News and Announcements
September 18, 2007
July 12, 2007
AUCCCD Statement On Campus Safety
Safety on Campus:
Faculty, staff and administrators at universities across the United States have had one consistent reaction to last spring's tragedy at Virginia Tech. All concerned want to ensure the safety of their students and campuses. Some individuals and companies are marketing assessment instruments to screen students for mental health concerns to "prevent" another violent incident from occurring.
The Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, AUCCCD, recommends that before colleges and universities react to calls for mental health screenings of university students, administrators consider the following:
- The prevention of violent acts is difficult; completely preventing campus violence is not possible.
- Psychological instruments purported to screen for mental health and significant mental disorders should be valid and reliable tests, appropriately researched and normed on college students.
- The local campus counseling center director should be consulted regarding the utility of any mental health screening device.
- The United States Secret Service and the Department of Education found that there is no accurate psychological profile for individuals who commit violent acts. As a result, any screening instrument purporting to assess for violence may have limited utility on a college or university campus.
- Because targeted violence is rarely impulsive and other people typically know something about the potential violent act, building a campus environment and sense of campus community where students look out for and are concerned about each other, is not only valuable, it is essential.
- Therefore, a focus on primary prevention including activities that reduce risk and enhance communication, is useful in the reduction of violence on our campuses.
We all want our campuses to be healthy, safe environments where students, faculty, and staff feel welcomed and able to work toward their goals. When students encounter difficulties and barriers to these goals, the campus counseling center is a helpful resource.
Maggie Gartner
President, AUCCCD
April 23, 2007
Dr. Russ Federman, Director at the Univeristy of Virginia, testifies before the Senate Committe on Homeland Security and Governmental Affrairs regarding Security on America's College Campuses. PDF
April 16, 2007
AUCCCD Statement About The Events At Virginia Tech
The Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), which represents 748 institutions, expresses our sincere condolences and profound sympathies to all members of the campus community at Virginia Tech. Our membership would also like to express our solidarity and support for Dr. Chris Flynn, our colleague, who is the Director of the Virginia Tech Cook Counseling Service. Our Association's mission is to assist directors in managing their centers and promoting awareness of college student mental health. During this time of incomprehensible tragedy our membership continues in our mission to serve as resources for our campus communities.
For more information about AUCCCD and college student mental health, please contact the AUCCCD President, Dr. Dan Jones, or Past President, Dr. Greg Eells.