As 2024 closes, it’s important to summarize the key challenges and opportunities that the field of college mental health will likely face in 2025. This week’s post will explore the key challenges, which may seem daunting for those invested in the field. However, a post next week will shine light on the unique opportunities that college mental health possesses.
In 2023, the National Education Association released a report claiming a mental health crisis on college campuses. It’s important to note that in 2024, The Chronicle of Higher Education released a report outlining the dangers of a mental-health crisis narrative, and the need to avoid sensationalism while describing developmental mental health concerns among college students. Even though there’s debate regarding if the field of college mental health is in a crisis, there’s acknowledgment that college mental health is challenged by the need to treat the post-pandemic generation of students, dual mountains that higher education must overcome, divisive political conflicts in our nation, as well as staff recruitment and retention for campus counseling centers.
The Post-Pandemic Generation of Students
A 2024 report on Forbes.com explained how the Class of 2028 is the first college cohort that was in early-stage adolescence as middle schoolers during the pandemic. As outlined in the report, early adolescence is formative for identity development, tolerance for change, and crystallizing views about the world. Because these students experienced global stressors during these formative years, they’re likely to display unique trends and patterns while in college. There’s initial evidence to support this. In 2024, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that the number of college students who are transferring schools has significantly increased, and Forbes.com suggested that the voting behavior of college students was different than traditionally expected during the recent U.S. presidential election. Time will tell how unique this cohort is, but their mental health functioning is also likely to be different. Because most middle schools last two to three years, there’s reason to expect that the Classes of 2028, 2029, and 2030 will be fundamentally different from previous generations of college students.
Dual Mountains That Higher Education Must Overcome
Two major stressors will escalate in 2025 that will affect higher education. Next year is the official start of the enrollment cliff. A 2024 report on Forbes.com describes the enrollment cliff as occurring because there are fewer traditionally aged college students living on the planet. This will result in a significant drop in the number of students enrolling into colleges and universities. There’s seems to be a consensus that flagship public schools and elite level private schools should be able to endure this cliff; however, other schools are already feeling the impact. A 2024 report by Inside Higher Ed outlined the growing number of colleges and universities who have already closed or merged.
The second major stressor is the shrinking public confidence in higher education. In 2023, Gallup released a report showing that Americans’ confidence in higher education fell to 36%. According to this report, the most significant drop in confidence was among Republicans, which is significant considering that the Republican political party is set to have majority rule in 2025. It should be noted that a 2024 report on Statista.com, showed that the approval/confidence rating of the U.S. Congress was at 19%, which is almost twice as low as that in higher education. However, it’s not inconceivable that a low confidence in higher education will somehow trickle down to college mental health.
Divisive Political Conflicts
Most agree that mental health is not a partisan issue. However, as noted in a previous 2024 report on Forbes.com, there’s a need to give thanks to those in college mental health who have been negatively affected by divisive political conflicts within our nation. It’s safe to assume that when legislators pass laws reflecting a certain side of a cultural war, a faculty member expresses extreme views in class, or when students protest the views or identities of other students, that the campus counseling center usually addresses the fallout, and this fallout includes helping students on both sides of the issue. A new U.S. government will take power in 2025, but there are no indications that the political conflicts and division in America will decrease.
Staff Recruitment and Retention For Campus Counseling Centers
A 2022 report by Inside Higher Education discussed how many student affairs professionals left higher education for less stressful and better paying jobs following the global pandemic. For therapists working for a campus counseling center, there remains the temptation to start a private practice, which is easier now with the rise of teletherapy. Many staff therapists can make more money, and control their own caseload and schedules, by leaving the field. As such, it’s a challenge for schools to recruit and retain high-level therapists, and this is likely to remain throughout 2025.
The challenges that college mental health will likely face in 2025 are real and serious. However, challenges give rise to opportunities, and the field of college mental health has unique advantages that are not found in many other health care systems. Next week will be a follow-up post that will explore these unique advantages and opportunities.
