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Letter to the Editor: April 28, 2014

On April 21, 2014, a powerful op-ed titled “My Lying, Smiling Face” was published anonymously in The Daily Princetonian. The most recent in a series of stories that highlight the lack of transparency regarding University withdrawal and readmission processes, it raises a number of pressing concerns regarding the University’s treatment of students experiencing serious mental health issues. Unfortunately, recent University responses have fallen short of fully addressing these concerns.

As the Editorial Board has observed,students currently know little about the University’s withdrawal and readmission policies and practices. This lack of transparency leads to strong and legitimate concerns, as well as questions from students. Under what conditions will the University require a student to involuntarily withdraw? How are these decisions made? Under what circumstances may Counseling and Psychological Services share confidential information with administrators? When might students be forced to waive their confidentiality in order to remain at or return to school? What considerations are made when deciding whether a student should be allowed to return to campus? Are students properly supported throughout the readmission process? If these questions are considered on a case-by-case basis, what factors might play a role in evaluating each case?

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We appreciate the recent responses from the administration. However, these responses have not specifically addressed students’ pressing questions. In response to the Editorial Board’s call for greater transparency, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students Michael Olin and University Health Services Executive Director John Kolligian responded with a letter to the editor,which states that students may be involuntarily withdrawn if a “student’s danger to himself or herself remains extremely high” and includes a reference to the Undergraduate Announcement. However, the letter does not explain how that evaluation is made.

More recently, Vice President for Campus Life Cynthia Cherrey wrote a letter to the editorin which she asserts that University decisions about student mental health issues encompass only two factors: “what is in the best interest of the student and what is in the best interest of the other residents of this campus community.” However, the letter does not address what constitutes “best interest,” who decides it, and how it is decided. Additionally, the letter’s discussion of how the University gains information from students’ doctors raises serious concerns about the confidentiality of student records. There is also no direct mention of the onerous and unsupportive processes a student already struggling with mental health issues might face in order to return to campus. Finally, the letter ignores the deeply personal struggles shared in “My Lying, Smiling Face” by relegating it to being a recent op-ed.

Ultimately, the press responses and printed policy do not address the pressing concerns and lingering questions students have, thus contributing to a lack of trust in the University and increased stigma surrounding mental health. Students fear they will be forced to waive confidentiality in order to demonstrate that they can safely remain on campus. The readmission procedures described in “My Lying, Smiling Face” are alarming — they impose stringent and extensive requirements which could impede any student’s ability to focus on healthy recovery while away from school. Furthermore, the lack of clear and detailed policies and practices promotes an unhealthy “us-versus-them” mindset among the student body and raises the perception that a student facing serious mental health issues may immediately face withdrawal for simply seeking treatment at CPS, thus deterring these students from seeking proper help. Only with open, clear and more direct communication can we rebuild trust between students and the University, and together improve mental wellness on campus.

The USGPrinceton Mental Health Initiativeboard, formed in early 2014, initially aimed to help improve mental wellness on campus by linking students to campus resources and encouraging awareness and positive discussion of mental health issues. Princeton Mental Health Week 2014 included a number of events and workshops to advance these goals. While our efforts have not yet yielded substantial policy reform, as the board moves forward, it is our foremost aim to spark continuous and constructive dialogue surrounding mental health among students and with administration in order to enact meaningful change. Some projects we are planning include gathering students’ concerns through focus groups, assessing the University’s mental health data from the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment and hosting discussions between students and administrators. These projects are geared toward encouraging students and administrators to engage in honest and open dialogue about mental wellness and mental health policies on campus, especially questions concerning withdrawal and readmission.

As this issue affects our entire campus community, we invite and urge all students and administrators to be involved in this important work. We must work together to bring transparency and clarity to nebulous policies and practices, and to ensure that these policies and practices help — not harm — students. Let’s discuss openly our concerns and hopes. Let’s work to understand the situations and circumstances we all face. Let’s shed light on the intricacies and nuances of existing policies. Let’s work together to find innovative solutions that best serve the interests of students and our entire campus community alike.

Change is imperative. Let’s make it happen.

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Signed,

Mallory Banks ’16Rachel Bronheim ’15Isabelle Byers ’16Laura Du ’14Priya Krishnan ’16Ariana Lazzaroni ’15Amalya Megerman ’16Zhan Okuda-Lim ’15Anchal Padukone ’16Fred Shaykis ’15Jason Yu ’16

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