A new guide for college students seeking aid for mental health was released on Tuesday by Leadership-21, a group of mental health leaders affiliated with the advocacy group Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. The guide, titled, "Campus Mental Health: Know Your Rights," delineates college students' treatment options and explains their legal rights while battling mental illness. The publication includes topics such as advice on finding treatment, whether colleges can ask students to take a leave of absence because of treatment, students' privacy rights and family support systems. The Bazelon Center has previously acted on behalf of students who have been dismissed from college campuses because they sought mental health treatment for depression. The 27-page guide is being promoted by the mental health advocacy group Active Minds at colleges across the country and can be found online. Some mental health professionals who work at colleges have expressed criticism of the guide, claiming that the guide would be more effective if the members of Leadership-21 had consulted college mental health professionals, but, overall, they agree that it will be helpful for many students.
Researchers and experts on alcohol use and underage drinking told Maryland lawmakers that lowering the drinking age would result in more alcohol-related accidents. They recommended instead enacting more severe penalties for drinking underage. The presentation is partially a response to the recently formed Amethyst Initiative, a coalition of college presidents who have supported lowering the drinking age to 18 because they believe it will promote drinking in moderation. Dartmouth President James Wright has signed the Amethyst Initiative. The researchers opposed the coalition, claiming that lowering the drinking age would result in more drunk driving and approximately 900 more deaths a year.
Close to a hundred organizations recruited new members at the Student Activities Fair Wednesday evening in Collis Common Ground. The organizations included political groups, academic journals and improvisational comedy, and both freshmen and upperclassmen were invited to attend. The event was organized by the Student Activities Office. Tomorrow, Collis Common Ground will host a Volunteer Fair coordinated by the Tucker Foundation.
