: UTSA baseball game at 3 p.m. and volleyball game at 6 p.m. Both games are free for students.
Eighmy, Provost Heather Shipley, and Associate Dean of Students Melissa Hernandez also said in their email Thursday that Friday’s events “are just the beginning of [their] ongoing work to improve [UTSA’s] well-being efforts.”
They said student listening sessions are planned both online and in person to hear directly from students, and that there will be daily mental health support services at the Sombrilla Monday through Friday next week. UTSA’s RowdyLink will also have more student programming announced in the future.
“If you’re hurting, we want to hear from you. If you have an idea to help us improve our work in this space, please share it,” the leadership said in the email.
Dougher said a suicide on campus, especially if it is public and involves a well-known student, can heighten the impact on the wider college community. He said that makes it all the more important for the university to create space for people to support each other.
“To be able to connect with people, that's often one of the most healing things that we could do, and I'd encourage people to do that,” Dougher said. “And I'd really encourage people to reach out rather than kind of ruminating over things in isolation.”
