GradGuard, the authority in helping schools educate and protect students from the risks of college life, is sponsoring a timely webinar for institutional leaders, trustees, and policymakers, showcasing successful approaches to addressing the student mental health crisis. 

The webinar is part of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) education program Reducing Risk: The Financial, Institutional, and Emotional Toll of Declining Student Mental Health on Campuses and will air from 1– 2 P.M. EST on Tuesday, April 18th, 2023. The conversation will address growing concerns about student mental health and the resulting impact on enrollment.

Moderated by GradGuard co-founder and managing director John Fees, the panel will feature perspectives from Nance Roy, chief clinical officer for the JED Foundation; Talea Drummer-Ferrell, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students for Kent State University; and John King, vice president of student life for Roger Williams University.

Research confirms that the correlation not only holds a substantial risk to institutional enrollment but has compounding impacts for how institutions best respond. The American College Health Association estimates tens of thousands of students withdraw from college each year due to mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

According to National Student Clearinghouse, more than 113,000 students took a leave of absence in 2021, which includes medical leaves for mental health reasons. Additionally, 41% of students enrolled in a postsecondary education program say they have considered stopping out in the past six months, according to the Lumina Foundation – Gallup State of Higher Education 2023 Report. This is an increase from 37% in 2021 and 34% in 2020.

Often students who take a leave of absence or stop out due to mental health face substantial financial losses and find themselves indebted to their former school. These financial burdens dampen a student’s ability to return and eventually graduate.

“GradGuard’s mission it is to help schools educate and protect students from the risks of college life, it is vital that higher education leaders adopt a comprehensive approach to supporting students through this crisis, said Fees. “Educating a larger audience on the resources available to address student mental health will not only benefit students and families but also colleges and universities across the U.S. At GradGuard, our goal is to help students graduate and protect families from financial loss.”

Designed for those working in higher education administration, enrollment, insurance and risk, and student mental health services, panelists will learn:

• How to identify the mental health issues impacting students and the tools and resources campuses are finding to help combat the situation
• Facilitate campus-specific discussion on how to reduce risks surrounding the uptick in student mental health conditions
• Locate the national tools and resources available to campuses, including those from the JED Foundation, and emerging practices used by institutions to address the emotional health of students

The webcast is open to NACUBO members, who must register through NACUBO Classroom.