Content Warning: mentions of mental health struggles and suicide
With the commencement of a new academic year at UofT, the unthinkable—which has tragically become part of the mundane—has occurred as the University mourns the devastating loss of yet another student to suicide. The question that can’t help being asked is: why do these tragedies keep occurring, and how can a university that prides itself on prestige learn to put the well-being of its student body first?
In response, a university-wide meeting was held online on Friday, November 6, 2020 with regards to student mental health, with approximately 200 individuals attending. The main goal of the event was to define the problem at hand, and the University-Mandated Leave of Absence Policy (UMLAP) in particular was placed under scrutiny . The mandate allows the University to remove a student from their studies and place them on non-punitive, involuntary leave if they pose a threat to themselves; this policy will be up for review next year. According to the University of Toronto Students’ Union, “among flaws within the policy itself, its existence could prevent students from seeking help for fear of being placed on leave.” One of the main topics of discussion was how UMLAP, and UofT policies towards student mental health in general, are designed to protect the University’s reputation as a prestigious and academically rigorous institution instead of putting the well-being of its student body first. When reached out to for comment, UofThrive—a tri-campus student collective dedicated to elevating student voices on mental health and established in response to University of Toronto’s inaction in prioritizing student mental health—said “our main downfall is continuing to preach student success, when it is clear that we do not deserve the title of being ranked as one of the top schools in the world […] We cannot continue to let this school be revered and sit on top of a pedestal, while students have largely been ignored, and remain patient for meaningful and pertinent change.”
A prime example of this downfall is the pressure that academic accommodations (or lack thereof) and changes in course delivery during the pandemic have put students. Professors are largely seen as insensitive to students’ struggles, as they increase course workload and assignments in order to uphold UofT’s expectation that a competitive education should be difficult, or that you have to fail as a prerequisite to success. During the meeting, students emphasized the need for academic breathing room and acknowledgement that their lives haven’t stopped as a result of the pandemic: they are dealing with pertinent issues outside of online education. Furthermore, in response to the cancellation of in-person exams, many professors have opted to put more emphasis on homework and at-home assignments, depriving students of virtually any time off from work and forcing them to live in a never-ending state of labour. However, the struggles that the teaching staff are facing in addressing students’ mental health was also acknowledged, with time being devoted to the discussion of proper training procedures for staff so that they can more effectively and compassionately aid students with mental health struggles. Something that does not aid students in seeking support regarding their mental health is the presence of police on campus and their inadequacy in dealing with the struggles of students. Last year’s incident at UTM, where a student seeking mental health support was handcuffed by campus police, was invoked. Meeting participants strongly voiced that having police on campus is not an appropriate solution to mental health difficulties, and that having them around discourages students from reaching out for help. A suggestion was made to remove police from all campus spaces.
An observation was made that many students who belong to minority groups often feel uncomfortable within UofT spaces, preventing them from reaching out and seeking the support that they require. Students know that the systems put in place don’t work, so they simply don’t bother reaching out.
It was also addressed that the mental health struggles students face are not caused exclusively by the lack of mental health resources available at UofT (with only 90 counsellors and therapists being available across three campuses, according to UofThrive); rather, they are rooted in other problems—such as finances—that students face, which have been exacerbated due to the pandemic. The UTSU says that “The mental health crisis at UofT isn’t siloed to mental health supports or related policies; it’s linked to our academic culture, our financial supports, our social environment, and much more. In order to address the mental health crisis, the University needs to rethink its approach to student wellbeing and how that’s reflected and supported institutionally.”
A significant topic was the need to consult students with regards to mental health policies that the University mandates. Both the UTSU and UofThrive emphasized this in their statements. UofThrive stated: “Administration continuously disregards the necessity of student voices for mental health, is rooted in a toxic and work-priority mindset, and has now experienced five suicides in the last three years.” UTSU mentioned that “the Presidential & Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health, struck in 2019, only had four students sitting on it, and the feedback from student organizers and leaders across campus has largely been ignored or dismissed.”
These are unprecedented times that have brought their own pressures and challenges on everyone. However, the one thing that is clear is that the mental health challenges faced by University of Toronto students across all three campuses are rooted deep within the academic structure of the institution and manifest themselves each academic year. The only way that we can move forward as a community is to finally start working together and listening to the voices of those without whom the University and its reputation would not exist.
Comments are closed.