To the Editor,
The University's Counseling and Psychological Services has received a great deal of attention in recent weeks, so I'd like to take this opportunity to describe the services and the high level of care we provide to students. I also want to encourage all students to make full use of our services whenever they need them.
Hundreds of students are seen at CPS every year. Most years we see about 19 percent of all graduate and undergraduate students for reasons that range from stress after a breakup to overwhelming anxiety or major depression. In each instance, CPS strives to treat and support students so they can stay in school and thrive, and virtually all do remain on campus and continue with their studies.
CPS takes Princeton’s learning mission very seriously. We actively partner with students to avoid or minimize the need for withdrawal from campus and to provide support as they resume their academic activities. Our work is centered around treating and supporting students so they can stay in school.
Even in cases where a student needs a higher level of care, such as inpatient hospitalization, many students are able to return to campus, transition to the infirmary service of University Health Services and then resume their studies. In such instances, CPS staff work closely with the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students and the Graduate School to figure out the right algorithm of student support, which may include a reduced course load, extensions on assignments and a care plan that supports the student’s resumption of studies.
Students take a leave of absence for a variety of reasons such as wanting to pursue an off-campus opportunity to needing to address a medical condition. Students sometimes elect to take a leave of absence for mental health reasons. Such decisions are almost always made on a voluntary basis, and the students use the break to get well without the pressure of academic work.
At CPS we are constantly looking for new ways to make our services more accessible through initiatives like our mindfulness-based stress-reduction workshops and our new CPS Wellness Outpost in the Engineering Quadrangle. We want students to know that they don’t need to suffer alone, that everyone struggles on occasion and that it’s okay to ask for help. We’re here to help students stay in school and to have the best possible experience while they’re here.
If students have any concerns about CPS and how we work with students, I hope they will call, write or make an appointment to speak with me or UHS Executive Director John Kolligian. It's important to us that your questions and concerns are addressed, and we will do everything we can to address them as fully as we can.
Calvin R. Chin, Ph.D.DirectorPrinceton UniversityCounseling & Psychological Services
To read previous reporting relating to the intersection of mental health on campus and the role of CPS, click here
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