A George Washington University student who was forced to leave school after the university discovered details about his mental state has brought renewed focus on the role of schools in students’ mental health.
At Boston University, spokesman Colin Riley said university officials review each student’s situation exclusively.
“The university takes very seriously any intimation or expression by individuals that may need counseling or professional mental health treatment,” Riley said. “Each case is individual and would be assessed on the particular circumstances related to that individual.”
Riley said that, in some cases, the appropriate care may include separation from the university. University policy states that students need to be “medically cleared,”
meaning they must undergo a successful medical evaluation, if it is determined that they are a threat to themselves or others.
In 2004, the GWU student Jordan Nott, a sophomore at George Washington University, was suspended after the school discovered he had contemplated suicide, filed a lawsuit against the university in early March, citing discrimination under the American with Disabilities Act.
Several days after Nott checked himself into the GWU hospital, Nott received an official letter from the university stating that his actions — considering suicide — breached the code of student conduct and he was required to take a leave of absence from school to seek treatment, according to a Washington Post article published on March 10. The letter said he would only be able to return after successful completion of treatment programs.
However, some think that university suspension policies pose more of a threat to the student’s safety.
Dan Reidenberg, executive director of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, said colleges need to implement policies that are “helpful and supportive efforts, not punitive.”
“Suspension does nothing but make things worse,” Reidenberg said. “All that does is make them [students] hurt more and suffer more.”
Reidenberg said suspension is not the best way to deal with troubled students, adding that schools should not always be considered liable when students commit suicide.
“I don’t really think schools necessarily should be liable, but colleges have a responsibility to do what they can to raise awareness about this issue,” he said.
Reidenberg said universities can help students in crisis by providing them with on-campus support, such as counseling.
Riley pointed to Student Health Services and the Mental Health Clinic as some of the places on BU’s campus where students can “have a conversation in confidence” and receive treatment.
Though students may be worried about the consequences of seeking help during a crisis, mental health experts like Reidenberg said they should get help as soon as possible.
“The most important thing is to seek treatment regardless of what may happen,” he said.
Nott — who transferred to the University of Maryland instead of returning to George Washington — filed a lawsuit against his former school, claiming university administrators forced him to leave school while he was dealing with a mental health issue, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the article.
According to a March 10 statement released by GWU spokeswoman Tracy Schario, Nott was asked to take part in a voluntary leave process, rather than getting expelled, as a measure to protect the student’s privacy and future status at the university. Schario defended the university’s actions, stating its policy is designed to ensure the mental and physical well-being of its students.
“When a student in our community presents a serious threat of suicide, our ultimate goal is to find support and treatment to get through the crisis point,” Schario said in the release. “While some may see the ultimate goal as to stay in school, the university’s foremost concern is for the student’s life. We must also be concerned about the protection and safety of the entire community, which may be impacted by the student’s words or behavior.”
More than 50 students with suicidal thoughts or behavior go to GWU’s counseling center for assistance every year, the release read. However, many of these students are able to get help through the counseling center without having to leave the university with on-site counseling programs.
Nott’s situation called for special action after because “this was one of those few situations that requires that the student take time away from campus and classes for more intensive treatment and family support,” according to the release, which said the university could not elaborate on specifics of Nott’s case due to privacy laws.