Cabinet Corner is a periodic feature of LMU This Week where the university’s executive leaders share their perspectives with the community. The President’s Cabinet will provide updates on initiatives, policies, events, challenges, and areas of interest.
Lane Bove, senior vice president for student affairs, writes:
In our enduring pursuit to nurture students’ well-being, we continually push ourselves to innovate programs to accompany them on their collegiate journey. It has become increasingly important that we help address the mounting levels of stress, anxiety and depression among our students.
In 2017, I convened a committee, under the auspices of the dean of students, to address these issues. They proposed an extension to our successful LMU CARES initiative to include components of well-being, resilience and support. Students value LMU CARES as a reliable and effective program to address many of their issues. Therefore, rather than creating a new initiative, we decided to build on the success of the known entity, LMU CARES.
In an effort to move toward additional support and resource, we are happy to announce two new additions to the LMU CARES program: (1) an online portal for students; and (2) a web-based “Resilience Playbook” for Student Affairs staff. Together, these two resources will help our students to thrive, succeed and matter.
LMU CARES, since it was initiated in 2014, has become an indispensable resource for students. The program began as a university initiative to address sexual and interpersonal misconduct and prevention education. The program effectively educates students about the underlying need for consent and the importance of bystander intervention. The program has now expanded to address:
- Bystander intervention and personal accountability;
- Alcohol education, adding marijuana education in 2016;
- Courageous Conversations, including dialogues across difference and respect;
- Implicit bias, focusing on mitigating unconscious judgments.
First-year students participate in 10 hours of mandatory education through the LMU CARES program.
Now, we are excited to release a new online portal for LMU CARES. LMU CARES Online will provide students with easy navigation of campus resources, self-assessment tools, articles and helpful advice that students can pursue. LMU CARES Online puts all of these resources right at students’ fingertips. It’s confidential, available 24/7 and addresses many immediate needs of students.
Additionally, the LMU CARES “Resilience Playbook,” is a tool for student affairs staff to utilize with students, including student employees, groups, teams and organizations to foster students’ overall sense of self, purpose and resilience.
Student Affairs has long been noted for our responsiveness to students’ concerns. We know a proactive and preventive approach to the underlying causes of these issues will help grow their resilience and coping skills. We also think providing access to information and resources will help students navigate and develop their support systems.
We are justly proud of the care and attention we afford our students: it is in our mission, in our interpersonal habits and in our hearts. LMU CARES Online is an extension of that cura personalis.
Please feel free to reach out to Briana Maturi and her staff in the LMU CARES office on the fourth floor of Malone Student Center, if you have additional questions or want more information.
Go Lions!
