Volume 122 · No. 37
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
EST. 1887
lsunow.com
mind
peace of
According to a 2012 study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness
64 percent
of students surveyed who were no longer attending college stopped due to mental health reasons
57 percent
of students surveyed did not access accommodations from their school
@lsureveille
thedailyreveille
dailyreveille RESEARCH
Mental health often overlooked by colleges BY LAUREN HEFFKER | @laurheffker
Mental health is an often overlooked issue on college campuses. According to a 2012 study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 64 percent of those surveyed who were no longer attending college stopped due to mental health reasons. Depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder were the top three reported diagnoses among respondents. The University has various resources to assist students dealing with mental health issues, including the Mental Health Service of the Student Health Center, various student organizations and LSU Cares, a branch of the Office of the Dean of Students. Dr. John Otzenberger is the Director of Mental Health at the SHC. Students should view the Mental Health Service as a University resource to be utilized, he said, rather than a place of social stigma. “The idea of thinking about it like this [is] everybody needs a coach, and if you can approach it from that angle … it reduces that stigma of ‘Oh, there’s something wrong with me,’” Otzenberger said. In the NAMI study, 57 percent of students surveyed did not access accommodations from their school, with two of the top five reasons being they were unaware they qualified for and had a right to receive accommodations and fear of stigma. “Stigma remains the number one barrier to students seeking help,” it said. The SHC provides students with an initial consultation to determine the path of treatment best suited for them, which can range from three to five general counseling sessions to receiving a referral for an outpatient program or partial hospitalization. The SHC’s Mental Health Service has 13 therapists on staff to conduct individual and group therapy to treat a wide variety of cases. The center has 17 different support groups that meet throughout the semester at the SHC. While the Mental Health Service is by appointment-only and there is currently a month-long wait to schedule a visit, the center does have counselors on call available for anyone
see MENTAL HEALTH, page 2
Sparrows unite female researchers BY KATIE GAGLIANO @katie_gagliano For wildlife biology graduate student Amie Settlecowski, having freshman Stamps scholar Katie Davis assist with her research is about more than convenience — it’s about mentoring the next generation of female conservationists. Settlecowski and Davis — who is double majoring in natural resource ecology and management and Spanish, are researching the genetic structure of populations of Bachman’s sparrows. Bachman’s sparrows are usually found in longleaf pine forests, but the species is at risk due to fire suppression, timber clearing and fragmentation of its habitat, Settlecowski said. Associate professor Sabrina Taylor said the species is generally found in pockets of longleaf pine ecosystems stretching from Florida to Texas and as far north as the Carolinas. Only three percent of longleaf pine habitats remain in the United States, she said. Settlecowski’s thesis research focuses on comparing the genetics of modern populations of Bachman’s sparrows to historical populations to assess the relative level of genetic variation. In recent years, population levels have been declining and
see BIRDS, page 2
STUDENT LIFE
Study Abroad Fair to be held Wednesday in Union ballroom BY JADE BUTLER @jadeyybug7 Academic Programs Abroad will host the Study Abroad Fair on Wednesday in the Union Royal Cotillion Ballroom from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Harald Leder, director of Academic Programs Abroad and director of LSU Germany, said study abroad programs are not only rewarding for students’ academic careers but also for their futures. “[Studying abroad] provides you with academic experiences and soft skills that you could not obtain otherwise,” Leder said. The University’s study abroad programs range from interses-
sions to an entire academic year. The trip is lead by Joyce Jackson, director of the African & African American studies program and professor of Anthropology, and Adelaide Russo, professor of French Studies. Students will learn about the history of Haiti and get experience on how to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in an international setting. Jackson will lead the group in community projects, working with nonprofit organizations, while Russo will teach a French class in which the students will read works from five major Haitian writers to gain insight on Haitian history.
see STUDY ABROAD, page 2
Students and faculty discuss the University’s programs abroad on Tuesday during Academic Programs Abroad’s Study Abroad Fair in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the LSU Student Union.
JORDAN MARCELL /
The Daily Reveille