After meetings with WPI Admin, they have shared hopeful updates with us. Each of our grievances were addressed in these meetings and we are excited for progress to come. A Mental Health Implementation Team has also been created. It is made up of six subgroups that were formed based on recommendations from all areas of campus. The team has “Looked at the MHWB Task Force recommendations (Phase 1, Addendum, and Phase 2), WPI Advocates requests, meetings with WPI parents, etc. and did a comparison of all requests, prioritizing shared points”.
We asked that WPI invest in more resources.
- Administration is setting future guidelines to accurately scale staffing as student population grows
- They've hired 3 more SDCC counselors and a Case Manager
- They're adding a Dedicated Case Manager for CARE reports
- They're creating a new space called the Center for Wellbeing: Staffed with Director, Asst. Director, Operations Coordinator (also will have student wellness ambassadors)
- They're hiring an additional OMA Asst. Director for religious life (current Asst. director will focus on LGBTQIA+ support)
- There are Chaplain office hours almost every weekday for those who find peace through spirituality
- They've hired SAO Staff for Night/Weekend programs
- They're adding 2 Community Directors for Res. Services
We asked that WPI reevaluate the reward system for faculty & staff
- The Faculty Governance Committee is working to identify excellent academic advisors and create opportunities for mentorship for other advisors
- Next year's academic calendar has been published. Each term will have 1-2 Wellness Days. Fall & Spring break will each be a full week. The final calendar was proposed by students.
We asked that WPI seek guidance from third-party mental health professionals
- WPI worked with Riverside Trauma Center in the fall, who are national experts on tragedy within schools
- Riverside published a report that assessed current strategies and WPI protocol
- WPI is working on changing protocols over the summer based on expert advice and data collected
- WPI is piloting a new mental health training called Question, Persuade, Refer as a supplement to Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress training in the next few weeks. If successful, it may be made available to the community.
We asked that the Marketing and Communications Team implement effective communication.
- WPI will be Installing TVs in all residence hall lobbies with event posters on screens
- Have you herd daily email is being sent out with club events and activities
- Be Well Together Newsletters are sent out
- Articles on CARE Team, Chaplain supports, SDCC have been published
- They've hired SAO Staff for advertising and PR
We asked that WPI shift the emphasis away from ‘more is better’.
Financial Aid:
- Now, merit aid will not be impacted as long as students pass 8 out of 12 classes per year (as opposed to 10 out of 12 before). This is based on other universities and the federal level for aid retention.
- Academic standing will still be reviewed after B term and D term by the Registrar.
- Financial Aid will now only be reviewed in D term, there will be no mid-year financial aid impact. (If you don't do well during the year, you will not see any change in aid until the next school year)
- Need-based aid will no longer be impacted by how many classes are passed.
Student Success:
- WPI is revising applications for student leadership roles and awards to focus on wellness
- They're working on “successful” schedule examples with students - class, clubs, sleep, health, social time
- They are introducing asset mapping for students' individual support networks/strengths at the end of Insight program
- Faculty will vote to approve changing the PE requirement to a Wellness and Physical education requirement
- They are adding a PE meditation course offered each term
- A consultant is assessing LGBTQIA+ lived name process, clarity, and communication
- Trans-identified specific SDCC workshops piloting in D-Term
Reduce Pressure and Flexibility:
- The EPC can only be used for students with testing accommodations. A new testing center will be piloted in addition to the EPC so that faculty can easily access a space which allows them to be flexible for any student’s individual situation for testing.
- WPI is working to identify classes and students with excessive workload (They're using the Committee on Advising and Student Life, the Committee on Academic Policy, and survey data to help with this)
We ask that WPI leaders re-invest in non-academic spaces for food and social connection.
- A New South Village student center (in old Becker Campus) is opening in the fall to supplement WPI housing there. They are working with students to define the purpose for the center.
- They are redesigning New Student Orientation by starting with a clean slate, setting learning outcomes, and then building programming from there
- They're having focus groups with RAs on RA job description
- There is SAO sponsored programming every Tues, Friday, and Saturday
- The Melt Lab is now open as late-night dining space M-F 9:00PM - 11.00PM
- Joy Empanada and Starbucks are taking meal swipes in D-Term
What can you do to help mental health progress at WPI?
- Attend the Mental Health Implementation Team (MHIT) Office Hours - Monday April 25th and May 2nd, 12:00-1:00PM, CC Mid Century Room
- Read the Be Well Together Update emails - WPI communicates mental health progress through these emails
- Check out the Be Well Together Webpage- https://www.wpi.edu/student-experience/resources/be-well-together
- Get involved with student mental health groups on campus!