Colleges and universities need to address the mental health of students on their campuses. Poor mental health hinders students’ academic success; untreated mental health issues may lead to lower GPAs, discontinuous enrollment, and too often, lapses in enrollment. An institution’s investment in student mental health is important for the social, educational, and economic well-being of students, their campuses, and broader society. Investing time and resources in student mental health can result in academic and economic benefits for an institution and society.
This brief, from researchers at the Healthy Minds Network at the University of Michigan and Boston University, uses empirical evidence from college student populations and examples from college presidents to examine how higher education leadership can advocate for and invest in student mental health. It also shares Healthy Minds’ online return on investment tool, which is a simple calculator that helps campus leaders research and advocate for additional investments in student mental health at their institution.