A national survey released in February revealed growing concern for mental health and basic needs insecurity among incoming college students — trends Temple’s student services are watching closely as it prepares to support the incoming Class of 2029.
The survey, conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, collected responses from 24,367 incoming students across 55 colleges and universities between April 14 and Oct. 10, 2024. Findings pointed to significant increases in emotional distress, alongside a growing number of first-generation students and students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Temple’s support systems, like Tuttleman Counseling Services and the Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, monitor trends through both national surveys and their own research and work to adjust resources in response. Tuttleman is aware of and tracking the latest survey from CIRP.
“I think students are coming to campus with more history of mental health challenges,” said Mark Denys, associate vice provost for health and well-being. “It’s helping us limit the stigma associated with mental health, but at the same time, students may need more services than we can provide as our demand is always increasing.”
Tuttleman’s Wellness Resource Center conducts biennial surveys with similar data points to CIRP, Denys said. Temple also participates in the JED Campus program, which brings together schools across the country to develop strategic mental health initiatives and practices.
CIRP data showed that the emotional well-being of students varied significantly based on gender. While 42% of men reported experiencing frequent or occasional depression, the number rose to 59% for women and 91% for nonbinary and genderqueer students.
Eighty-four percent of nonbinary and genderqueer students said they saw some or a very good chance of seeking mental health services in college. Sixty-three percent of women and 48% of men expected the same.
“Temple responses [to surveys] are fairly more positive than most, but understanding the gaps and where we can fine-tune our services matters,” Denys said.
To stay attuned to ongoing trends, Temple’s student health and well-being team — including the Wellness Resource Center and Student Health Services — meet bi-monthly to share trends observed on campus and nationwide through resources like the American Council on Education’s newsletters.
Temple has invested more heavily in student mental health since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with its division of student health and well-being officially launching in January 2023 after a commitment of funds from the Provost’s office. Salaries and staff retention have improved significantly since then, Denys said.
Tuttleman has also focused on promoting accessibility and working to reduce wait times and barriers to services during the last two years. While it cannot provide long-term therapy for every student, the center helps students build sustainable care plans.
Temple’s Hope Center for Student Basic Needs also plays a crucial role in supporting students through research and targeted programming. In response to rising demand, the center has scaled up its efforts and continues to see increased utilization of its services, said Annette Ditolvo, basic needs senior program coordinator at the Hope Center.
“The more that we have un-traditional students coming to our university, even though I don’t love that term, we are really proud to be able to offer an accessible and affordable education,” Ditolvo said.
CIRP data highlighted the scale of financial insecurity among students. Nearly 19% of respondents were classified as low-income, defined as having a family income of less than $60,000. First-generation students made up 12% of the overall population and 35% of the low-income group.
Financial pressures disproportionately impacted students of color. While 56% of total respondents expressed some or major concern about paying for college, 81% of Hispanic or Latino students and nearly 70% of Black students reported similar worries.
The need for additional resources for diverse student populations has grown in the past decade at Temple and other institutions, said Stacy Priniski, senior evaluation associate at the Hope Center.
To prepare for future trends, the Hope Center uses its own Basic Needs survey, which annually collects a wide range of data points, from internet access to food and clothing, to guide institutional planning.
“One thing I’m hearing from a lot of institutional policy makers right now is that as higher ed becomes more diverse, we need to shift our thinking,” Priniski said. “It’s not just about making students ‘college-ready,’ but about making colleges ‘student-ready.’ We need to think about who we’re recruiting and make changes accordingly.”
Be the first to comment