MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — MTSU students didn't have class Tuesday, not because of the usual reasons. Lectures were canceled because of broken hearts.
Monday, an MTSU student died by suicide inside the James E. Walker Library on campus. We know this is a difficult topic to talk about, but we also know so many of you have loved ones on that campus.
Signs of sadness could be found all around campus when we visited Tuesday. From friends sharing a prayer to a makeshift memorial that included both a reminder and a resource — "You're loved beyond measure" read one sign. "988," the National Suicide Prevention Hotline was written on the other.
"As you can imagine, with a tragedy like this, emotions are heightened. Sadness, grief," said Dr. Khalilah Doss, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students for MTSU. "It was all hands on deck until late last night. And again, we had students in our offices at seven o’clock this morning for support."
Doss, in an interview with NewsChannel 5, invited all members of their community to talk to professional counselors on campus, whether they feel like they need it right now or not. "We are flawed and we are beautifully made. And we all need help," said Doss. "Not just our students, but our staff and faculty as well. Because oftentimes faculty and staff get overlooked because they’re the adults."
Doss says, even though this tragedy took place on MTSU's campus, words of support, love, and encouragement have been pouring in from all over the community. "Folks who may be connected directly or even by proxy to our campus, are reaching out to say, how can we help?" said Doss, who assumed this role 100 days ago.
That help and support may be needed more now than ever before. Doss says MTSU and most higher education institutions are seeing a surge in demand for mental health resources. "Whether it’s with anxiety or depression or coping skills in general, those are on the rise," said Doss. "We have resources on campus, but I will tell you, we can have more. I know we can never out-staff our way out of the mental health crisis that we have in our world today. But we can staff up to a level where we feel great about the support that we provide for our students and our community."
In time, the somber silence on MTSU's campus will give way to the normal hustle and bustle of campus. But for those who may still mourn this loss for much longer, much like Doss herself, she promised these resources won't go away. "I’m heavy, I’m sad that this baby lost their lives," said Dr. Doss. "There’s never an easy way to navigate suicide or grief, everyone does it in their own way."
Specific MTSU Counseling Services
Counseling services are available and can be accessed in these ways:
- Student crisis support through MTSU Counseling Services, located in Room 326-S in the Keathley University Center, will be open for extended hours for students from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. this week.
- The MTSU Mobile Crisis Number is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-704-2651.
- A three-digit National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 9-8-8.
- Faculty and staff crisis support will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom (Section B). Outside of those times, faculty and staff may contact the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services [w1.mtsu.edu] at 615-898-2271.
- Employees also have support available 24 hours a day through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Optum Behavioral Health, at 855-437-3486.
More resources needed?
We asked Dr. Doss if MTSU felt like they needed more resources to combat this mental health crisis. "I think it’s always a good time to talk about mental health," said Doss.
But the Tennessee Board of Regents, the governing body for Tennessee's community colleges and technical schools, answered the question much more directly. "We (the Tennessee Board of Regents) have a proposal to fund expansion of the Tennessee Student Support Network, which is a partnership with three other state agencies. The expansion would provide funding for regional coordinators to assist our campuses in securing local mental health resources for students, and other student support services," wrote Dr. Flora Tydings, Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents. "Our thoughts are with the MTSU community during this time."
It's a consideration state lawmakers could consider when they return to Tennessee's Capitol Hill in January.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@newschannel5.com.
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