The fight to introduce excused-absence mental health days for students has been put on the back burner.
Last spring, the Student Government Association sought the excused absences, following a similar effort by the Purdue Student Government in West Lafayette.
It was shelved after conversations with Amber Mosely, executive director of the Counseling Center
“The initial idea was to allow students to have days designated as mental health days,” said former SGA senator Ava Lowe. “Dr. Mosley thought our idea was good, but too ‘complex’ for administration … that we should revise the plan.”
Initially, SGA members first introduced the idea of granting students a limited number of mental health days each semester they could use to pause, refresh and recharge from academic pressures. But as the proposal made its way to the university officials, momentum slowed. What began as a bold effort to introduce a wellness day into the academic calendar is now sitting on the shelf, seemingly at both PNW and Purdue.
“I know it didn’t end up going anywhere … it’s very hard to get any days off approved by the university,” said Emery Denham, a former PNW student who is now Campus editor of The Exponent at Purdue University, West Lafayette.
The PNW counseling center suggested shifting focus, such as offering a week of wellness events or a single awareness day campus-wide rather than student selected excused absences.
Former SGA Vice President Mya Bell said the challenge was finding an efficient way to administer the program.
“It was a great idea,” she said. “The benefits were there, but professors would have to track and adjust around absences, which could end up hurting both students and faculty.”
Bell remains hopeful that mental health excused absences will eventually be implemented.
“[It’s] just waiting for the right moment,” she said.
Merari Marables, a junior Hospitality and Tourism Management major, said the need is clear.
“I am a busy student who really needs a break from time to time,” she said. “If I could have an actual dedicated day that would make me feel more seen on this campus.”
