N The Michigan Daily-Friday, December 11, 1981-Page 9 S/OUUD WE PLY BAL WIT/ I Suicide attempts on rise at 'U' SO UTHI AFRICA? (Continued from Pagel) ad hoc committee of residence hall and counseling service staff. The committee will work on "developing a support network to deal with the problem, examining what sorts of things are being done, training staff, and developing an environment to help deal with those who have been through a stressful situation," said Housing Director Hughes. D"The challenge is providing an en- vironment that will link up the student with the resources," Hughes continued. "There's a tremendous number of caring, helping people around this University." THE AD HOC committee will raise some questions about what sorts of policies the University needs to handle suicide attempts, said Counseling Ser- vices Director Korn. "If stress continues to increase, then we will have to re-examine our resour- ces and develop new programs," he said. Many University administrators and staff members say they believe the University has the resources to help the depressed or suicidal student, but needs more help getting that information to students. "WE NEED A clearer definition of who to go to for what kinds of problems," said West Quad Building Director Alan Levy. He said he plans to compile this information for his staff next month. East Quad Building Director Lance Morrow said the University needs to develop new kinds of suicide prevention programs to attract students who no longer live in residence halls. "At one level, the system has failed when an at- tempt is made," Morrow said. A subcommittee of the Academic Services Board called PEACE (Psychiatric Emergency Assistance and Coordination Effort) was formed last year to make students aware of the counseling resources available. The committee printed a bright yellow poster telling students how to help friends who may be suicidal and where to go for help. A PEACE-initiated study on con- ditions leading to stress should be finished some time in March. Counselor Morson said family problems, financial wtpes, broken love relationships, living situations, and academic pressures are major sources of stress for students. Parents' high expectations, especially if they're footing the tuition bills, can add to the pressures of student life. "THERE'S AN awful lot of com- petition here," Morson said. "It's a given that there's a stressful environ- ment. But there's something really wrong when you start equating yourself with the grade on a test," he said. The competition out in the work force has made students place more importance on grades, he added. "Giving yourself permission to be stressed is half the battle," Morson said. Disseminating information on suicide prevention and stress is only one problem the University faces. Some have said the University needs a more efficient method of recording suicide attempts. The PEACE subcommittee intended to develop a system to collect data on the number of suicide attempts on campus when it was formed last year. "WE HAVEN'T found a way yet," said Korn. "Clearly the University needs this kind of information. We need to know if the resources available are is another dilemma. "There's no general University policy" on calling parents, because students are adults, Hughes said, but "it depends on the in- dividual situation" whether parents are called. Counselors say it is best to try to en- courage the student to call parents themselves. Beauvais said that if the RA, RD, the building director, and counselors in- .volved feel they know the student's family situation and that calling the parents would help the student, they would discuss it and call-with the student's knowledge. However, "sometimes, if the staff has worked well with the student, they may have an indication that the parents are a part of the problem," Beauvais said. Gauthier said because parents may_ be a part of the student's problem, the University should not develop a policy that requires that parents be contacted in every case. The option should remain flexible in order to better fit the student's needs, she said. ALTHOUGH demand for counseling has increased, Counseling Services is short one counselor this year because of budget cutbacks. 76-GUIDE was also forced to cut back its 24 hour a day ser- vice to 5p.m. until 10 a.m. *A Helen KitcholGren tow~nUnv William Broderick F4r(i motor G(f Ian Butterfl fe gefoundatmon ~~ Perry Bullard Mt StateLegisiatr Dennis Brutus Pooc, Prof.of i tteraihi; : ~ George Crockett, Jr. U.S. Uxlgresa,Subcommitlte caon Africa Jfames AMorirty. Souhern Afrian Dek, teCret , '\ **~'~ Johnny Ivakatifli Rep.-rtoLi\. Afr an National Conress L -: ::>:. ElIleck MIVaShiIIgaiULG Ambana'.for of It /(abwe 0to UN Peter Mueshihange flr'in:Affau.irsRp c P Virgil Smith ,441'state li,;;jtr Monday, Dec. 14 at Rackham-9:30 a.m.-1 The University of Mkhigan Committee on Southern Afric" 1 S ei guon, MA O 10 p.m. a r adequate enough to cope." The housing office has tried to com- pile data on suicide attempts this year, Hughes said. "There is no form that has to be filled out. But since housing and Counseling Services are trying to compile data, I make a memo out and send it to a per- son in housing, with no name on it," said Stockwell Building Director Ruth Addis. "I collect the information from the RA and other staff involved." REPORTS TO the housing office on suicide attempts are "not always done in written fashion," said Couzens Building Director Mandy Bratton. Suicide attempts are reported to campus and housing security only when immediate medical attention is needed. Campus security files show nine suicide attempts for the fall of this year. There were a total of 14 reported to campus security since January 1981, compared to five reported during 1980. University Safety Director Walter Stevens said the dramatic increase in attempts reported to campus security ,could be due, in part, to better reporting practices on the part of residence- hall directors. GREYSON, from 'U' hospital, said the University may be training its residence hall staff better since more staff members are bringing students to psychiatric emergency for treatment. "In the past, the University hushed it up or the student was sent home. It was rare for a student who attempted to come to our hospital," Greyson said. "The students we did see were rarely brought in by dorm staff." Many of the suicide attempts this fall have occurred in the Hill Area residen- ce halls, according to University of- ficials. GREYSON SAID the concentration of Oh, Those Holiday GUILT LETTERS! Don't throw them away. I'll Pay $25 if used in publication (names withheld) Send letters to: DM 2230 Ocean St. Santa Cruz, CA 95060 unused letters returned with self- adesdstamped envelope. I attempts in that area may be a result of the "contagion effect." Korn explained the contagion effect: "If several attempts occur within a cir- cumscribed area, and there begins to be so much talk, in some way it may precipitate another attempt. What the psychological processes are exactly, I don't know." OTHER universities with com- parable student populations report similar numbers of suicide attempts. The University of Wisconsin has about 40 to 50 suicide attempts per academic year. The University of Illinois repor- ted 21 attempts since last January. A public university with a 30,000-plus population faces some special problems in dealing with suicidal students. A dorm resident who is suicidal but refuses any counseling, medical treat- ment or follow-up counseling after an attempt poses a dilemma for the University, because of students' legal rights as adults. "People coerced into seeking (psychiatric) help don't benefit," Korn said. "There's a delicate balance bet- ween respecting students' rights as in- dividuals and getting them to coun- seling." HILL AREA Director Kathy Beauvais said, "A student can attempt suicide and refuse medical care and we can't force it. What's so frustrating is our inability to force the student to act in his own best interest." Whether the University should call parents when an attempt is made or not Discount prices on imported GREETING CARD)S & D I[ Quality, imported tree ornaments and unusual stocking-staffers ! " TVKk 3I a 16- - -1- - mmftft.A mw Tehaikovskg$ fri.,5at. the. 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