Supporting students' well-being


Dear Colleagues,

We drafted this note late last week to send out this morning. In light of yesterday’s campus scare, we feel the suggestions in this message are particularly salient. We encourage any flexibility you can offer in the near term for those students that may still be reeling from the central campus evacuation yesterday.

Thank you,

Mike and Ryan


Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your continued partnership supporting student well-being throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We write today to highlight helpful information and resources to aid in your daily student interactions, especially during the often-stressful final weeks of the semester.

We know the pandemic has caused higher levels of psychological distress and loneliness, coupled with lower levels of resiliency. This stress has impacted students at Cornell and around the world. Faculty who see and interact with students regularly are uniquely positioned to support those who could benefit from additional care and consideration.

The new Mental Health at Cornell website is a hub for myriad campus resources. Please visit and bookmark the site, becoming familiar with the tools to aid your support for students. The site has a dedicated section for faculty and staff.

Please remember that small gestures of support, understanding, and flexibility during this time of the semester can be positively beneficial for students experiencing stress or distress.

We also know this has been a difficult time for faculty, staff, and graduate students serving as teaching assistants. Your extraordinary efforts to help create a successful semester are enormously appreciated. As we approach the break, we similarly hope you will have the opportunity for time to recharge and rejuvenate.

Thank you again for your caring partnership in helping our students finish the semester successfully.

Sincerely,

Mike Kotlikoff
Provost

Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student and Campus Life