Message from the Chancellor and Provost

Dear Faculty Colleague,

As MIT faculty you are essential members of our student support network. In recent years we have taken important steps to strengthen that network and to enhance mental health and wellness on our campus. Our efforts include adding staff, expanding access to services, increasing the visibility of our support resources, and revising our policies and practices. MindHandHeart is also engaging our entire community in the vital work of culture change—ensuring that cor (heart) is as essential to our mission as mens et manus (mind and hand).

This MIT Faculty Guide was created by the Division of Student Life’s Department of Student Support and Wellbeing to help make it easier for you to help our students connect to resources.

Divided into four sections with information about student stress, common distress indicators, and advice on how to talk to students and refer them to the right sources of support, the MIT Faculty Guide is designed to be a valuable resource to you in challenging situations. Different scenarios, referral instructions, and a comprehensive inventory of administrative offices with student support and mental health professionals who stand at the ready to partner with you are detailed throughout these pages.

Faculty members naturally want to create an environment where students flourish intellectually and personally. By reviewing this guide’s practical advice and keeping it close by, you can ensure we take another important step toward building a healthier, stronger, and more caring MIT.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Barnhart

Martin A. Schmidt