Graduate and postdoctoral students within the UNC Department of Chemistry are urging the University to take more substantial action on mental health, citing concerns related to the campus shooting and challenges arising from the dynamics of principal investigator-student relationships.
Jackson Cacioppo, a Ph.D. candidate in the chemistry department, highlighted the “toxicity” in some graduate programs that has led students to grapple with inconsistent mental health support across departments. Specific concerns mentioned include pressure and insufficient backing from the University, as well as individual departments and advisers.
Cacioppo emphasized that while the shooting did not originate the issue of poor mental wellness among graduate students, it intensified existing challenges. He noted that individuals working in proximity to the incident have since felt a diminished sense of safety, significantly impacting their daily well-being.
In response to these concerns, UNC postdoctoral scientist Laura Huff wrote a letter to the Dean of the Graduate School, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, advocating for a more focused approach to graduate student mental wellness. Huff subsequently designed a survey to gather insights from graduate students on how the University could address mental health issues, distributing it within the department.
Conversations between Huff, Mayer-Davis, former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, and President of Graduate and Professional Student Government Lauren Hawkinson followed. Huff expressed optimism about their interest in tackling the problem.
With the support of Provost Christopher Clemons, Hawkinson revealed that the university has initiated a graduate student experience initiative to evaluate the existing mental health resources at UNC and identify areas for improvement. Hawkinson, as a member of the steering committee for the initiative, acknowledged the slow pace of change in universities but expressed encouragement at the swift establishment of the initiative.
Huff underscored the impact of the relationship between students and their principal investigators (PIs) on mental health, stating that conflicts with PIs can be challenging for students to resolve. She proposed additional resources, enabling graduate students to meet with faculty outside their department to discuss projects and relationships with their PIs and peers.
This, Huff believes, would allow faculty to mediate conflicts without fearing repercussions within their department.
Cacioppo urged the University to go beyond verbal assurances and take concrete, long-term actions to address mental health and working conditions. He has collaborated with the Joint Wellness Team, a graduate student-led initiative within the chemistry department, advocating for mental health and wellness. Caitlin Johnson and Jake Sirlin, UNC doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral fellow Jake Jagannathan spearhead this initiative.
Sirlin explained that SWELL (Student Wellness, Engagement, Learning, and Living) serves as a resource for students within the chemistry department to raise potential conflicts with faculty members not involved in their graduate careers.
Cacioppo advised students facing difficulties to establish a support system and a separate life outside of work, emphasizing the importance of creating a network to rely on during challenging times.
