While Kennesaw State offers a variety of counseling services, there are only 13 clinical counselors employed on campus — just one counselor for every 2,482 students, according to KSU’s Counseling Faulty List. As the number of students seeking counseling grows, the ratio of counselors-to-students dwindles dangerously low.
It is in the best interest of students for KSU to increase their number of counselors on staff.
The American School Counselor Association recommends one college counselor for every 250 students on campus, according to Education Week — yet KSU offers only one counselor for nine times the number of recommended students.
According to Psychology Today, most college students struggle with their mental health during the academic year, and university counseling services should be the first place students go for help.
More than 60 percent of college students experienced “overwhelming anxiety” in the past year and over 40 percent say they “felt so depressed they had difficulty functioning,” according to a 2018 report from the American College Health Association.
Disproportionate staffing of campus counselors leads to long waiting lists for students to receive help. Nationwide, students typically have to wait almost seven business days for their first appointment with a college counselor and at many colleges, it can be more than two months, according to a 2017 report from the Association for University and College Counseling Center.
Long waiting periods for a student can lead to feelings of helplessness, which should not be the case. Hiring more counselors would help open more time frames for students to be heard and receive the help they are needing.
As college becomes more expensive and academic pressures rise, students are struggling to keep up as they navigate through college feeling alone and unheard. Mental health is extremely important for students, yet guidance counselors at KSU are limited in supply.
“At times, change and mental health become more at the forefront of awareness,” alumnus Jonathan Jacobs said. “Colleges need to adapt and make sure that they have the resources to support each student.”
Counselors can also play a large part in preventing tragedy.
“Counselors can play a big role in keeping kids safe and preventing violence,” guidance counselor Mark Kuranz said, according to ABC News. “Part of our job is to judge the climate of a school and to provide a place that kids can go to when they need to talk to someone.”
Hiring more counselors could also improve student academic performance, according to research by the American Counseling Association.
While there are too few counselors at KSU, the current staff do an excellent job.
“My current counselor at KSU has done so much for me,” junior secondary English education major Abbey Keesee said. “I want everyone to feel as validated and grounded as she has made me feel. More counselors on campus could do so much good for so many students.”
With a larger counseling staff, more students like Keesee can experience the benefits of campus psychological services.
One counselor with for every 2,482 students does not allow for enough time and attention that each student deserves in order to receive proper guidance. With the pressing issue of mental health rising among KSU students, resolving this issue is extremely important. KSU should be on the lookout for more certified counselors to promote quicker access to their students.
