The Right Response by UHS

In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, many students, even those not directly affected by the events, have found themselves seeking counseling or simply someone to listen. While some took advantage of on-campus student groups or counseling provided under the umbrella of the University, other students went to University Health Services (UHS) to benefit from their support services.

The staff commends UHS for responding in a timely fashion to the needs of students after the Sept. 11 attack. UHS held group walk-in sessions, encouraged call-in support, increased the hours and numbers of walk-in appointments and generally fostered a comfortable environment for students who needed a safe area in which to express grief. By doing so, UHS provided a much-needed student service.

The significant numbers of students who benefited from UHS services—more than 200 in two hours went to an open house held after the attack—can also be explained by better publicity. By increasing on-campus advertising, contacting liaisons in the Houses and setting up a support services website, UHS has made it much easier for grieving students to find the services they need.

UHS has noted that they are preparing for delayed reactions to the recent tragedy, in which students who up until this point have considered themselves relatively unaffected find themselves needing mental health counseling. We deeply appreciate UHS’s efforts in these past weeks, and we hope that it will continue to be as responsive to the needs of the student body as it has recently shown itself capable of being.