Miami Student Government Pushing For Increased Campus Mental Health Services

BY KATIE NIXDORF, ALTHEA
PERLEY and BRIAN HUBER
Miami University journalism students

Studies show that one in four adults suffer from mental health issues, and Miami University students are no exception.

Now, changes could be coming at student counseling services.

Christine Broda, president of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, is among the students pushing for change.

“My phone was like blowing up with texts, and before you knew it, it was like everybody I knew was dealing with anxiety or depression or an eating disorder and I felt really overwhelmed because so many students around campus are facing this issue.”

Forum was Sept. 15

Broda knew something needed to be done. So she helped organize a Sept. 15 forum on mental health, with Oxford Mayor and Miami professor Kate Rousmaniere as one of the guests.

"Mental illness is like the common cold, in that it’s everywhere," Rousmaniere said. "Everybody can have it, anybody can get it. We can all suffer from it, we can all recover from it, we can all be treated for it.”

In response to demand, Miami's Associated Student Government is making changes. On Sept. 27, ASG unanimously passed a bill to create a committee dedicated to strengthening counseling services. At present, students have to wait two weeks to get in to seek help from a professional because of the 1700-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Small steps help

All across campus, students and faculty are working together to help end the stigma. Mental health illness is a disease, and counseling can help.

Broda is pleased with ASG's actions.

"The main job of the senator is to find inefficiencies in the university and then build upon them, write student legislation so that there are student enacted changes that the university can put into place.”

James Oaks, ASG's secretary for on-campus affairs, was also excited about the ASG results.

"The goal is to get people to just go take that next step and then hopefully from there, get better. For students suffering in silence, seeking help may seem like an impossible task, but even just a small step may make all the difference.”

Added Broda: "I think that just the fact that people can open up about it is something that I tell them I’ m impressed by."

Note: This story was produced by students in Digital Video Reporting at Miami University.