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Campus Health Initiatives

Cornell University Council on Mental Health and Welfare

The Cornell University Council on Mental Health and Welfare, established in January, 2004 by Provost Biddy Martin and Vice President for Student and Academic Services Susan Murphy, seeks to bring broad-based and sustained attention to the mental health of Cornell students.

The council is charged with studying Cornell’s culture, policies, procedures and experiences, as well as exploring “best practices” from within the university and other comparable settings. Its membership includes the dean of students, the vice provost for academic programs, and the deans of engineering and human ecology; the executive director and counseling director of Gannett Health Services; the directors of athletics and the Office of International Students and Scholars; and representatives of the faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and employees.

The council advises the Executive Committee on Campus Health and other campus leaders on opportunities for improving the overall campus environment by reducing risks, enhancing networks and increasing support for members of the Cornell community facing mental health challenges. The primary focus is on student mental health, though they will consider issues related to employee mental health, as appropriate.

The council is chaired by Vice President Susan Murphy, with leadership provided Gannett staff members Janet Corson-Rikert MD, executive director; Greg Eells, PhD, director of Counseling and Psychological Services; and Tim Marchell, PhD, MPH, director of Mental Health Initiatives.

Read more about the Council

• Council on Mental Health and Welfare: Commission and Charge (pdf) 

• Press release announcing the formation of the Council (pdf)

• Member List, 2008-2009

• Council minutes

• Presentations to the Council

Caring Community

"We have a focus here, and we hope to draw you into the focus and bring your strength and spirit and heart along, to develop a caring community everywhere that there is the name Cornell...I urge you, as you move through the wonderful and tremendous life experience that is Cornell, to think about the person next to you, the person across the hall, the person in your class and to help us build an even more caring community."

From President Skorton's Convocation Address,
August 19, 2006     more

In the News

Find out what the Wall Street Journal said about Cornell's approach to mental health in its article entitled "Safety School: Bucking Privacy Concerns, Cornell Acts as Watchdog."

NPR's Talk of the Nation explores Cornell's approach to supporting the mental health of students with Dr. Greg Eells, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services.

Mental health concerns
in the Cornell Asian community

Read a Cornell Chronicle article about a student forum in which Dr. Henry Chung '84 discusses "Asian and Asian-American students' unique pressures to succeed."

 



Check out Cornell Minds Matter, a student organization committed to mental health awareness and advocacy.