College Students’ Mental Health; a crisis
Mental health of college students is a global problem that requires serious attention by university administrators. According to a 2022 survey by Best Colleges, in the United States more that 77% of college students experienced moderate to severe psychological distress. This included anxiety (35%), depression (27%) as well as trauma, eating disorder and bipolar and substance use disorders. Another 2020–2021 Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide found more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem.
The situation in Korea is similar. A 2022 published study by Daejeon University conducted on 260 Korean Female College Students in 2018 (Pre-COVID-19) found that 51.9% experience light to sever depression. The rate increased to 69.1% in 2020 (Post-COVID-19). Overall in 2020, South Korea's suicide rate was 25.7 which is more than double the OECD average of 11 per 100,000 population. Although lower than the rate for the elderly (101.4 per 100,000 population) grade school and college students in Korea have a higher than average suicide rate.
Factors that affect suicide and suicide ideation are combinations of individual, family, and school factors. University education in Korea is very competitive. Students are constantly worried about their academic performance, grades, class rankings, etc. School-related influencing factors includes stress related to finding a job.
Several studies have suggested that critical communication by parents is an important family-related risk factor for suicidal ideation in Korean university students. Korean parents maintain a major influence on their children even after they are grown up. As a result, students who experience considerable critical communication from their parents that reduces their self-esteem, experience more suicidal ideation.
Dealing with mental health issues on university campuses requires a multifaced approach which includes university administrators, professors, students and students’ families.
Universities must ensure that students have access to high quality mental health care including psychological crisis intervention resources. The mental health care system in Korea can be hard to access and overwhelming for a student in crisis. A combination of on campus resources plus designated outside specialty clinics can help provide needed access.
Designing and implementing realistic programs tailored to students' academic majors to enhance their self-esteem and provide practical knowledge in dealing with academic stress will help students obtain a healthier school life emotionally as well as academically.
For young adults, college can offer self-discovery, lifelong friendships, and a better understanding of the world. However, college life may also bring enormous social and emotional pressures. Being away from family and friends, unfamiliar environments can cause intense levels of loneliness. Universities can help students navigate through these challenges by having programs that engages inspires and build friendly communities that students can feel safe and welcomed. Studies have also suggested that lack of physical exercise and adequate sleep are important factors for depression among students. Promoting a healthy life style should be an important part of student services programs.
Faculty paly a significant role in addressing mental health issues on University campuses. Universities must make sure faculty are adequately trained on how to identify students in distress and how to respond and refer them to mental health professionals. A study by Boston University School of public Health found that only 51 % have a good idea of how to recognize a student is in mental distress, with a mortify (61%) support mandatory training for faculty.
Finally, the role of families, particularly parents in student’s mental health is significant but more difficult to address by the universities. Education programs tailored to parents and families, such as brochures maybe effective methods for such communications.
Click here to read the article
Expanding Internal Accounting Controls Could Be Key to Ending Korea’s Embezzlement Crisis Despite stronger audit regulations and major investments, fraud and embezzlement continue to impose heavy financial and reputational damage on Korean companies. Internal accounting controls were created to ensure that financial reporting processes are trustworthy, but effectiveness remains limited when the system is treated as an accounting task instead of a responsibility shared across al
Two FIT professors, Professor Hyemin Kang of the Fashion Design Department and Professor Linda Kim of the Fashion Business Management Department, are currently participating in the 2025 International Fashion Art Invitational Exhibition, an event that celebrates the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization between Korea and Japan. This year’s exhibition is presented under the theme “Resonance of K-Fashion: From Tradition to Innovation,” highlighting the rich cultura
The third episode of the TEFLON series, “AI as Collaborator, Challenger, and Catalyst in the Classroom,” took place on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Teaching Excellence Forum & Learning Optimization Network (TEFLON) is a dynamic academic series dedicated to strengthening faculty teaching excellence and fostering innovative learning across SUNY Korea. Organized by Dr. Joseph Cabuay, Technology & Society Department professor, the event brought together faculty and communi
Professor Neal Dreamson of the Department of Technology and Society was appointed as a National Curriculum Expert Committee member of the National Education Commission on October 23, 2025. The National Education Commission is an administrative committee under the President that establishes a mid- to long-term vision and policy direction for education based on social consensus; it also gathers and coordinates public opinion on education policies. Its purpose is to contribute to the de
On October 3rd, Business Management Professor In-Ki Joo received the Hwangjo Guenjeong Order of Merit (황조근정훈장) at the 8th Accounting Day ceremony. This Order of Merit is one of the highest honors granted by the Korean government to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to enhancing transparency in the nation’s accounting practices. For decades, Professor Joo has made significant impacts to the field of accounting through academic research, education, and policy a