July marks Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate and spread awareness about the experiences of people with disabilities. How do U of O students with disabilities feel about their experiences with academia and accommodations?
SASS
The general recommendation for those who are considered to be high-risk is to avoid or severely limit any time spent in high-risk areas, such as settings that are crowded or poorly ventilated. For some members of the U of O community, ignoring those recommendations could have deadly repercussions.
COVID-19 has created a time of global uncertainty that has affected access to reproductive rights and to services in Ottawa; making it more difficult to access abortion services.
For the first time in its storied history, the University of Ottawa will offer the majority of its courses online this fall, meaning the presence of most students on campus is not necessary. Financially for most students, this is great news as they won’t have to rent an apartment or live in residence but if you’re an incoming student and still on the fence about whether or not you should come to campus and live in residence, here’s the case for staying home.
Protesters sat outside of University of Ottawa president Jacques Frémont’s office for hours on Wednesday to demand change and better access to mental health services. The protest was organized after the death of the fifth student in 10 months was announced on Monday.
While highlighting a number of different initiatives done on campus that support mental health and wellness, the recently published “Roadmap to Wellness at uOttawa” report states that the university’s direction towards a culture of wellness is unclear to the rest of the community.
Five students with mental health issues point to gaps in the school’s mental health system, including staggeringly long wait times, poor training of professors, and a lack of specialized counsellors.
Despite the resources and accommodations offered by the university’s Student Academic Success Service, many students say that the U of O is still failing to accommodate their disabilities. From physical to learning disabilities, students are asking that the university show more consideration for their conditions.
In the wake of four University of Ottawa student deaths in the past eight months, students are pushing the administration to implement concrete changes to its mental health services. A petition with close to 3,000 signatures is asking the university to hire more professionals and implement more training for staff and professors.
From health to academics to social life, university students with chronic illnesses have to prioritize things a little differently. Take a look inside their lives and find out what the university is and isn’t doing to help.
In an overwhelmed healthcare system and at a time of intense pressure in the academic year, our campus mental health services should have an expanded availability to correspond to the potential increase in students experiencing a crisis.
During my first year at university, the administration and one of my professors severely let me down, and I know I’m not alone. Currently, professors at the university are offered mental health training optionally alongside other members of the community. Professors at the U of O need to be given mandatory mental health sensitivity training.
In February, McGill University announced a major investment into the university’s mental health services in the way of a mental health hub. Construction of the $14-million Rossy Student Wellness Hub is expected to be completed May 2019.
‘“No matter what, you are one of us,’ was actually a jab at the university, meant to address the sheeple culture that plagues academic institutions,” Matt explained. “I figured they would just paint over it. But you know the U of O, always defying the conventional.”
Nicknamed wintertime blues or seasonal depression, and defined as a mood disorder where one exhibits depressive symptoms in the winter, SAD is frequently triggered this time of year—as the dark cold mornings get to many of us.
This fall marks the roll-out of a revamped Counselling and Coaching Service from the University of Ottawa’s Student Academic Success Service.
Findings from the research, which may hit particularly close to home with university students, suggest that young adults with depression could have a shorter than average lifespan.
On Tuesday Oct. 31, in another exclusive interview, Frémont shared his aspirations for this year, addressing student satisfaction, the part-time professor strike negotiations, the progress of mental health services on campus, and the university’s budget restrictions.
Some people believe these illnesses are simply bad habits that can be controlled, if only the person could exhibit just a little more “willpower” or “self-control.” Anyone with a BFRB will tell you that their illness is anything but a choice and that recovery has nothing to do with willpower.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed during your studies. It’s so common in fact that the services at the University of Ottawa are often overwhelmed with students trying to access help.
On behalf of the University’s administration, I want to respond to the recent letter to the editor concerning uOttawa’s mental health services.
Mental health affects us all. I personally know many students struggling with this issue every day, and I am terrified of the consequences that will occur because they weren’t able to receive adequate help.
Inkblot Therapy is a new Internet-based counselling service which provides all the same benefits of a counselling office in addition to features like 24-hour appointment scheduling and low commitment required from the patient.
Despite the fact that mental health issues are on the rise amongst Canadian post-secondary students, the resources are not always matching up with the increased demand.
The meeting covered a wide range of topics, from finances to the recent Student Academic Success Service (SASS) security breach.
