Students Need Safe Places To Socialize, Not Partying Bans And Expulsions

As universities have reopened in various ways this fall after spring COVID-19 closures and a rapid move to online learning , new challenges are emerging. Beyond navigating a new normal of both virtual and in-person academic learning, universities must confront questions about student life and wellness in a pandemic.

As some students return to campuses and university communities, its clear that COVID-19 has not influenced a change in some student partying behaviours with the potential to spread COVID-19 .

In the United States, there have been notable campus shutdowns and high COVID-19 case numbers among some post-secondary students. In Canada, an outbreak was recently declared after five Western University students tested positive for COVID-19.

Universities need to collaborate with government policy-makers to provide guidelines that acknowledge the important role socializing plays in student mental health, and that will help students find safer ways to participate in building personal networks and supports.

DAILY UPDATE

Londons active cases: 61
WesternU confirmed cases: 39(0 new)

Featured: 9 @WesternU student COVID-19 cases linked to one house party. https://t.co/xYPyTmeD6u#mlhu #ldnont

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DAILY UPDATE

Londons active cases: 61
WesternU confirmed cases: 39(0 new)

Featured: 9 @WesternU student COVID-19 cases linked to one house party. https://t.co/xYPyTmeD6u #mlhu #ldnont
Gazette News (@NewsAtGazette) September 20, 2020

Transitions, challenges, mental health

Universities have relayed information and resources about how COVID-19 is impacting universities in addition to specific information about physical safety to mitigate the risk of outbreaks . They have also emphasized encouraging student resilience , virtual orientation to student life and services and caring for mental health . Notably, however, there remain gaps in the conversation about student substance use and mental health.

In reopening after COVID-19 closures, universities have relied on their own experts and other guidelines. In Canada, they and local health authorities had guidance from from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in collaboration with Canadian public health experts.

Some Canadian universities have issued messages warning students about rule-breaking and in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford has asked students to cool your jets with the partying .

Some public health researchers have noted shortcomings in the kinds of messaging used for students and young people to communicate risks of the virus and safer practices. Ideally, such messaging would acknowledge the specific realities and needs of students.

Watch: How the pandemic is affecting mental health among college students. Story continues below.

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Life transitions

A typical fall semester would have both full-time commuting and non-commuting students students experiencing a dense point of transition related to their social roles and friendships. Students attending university face changes related to geography, living arrangements and lifestyle, coupled with a decrease in parental monitoring and supervision.

The transition to post-secondary campus life is commonly seen as a period of experimentation and exploration, where we see an increase in substance use and associated harms .

Students throughout the pandemic are facing precarious futures but have been asked to carry on and shoulder increased burdens as they navigate COVID-19 . Universities may have to deal with new mental health concerns emerging from pandemic stressors . Feelings of being overwhelmed will likely increase as the term moves forward and workloads increase.

Alcohol consumption

My own masters research, and other research, has shown that alcohol consumption among students matches closely with dates that have an associated culture promoting high levels of alcohol consumption, such as such as orientation or Halloween .

For students, punitive sanctions such as fines or suspensions arent effective , as individuals tend to view condemnation of their actions as illegitimate since they see evidence of others with similar conduct who wont necessarily face sanctions.

Students may deflect responsibility for their actions using their peers as a shield from taking personal responsibility if they too are engaging in similar behaviours.