Mental Health Awareness Ribbon

Recognizing World Mental Health Day

In recognition of the stress that Carolina students are experiencing in this unprecedented semester and in observance of World Mental Health Day, UNC-Chapel Hill leaders are recommending that faculty pause instruction on Oct. 9 to allow for a three-day weekend.

World Mental Health Day is Saturday, Oct. 10, and given the stress we have heard that many of our students are under, we recommend faculty recognize Friday, Oct. 9 (which is also midpoint of the fall term), as the University’s observance of World Mental Health Day by “pausing” instruction on that day, creating a three-day weekend and allowing time for self-care. While the compressed academic calendar does not allow us to provide a day off, this pause might include, but is not limited to: changing a live lecture to a recorded one to be watched at a later date, postponing the due date of a paper or rescheduling a quiz. We believe that faculty flexibility and compassion on this day, and throughout the semester, will support and facilitate better student mental health.

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