How We Can Support the Mental Health of Disconnected Students (and staff)

 An In-Person & Virtual CHERE Conference

Goodwin University, East Hartford, CT

 Featured Speaker: Beth McMurtrie, Chronicle of Higher Education

The April 29th edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education featured “The Disconnected Student: Professors are reporting record numbers of students checked out, stressed out, and unsure of their future,” a complex theme echoed by both higher education staff and by K-12 teachers. 

The mental health of our students, not to mention staff, is certainly a factor; but the problem and possible ways to address the “disconnection” is more complicated than that.

The article, by Chronicle staff writer Beth McMurtrie, attributes much of this problem to the disconnections caused by the pandemic, especially the  isolation that many students felt, but that such concern pre-dated COVID.

Today, at CHERE’s third hybrid conference, we look at this perplexing issue, led by Beth McMurtrie, author of that seminal Chronicle article, who will  provide an overview of her extensive reporting.  She will be followed by several campus experts to respond and talk about how to address the issues that Beth has raised, and per usual, a panel of students to gain their on-the-ground perspective.

Expert Panel includes:

William Fothergill, MA, MSW, CPC, LPC, Counselor, Counseling & Student Development

Katie Hallisey, Executive Director, Higher Edge

Aaron Isaacs, Dean of Students, University of Hartford

Tadarryl Starke, Associate Vice Provost for Student Success, University  of Connecticut

Richard Sugarman, President, Hartford Promise

Elaine White, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology, Queens, NY

Danielle Wilken, President, Univ. of Bridgeport

Registration link:  www.purplepass.com/areourstudentsok