The Students Are Still Not Okay: (Re)focusing Attention on College Mental Health and Wellbeing

One of the authors (Stebleton) recently facilitated a discussion on college student mental health in an undergraduate honors seminar titled, What Is College For? The debate focused on the roles and responsibilities of leaders at universities and colleges to support the mental health needs of students. One student, Lily, said, “I believe that universities have a responsibility to provide accessible and affordable mental health care. Mental health and wellbeing are part of students’ safety and security, which universities should seek to protect.” Many higher education administrators appear to agree with Lily.

Mental Health as a Top Institutional Priority

COVID-19 exacerbated mental health concerns among college students. Coming out of the pandemic years, instructor Jonathan Malesic (2022) wrote an essay in the New York Times titled, My College Students Are Not Okay. He focused on the growing levels of student disengagement in his classroom. More recently, student mental health has improved slightly; yet there is still more that can be done to support students. According to Inside Higher Ed’s annual survey of provosts (conducted in partnership with Hanover Research), mental health was ranked as the number one threat to student safety and well-being, with 80% of all provosts surveyed stating that it is a top risk (Flaherty & Custer, 2025). Yet, while 69% of provosts somewhat or strongly agree that their institution has been effective in addressing the student mental health crisis, only 40% agree that undergraduate’s mental health at their institution seems to be improving; 29% agree that undergraduates mental health across higher education seems to be improving since the pandemic (Flaherty & Custer, 2025).

Mental health student concerns exist beyond the traditional 4-year college experience. In the survey of community college provosts, food and housing insecurity was the leading concern with 86% of respondents identifying it as the top risk factor (Flaherty, 2025). Research indicates that a strong relationship exists between financial insecurity (e.g., food insecurity) and mental health, and both factors impact academic performance (Diamond et al., 2020). 

Fostering an Ethic of Care

Educators at universities and colleges have long been understood to have a duty of care to their students, including the ethical obligation of supporting student safety and overall well-being (Keeling, 2014; McClure, 2025). Through this blog, we aim to highlight some of the recent developments in college student mental health, and bring attention to some implications and suggestions for student affairs educators. We contend that mental health should be viewed holistically – and be examined through the lens of supporting the whole student. It is important that student affairs educators, administrators, and faculty refocus their efforts and attention towards supporting student mental health, especially in light of recent survey findings.

Results from Two Recent Student Mental Health Surveys: Healthy Minds & Student Voices

We highlight several key findings from two recent surveys – Healthy Minds Study and Student Voice, including elements that tie to other aspects contributing to student mental health. First, some key results from the Healthy Minds Study:

• 1 in 5 students reported feelings of loneliness. Despite the rise of technology, AI, and constant connection through social media, many students are still feeling lonely. Students report that they feel as if they do not belong – a growing concern and focus of attention on campuses.

• 28% of students screened for disordered eating this year. The prevalence of eating disorders has increased globally (Galmiche et al., 2019), and among the college student population (Daly & Costigan, 2022). There is increased online communication via social media about body image, much of this focused on achievement, eating habits and current beauty standards, particularly aimed at women students (Choate, 2017).

• 1 in 3 students experience depression and/or anxiety. In 2024-25, 37% experienced depression and 32% experienced anxiety.

Student Voice reported similar findings, yet this study also looked at financial literacy and persistence issues. Their results are as follows:

• Other dimensions of wellness revealed compounding student struggles: mental health was rated poorly for many students, along with nutrition, sleep habits, ability to manage stress, financial well-being, and sense of social belonging at one’s college.

• Among students who considered stopping out of college, 43% described their mental health as below average or poor.

• Only 33% of students described their overall mental health as above average or excellent.

These findings suggest that although progress is being made – and services are being added in campus care facilities – more work needs to be done. It should be clearly noted that disparities exist in terms of access and usage of mental health services across some student populations (e.g., first-generation, international students, and some students of color), and that stigma and other barriers still exist for many students (Lipson et al., 2022).

A Focus on Silver Linings

While results show that students continue to struggle, both surveys do indicate incremental positive progress in student mental health. The good news is that data indicates fewer students reporting anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, suggesting an improvement since the pandemic (2021-22). Second, the stigma around seeking mental health services is declining. In the Healthy Minds data, 37% of all respondents indicated they had accessed therapy or counseling in the past year, compared to 30% in 2018-19.

A third positive aspect from the data suggests that fewer students are drinking alcohol or participating in binge drinking than in previous generations. Approximately 60% of students indicated they had not consumed alcohol in the past two weeks, and an additional 17% said that they had not engaged in binge drinking (defined as consuming 4-5 drinks or more in one sitting).

Students Speak: Perspectives on the Role of Universities and Mental Health Resources

In the undergraduate seminar course previously mentioned, students discussed mental health issues and completed a written reflection on the role of academic institutions in supporting mental health. The students ranged from first year to senior year, representing various majors and academic disciplines. While this activity was not an academic or empirical study – students’ responses offer a snapshot of how college students at a large research institution view mental health issues. Interestingly, some of the students talked about the issue of access and locating resources on campus, as well as having diverse therapists and counselors on staff who represent and understand the unique issues of an increasingly diverse student population.

One student wrote:

“Universities are responsible for providing flexible and accessible mental health resources. They need a wide range of resources in terms of depth, time-commitment, to address [concerns]…I do wish it were easier to find these resources. I do not think it is too hard to find if you look but not everyone will seek them out. It could be helpful to show the resources, not just have them available.” 

Another student contributed:

“The goal is to provide mental health services that apply to all [or most] students with different circumstances. Diverse hiring in these areas [is important] so that students can be more comfortable and staff be more understanding of specific situations [culture, values].”

A first-year student focused their reflections on preventative efforts:

“I think the university should take a more preventative role in student wellbeing. University programs/courses should be designed in a way that sets students up for success. Existing programs should be analyzed to understand what is working well.”

These student comments also shed some insight on what can be done to support college student mental health – and the role of student affairs educators in the proactive steps that can be taken to support student mental health.

Strategies for Student Affairs Educators, Faculty, and Administrators

From our analysis of the literature and recent surveys, we offer several suggestions for student affairs educators, faculty, and administrators to further support college student mental health:

• Be proactive in student mental health support and outreach. Many faculty members report supporting students with mental health needs but could benefit from additional faculty training, including how to best support students from diverse backgrounds (Latz, 2024). Over the last few years, tools and training have been developed to support student mental health literacy and understanding, like mental health first aid. Recognizing the signs of student distress, like changes in academic performance or behavior, is critical for those who engage directly with students (Schimmel, 2023). 

• Become knowledgeable of the resources available to students on and off campus and work to destigmatize their use. Approximately 47% of faculty members reported having one-to-one conversations with students about their mental health based on Healthy Minds data. Authors of a case study at Austin Community College suggested that personally walking students to a campus resource could be a way to build trust and continue to foster an environment where students can safely seek help (Jangjou et al., 2025). Instructors could also add a syllabus statement that lists resources on how to access support, including mental health and food and housing insecurity services.

At the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, institutional leaders have created an optional syllabus statement for instructors on mental health and stress management (University of Minnesota-TC, n.d.). One of the students in the seminar noted that this type of statement shared with students would help alleviate the stigma that some associate with using food resources. 

• Educators might learn about and access new health and wellness apps and technology. There are different apps that schools use, one such example is Help Is Here, which supports students and provides services for mental health care (Flaherty, 2025). AI has the potential to help support students around mental health needs and improve self-care (Nagar et al., 2023).

• Partner with mental health and wellness providers and go where students gather. Some colleges have mental health educators who provide care services where students live and study, such as in the residence halls and within academic program areas (e.g., a mental health liaison within a business school). Newer, integrated approaches to support student mental health continue to evolve (Schwitzer, 2025). At the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing offers courses and workshops for students, staff, and faculty, including courses on mindfulness and forest bathing.

Next Steps: Mental Health as a Collective Effort

In sum, mental health is everyone’s business. Student affairs educators (e.g., residence life, career services, disability resources, etc.) and others on campus who occupy adjacent support roles (e.g., residence life, campus police), hold crucial roles in supporting students (Guzmán et al., 2022; Magolda, 2016). When viewed holistically, mental health represents a critical (but not the only) component of overall student health and wellbeing. Positive mental health and wellbeing are tied to student security and safety, as Lily mentioned in the introduction. Similarly, strong evidence of mental health can lead to other proactive outcomes for students, including student success, engagement, and a sense of belonging (Clarke & Guida, 2025). Although some progress has been made around supporting mental health needs in recent years, data and student voices suggest that there is still much progress to be made (Wu et al., 2024).

 

References

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https://doi.org/10.1080/28367138.2024.2400612