“University of Groningen must do more against loneliness of students”, says Lijst Calimero
More attention should be paid to the loneliness of students during the Coronavirus pabdemic, says RUG student party ‘Lijst Calimero’. The party has called on the RUG board to take action in a memo, reports the Universiteitskrant.
The party advocates, among other things, an action plan working against any possible suicidal thoughts amongst students, the facilitation of small-scale in-person education and more attention to mental expansion.
“Student well-being and loneliness have been important issues for years. But now, in ‘Corona times’, they are even more important” says Rozemarijn Gierkink, Chair of Lijst Calimero. “You can assume that this situation is anything but ideal for students, especially for freshers.”
In a response, the Executive Board writes that the well-being of students does indeed need attention, and that it will ask the faculties to continue to monitor and motivate students.
At the same time, RUG rector Cisca Wijmenga emphasizes that the university is already doing a lot: “and we try to make social aspects possible through study associations”, she reportedly said during a committee meeting.
There are no indications that there are more suicides, says Wijmenga. Should students nevertheless experience problems, study advisers and student psychologists are the right people to refer to. “They have experience.”, Wijmenga told the Ukrant.
If you have been experiencing mental health issues during the Coronavirus pandemic, the IWCN has compiled a list of Mental Health resources here. More information about the RUG’s student psychologists is available here.
Image via WikiUser Bert Kaufman. License here
