An analysis of the compelling issues surrounding the current mental health crisis on college campuses: Lessons learned from the Virginia Tech tragedy

The genesis of this dissertation emanates from the tragic events that took place on the campus of Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 and highlights the critical mental health issues facing current college students and the need for more proactive attention to these issues in advance of college matriculation.;Chapter 1 traces the limited pieces of information about the life of the mass murderer at Virginia Tech in order to evaluate what could have caused him to engage in such unparalleled devastation. It examines some of the telltale signs that this student was unraveling and the unfortunate lack of immediate action on the part of the university professionals to afford him in depth mental health assistance.;Chapters 2 and 4 examine the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Acts (HIPAA) which impact upon what college mental health information can be kept shrouded from public view and what information must be disclosed in order to protect the college community.;Chapter 3 provides an historical analysis of the doctrine of in loco parentis and how the longstanding doctrine of the college standing in the shoes of the parent and providing absolute authority over the student has undergone a significant change over the course of the last fifty years, particularly when it comes to issues relating to mental health. Chapter 5 provides insight into my experience with Drew University's Institutional Review Board as it relates to mental health research and Chapter 6 provides some real life examples and suggestions for change in the arena of college mental health.