West Virginia University
The Student Assembly - Student Government Association
Assembly Resolution: AR-2020-14
ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION URGING WEST VIRGINIA TO IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL BREAKS IN THE 2021 SPRING SEMESTER FOR STUDENTS' MENTAL HEALTH AND GENERAL WELFARE
Short Title: Mental Health Days
Author(s): Arpan Kumar, Senator
Joshua Harman, Senator
Sponsor(s): Jaxon Brooks, Senator
Ethan Cade, College Senator
Sohan Daniel, Senator
Kevin Donnelly, Senator
Morgan Glass, College Senator
Jonathon Hanson, College Senator
Amaya Jernigan, Senator
Amelia Jones, President Pro Tempore
Hunter Moore, College Senator
Meg Sorrells, College Senator
Contributor(s): Olivia Dowler, Intern
Chloe Hernandez, Health Coordinator
Devin Price, Intern
First Reading Date: 12/02/2020
Second Reading Date: XX/XX/2020
Whereas, the West Virginia University Student Government Asssociation explicitly states in its mission statement that its duty is, "...to help ensure that the personal freedoms and general welfare of the students within our University are protected..."; and,
Whereas, WVU students' general welfare has been threatened by unprecedented amounts of stress and fatigue, exacerbated by the reduction in break days in the current academic calendar, during the COVID-19 pandemic posing an immense burden on mental health; and,
Whereas, the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) statistics show that COVID-19 has caused the deaths of voer 268,000 Americans, the deaths of over a million worldwide, depression cases risen to 36% of US citizens, substance abuse cases risen tp 13% of US citizens, trauma and stress related disorders being reported at 26% of US citizens, and 11% of US citizens seriously considering suicide 1; and,
1https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a.1.html