As Editor in Chief, I am made privy to the comments and concerns of faculty and students alike regarding this institution. Throughout the fall semester, one issue has been brought to my attention over and over again –– the counseling center. 

The current state of the counseling center is shameful and embarrassing. Currently, the OU Counseling Center (OUCC) is the lowest-staffed counseling center in the state and one of the worst-staffed counseling centers in the country.

In October, Dr. David Schwartz, OUCC director, spoke with The Oakland Post about his unease after the OUCC’s singular administrative position — which handles the front desk and office management — was cut with little consultation. 

A bell was placed at the front desk for students to ring in order to receive assistance, but Schwartz was concerned students in desperate need of help would not follow the directions on the sign, which reads as follows: 

“If you have an appointment, have a seat in the lobby and your therapist will be with you shortly. If you have been waiting for more than 10 minutes past your scheduled appointment time, ring the bell for assistance. If no one comes to the window, please see a staff member at the [Graham Health Center] GHC window. 

“If you want to make an appointment and this is not an emergency, please either speak with the attendant at the front desk (if available) or call the main line and leave a message and someone will get back to you. 

“If this is an URGENT matter, please see the attendant at the front desk or ring the bell. If no one is available, please speak to a staff member at the GHC window. We apologize for any inconvenience.” 

Schwartz’s worries did not go unfounded. During the week of Sept. 18, a student came into the OUCC seeking help, attempted to follow the steps provided on the sign, and was unable to receive support. Later, that student made a suicide attempt.

Following this incident, Schwartz was invited to make a presentation in front of the faculty Senate and was granted permission to hire graduate students to work at the front desk on a part-time basis. Schwartz later credited OU administration for their quick reaction, but their solution was equivalent to putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. 

Since October, the situation has not vastly improved. At a recent Student Activity Fund Assessment Committee (SAFAC) meeting, a proposal was submitted for consideration from Mental Health Matters, a student organization dedicated to raising mental health awareness among minorities at OU. 

The proposal requested $5,000 from SAFAC’s special projects fund, a monetary reserve that would typically be utilized to support student organizations on campus. 

Mental Health Matters requested this sum in order to assist the OUCC. The proposal read as follows: 

“It is essential that the student body has sufficient resources needed to promote a safe and supportive environment. The Oakland University Counseling Center is the lowest staffed counseling center in the State of Michigan. There are multiple complaints regarding the counseling center’s ability to meet with their students. 

“What is most concerning is the student to staff ratio of the counseling center. The average staff to student ratio in Michigan is 1 full-time staff for every 1328 students. Compared to the Oakland University Counseling Center, which has an average staff to student ratio of 1 full-time staff for every 3096 students, it is essential we allocate resources to help our students.

“It is deeply troubling that the counseling center is below the average staff to student ratio. Students reserve the right to be supported in their academic journey with the appropriate and adequate resources. Designating more funds for the emergency fund of the counseling center would provide support to students through an institution whose goal is to provide quality confidential counseling to the students at Oakland University.

“Therefore, Mental Health Matters requests the use of the Special Projects Funding to allocate $5000 towards the emergency fund of the Oakland University Counseling Center to improve the resources for a better staff to student ratio.”  

This is a catastrophic failure and a humiliating look for OU’s administration. The fact students are now asking other students to help fund a vital college resource is beyond comprehension. It is not the responsibility of the students to do the jobs of OU’s administration. 

The OU administration needs to act on this immediately. This situation is becoming more disgraceful as the days go by. 

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Education Association, “The majority of college students (more than 60 percent) meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem — a nearly 50 percent increase since 2013… specifically, 44 percent of students reported symptoms of depression; 37 percent said they experienced anxiety; and 15 percent said they were considering suicide — the highest rate in the 15-year history of the survey.”

With these sorts of statistics in mind, it is unconscionable the OU administration has not made the OUCC a top priority. They must rectify the issues at the OUCC now –– there are lives at stake.