Graduate and postdoctoral students in the UNC Department of Chemistry are urging the University to take more substantial action on mental health issues within the Graduate School, prompted by concerns arising from the Aug. 28 campus shooting and the strains in principal investigator-student relationships.
Jackson Cacioppo, a Ph.D. candidate in the chemistry department, emphasized the presence of “toxicity” in certain graduate programs, contributing to inconsistent struggles with mental health across departments. He highlighted pressures and insufficient support from the University, departments, or advisers as significant factors.
Cacioppo noted that the Aug. 28 shooting didn’t create mental health issues but intensified existing challenges. He explained that many individuals working in the vicinity of the shooting have felt less secure, negatively impacting their daily well-being.
Following the shooting, postdoctoral scientist Laura Huff penned a letter to the Dean of the Graduate School, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, urging a greater focus on graduate student mental wellness. Huff initiated a survey to gather insights from graduate students on addressing mental health issues, which was administered within the department.
Conversations involving Huff, Mayer-Davis, former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, and President of Graduate and Professional Student Government Lauren Hawkinson ensued. Huff felt their interest in addressing the problem was expressed during these discussions.
With support from Provost Christopher Clemons, a graduate student experience initiative has been launched to evaluate current mental health resources at UNC and identify areas for improvement. Hawkinson, a steering committee member for the initiative, highlighted the encouraging speed with which the initiative was formed.
Huff underscored that the support structure between students and principal investigators (PIs) contributes to graduate students feeling vulnerable to mental health struggles, alongside their demanding workloads.
To address this, Huff advocates for additional resources allowing graduate students to meet with faculty outside their department to discuss projects, relationships with their PIs, and conflicts with peers. This, she believes, would enable conflict resolution without fear of repercussions within their department.
Cacioppo called for the University to respond to the issue with tangible actions, beyond verbal assurances about mental health and working conditions. He expressed a perception that concrete, long-term actions have been lacking despite reassurances.
Working with the Joint Wellness Team, a graduate student-led initiative within the chemistry department, Cacioppo collaborates with other doctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows to address mental health challenges.
Caitlin Johnson, a UNC doctoral candidate, and part of SWELL, a mental health and wellness initiative in the chemistry department, emphasized the importance of having a support system outside of work. Jake Sirlin, also part of SWELL, highlighted the resource as a platform for students to address potential conflicts with faculty members not directly involved in their graduate careers.