University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. MWC file photo.
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – Campus leaders at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point are making health a high priority this semester.
That’s not to say it hasn’t been a high priority in the past, but recent events have forced some internal reflection.
“Whenever a sister campus is having a hard time, dealing with student, staff, or faculty loss, we always consider what we’re already doing on our campus,” said Troy Seppelt, the Dean of Students at UWSP. Wisconsin Public Radio has reported the University of Wisconsin-River Falls mourned the loss of four students during last fall’s semester, each dying by suicide.
The messaging of what mental health resources are available to those on campus has only been enhanced as a new semester begins. “The message most often for our students and our employees is we have resources available for you,” Seppelt said.
By this time next year, resulting from student demand, UWSP will have added a fall break to its campus schedule, intended to give students a respite from work that they need so they can be the best versions of themselves.
Before that happens, students say they’ll do their part to make it known help is out there and anyone can utilize those services. “You always just get that supportive message: ‘Let me help you, let me direct you to the place that would be most beneficial for you, let’s go down that path together,’ because it can be difficult to start that journey and it’s not always easy to do that by yourself,” said Ashley Authement, the vice president of UWSP’s Student Government Association.
Seppelt says first-year students are given support and care service information on magnets when they enter campus.
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