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Chapel Hill, North Carolina – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill canceled classes Tuesday after UNC police investigated two suicides over the weekend. Instead of the Tuesday class, students will have a “wellness day,” according to Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz.
The UNC police crime log showed investigators received a call for an attempted suicide at Granville Towers South around 3 a.m. on Sunday. The police department’s crime register reported the death of a student living at Hinton James Residence Hall on Saturday morning.
Guskiewicz urged the students in a letter Sunday evening to “rest and check in” on wellness day.
“We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, both on our campus and across the country, and we recognize that college-age students are at increased risk for suicide,” Guskiewicz said.
The National Institute of Mental Health says suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 34. Suicides have increased since the implementation of pandemic lockdowns, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Before Guskiewicz made his announcement on Sunday, which is also World Mental Health Day, the students called on university leaders to address their concerns about mental health.
From Tuesday, the university’s counseling and psychology services, the department of psychiatry, the medical school and the school of social work will be available to students, faculty and staff in different areas of the campus throughout the week, Guskiewicz said.
“We live in a constantly changing and changing world,” said Guskiewicz. “We are facing major challenges and the ongoing toll this takes on our health cannot be underestimated. It cannot be solved by one person, in one day.”
Students at UNC-Chapel Hill said problems exacerbating mental health have increased this year. They struggle with their academics – and COVID-19 plays a big role.
“It was really crazy to be back [and] have to come back after being virtual, ”said Ishan Thake, senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Thaker said his final year at UNC-Chapel Hill had its fair share of challenges and reports of college students trying to kill themselves made it harder to concentrate.
“It’s horrible. We have to get back to campus tomorrow and continue our classes as if nothing has happened,” he told WRAL News before the university made its announcement.
Campus efforts to meet the mental health needs of students could be greater, he said.
“The university absolutely needs to do something about this and there is simply nothing in place right now to ensure the safety and well-being of the students,” Thaker said.
Some students at UNC-Chapel Hill have said they are planning a protest for Wednesday in hopes the university will do a better job of having tough discussions on the issue and providing more adequate mental health resources.
The university will also host a mental health summit later this month, according to Guskiewicz, for faculty, staff and student leaders to address the mental health crisis.
If you or someone you know is suffering from thoughts of suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
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