Strange days, strange days indeed.
As we all shelter-in-place, finding solace in Netflix and rationing toilet paper, trying to survive the worst global pandemic in generations, our students are working hard to wrap up the strangest semester in Missouri Western State University history. Working just as hard is our campus family, both faculty and staff, trying to find ways to stay connected with and support those students.
One department on campus which has always had students as its primary mission and is trying to provide services to students when there are no students on campus is the Counseling Center. The counseling center, located in Eder 203, consists of three full-time counselors and administrative support. Throughout this transitory period, the center has maintained regular office hours, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, but has had to adjust how it responds to student requests for services.
Rather than calling or stopping by the office, students are being directed to the Counseling Center website to request an appointment, are being asked to e-sign for telehealth consent, and determine what days and times would be available. They would then be contacted by a counselor within one working business day to make arrangements for a personal visit, either through Google Meet or by phone. Be reminded that there is no charge for visiting with a counselor and there is no cap on the number of visits allowed. And, certainly during these days, counselors are having to adjust their schedules, refraining from always scheduling an hour per visit, in order to accommodate as many students as possible. Further, the counseling center has additional resources for good mental health practices on its website which students can access at any time.
The Counseling Center, as well as other departments and services on campus, will continue to work diligently for its greatest asset, its students, and hopes we will all soon find ourselves in groups larger than ten and recalling the days of black market Charmin.