Monday April 18, 2016
NorthernStar
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Volume 116 Issue 55
Campus counseling demand increases Mental health talk hikes up demand
Resources Counseling and Consultation Services is located in the Campus Life Building, Room 200.
Scott Nicol Staff writer
DeKalb | Juan Cibrian, junior psychology and Spanish language and literature major, said a long waitlist at Counseling and Consultation Services prevented him from receiving help for his resurfacing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Cibrian said another long waitlist at the Psychological Services Center and financial restrictions with off-campus resources Brook Ruxton will force him Executive director to wait three of Counseling weeks for an and Consultation Services appointment to open at Counseling and Consultation Services. In the last five years, the number of students seeking service at a counseling center rose 29.6 percent and counseling center appointments rose 34.8 percent while the average student enrollment has only increased 5.6 percent nationwide, according to a Center for Collegiate Mental Health survey. The increase in demand for counseling is largely due to the increase of mental health awareness on college campuses and the reduction of the negative stigma surrounding students who are asking for help, said Brooke Ruxton, executive director of Counseling and Consultation Services. “Administration at NIU is supportive and recognizes mental health as a concern for our
Go to niu.edu/counseling for more information.
Nick Bosshart | Northern Star Photo Illustration
The Counseling and Consultation Services’ student-to-counselor ratio is 2,061:1. The recommended national ratio is 1,500:1.
campus,” Ruxton said. “[Counseling and Consultation Services] is in a place where we can continue to explore what we do need in order to make sure we [continue] to provide the best services [for students].”
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The entire campus can help counseling by talking about mental health and not being afraid to talk ... .” Brook Ruxton Executive director of Counseling and Consultation Services
The Counseling and Consultation Services’ student-to-counselor ratio is 2,061:1, compared to the recommended national ratio of 1,500:1. In the 2015-16 academic year, the
Nick Bosshart | Northern Star
top five issues faced by NIU students seeking services are anxiety, depression, stress, family and relationship problems and academic performance, according to the survey. Ruxton said the severity of
students’ mental health problems has increased but counselors at NIU have been able to maintain their efficiency with the help of additional on and off campus resources despite not having additional
counselors hired since 2012. A struggle to fill positions has become a university-wide trend as NIU has not laid any faculty off due to budget cuts, however, as of Sept. 2015, they have not filled 228 positions. On average, one to two students that come to Counseling and Consultation Services are connected with Kishwaukee Hospital, 1 Kish Hospital Drive, per week because the students coming in are evaluated as a threat to the safety of themselves or to the safety of others, Ruxton said. Student Association President Nathan Lupstein launched the No Shame campaign this semester to reduce the negative stigma of seeking help for mental health. The No Shame campaign works with 21 NIU organizations to hold a variety of events year-round to assure students it’s OK to ask for help, Lupstein said. “The entire campus can help counseling by talking about mental health and not being afraid to talk about mental health as a very common, very expected issue for college students,” Ruxton said. “Any person at any level on campus, whether student or administrator, can make a difference by having some education and comfort in talking about [mental health] issues.”
Kohl’s partnership to pay for course books Leah Nicolini Assistant News Editor
DeKalb | Kohl’s will pay a $65 textbook fee for Marketing 365, a course available in the fall semester, due to an annual pledge with NIU. The pledge, established in 2011 between the retail store and the marketing department, was made to find talent management, said Mark Rosenbaum, Kohl’s Mark C o r p o r a t i o n Rosenbaum professor of Kohl’s Corporation retail market- professor of retail marketing ing. Part of the pledge requires the retail store to give financial support to the department which is spent toward
classroom development like purchasing textbooks, professor expenses and student scholarships, Rosenbaum said. “[Working with Kohl’s provides] real world, up to date information and knowledge that a top retailer is interested in the talent in the class,” Rosenbaum said. The course, Principles of Retailing, has students study retail institutions by analyzing store organization, location strategy, merchandising, inventory control, customer communication, price determination and the management of retail salespersons, according to NIU’s website. Rosenbaum said he finds about 10 students each semester that become interns at Kohl’s, which can lead to a management position,
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and an additional five to 10 stu- in retail and decline of the physidents bypass an internship for an cal store because retail is quickly immediate job offer prior to grad- changing,” Rosenbaum said. uation, Rosenbaum said. Part of the financial support from the annual pledge is used for professorship, which includes Corporate professorships money spent toward researchare critical for keeping related travel to conferences and faculty at [NIU] especially faculty bonuses. given the latest budgetary Without financial support to issues.” conferences, presenting research Mark Rosenbaum Kohl’s Corporation professor of like the research Rosenbaum retail marketing conducted on the interaction between gay salesmen and straight female consumers in retail setRosenbaum said he looks for a tings would be nearly impossible, sense of professionalism, leader- Rosenbaum said. ship, enthusiasm about the topic “Corporate professorships are and hard work ethic when seeking critical for keeping faculty at [NIU], students with talent. especially given the latest budget“... I do keep the company ary issues,” Rosenbaum said. abreast especially given the change The state budget impasse has left
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Marketing 365
Marketing 365, or Principles of Retailing, has students study retail institutions by analyzing the following factors: • Store organization • Location strategy • Merchandising • Inventory control • Customer communication • Price determination • Management of retail salespersons Illinois as the only state without a budget for Fiscal Year 2016 and has caused NIU to plan to cut $30 million from its budget in case NIU does not receive state funding.
NIU to hold inaugural Earth Week
Fifteen organizations have come together to coordinate the inaugural Earth Week, which will be offering a selection of environmentally-focused activities from today to Saturday. Read more on Page 3.