UNC cancels classes on Tuesday, Oct. 12, for Wellness Day

Update, 3:30 p.m.: The University provided information on mental health resources and support in a campus email sent Monday afternoon.

Community support centers will be available Tuesday through Friday and will include staff from UNC's Counseling and Psychological Services, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and School of Social Work.

The support centers will be available on:

• Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The locations include Granville Towers South, Rams Village One, Hinton James Residence Hall, Morrison Residence Hall, the Health Sciences Library, the Campus Y and Davis Library. There will also be sessions in SASB.

Additional information on the community support centers and other resources can be found in the University's campuswide email here.

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Content warning: This article contains mention of suicide.

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UNC classes will be canceled on Tuesday, Oct. 12, for a Wellness Day to help address mental health, according to a campus email sent Sunday night.

The announcement follows reports of a suicide and an attempted suicide in residence halls over the weekend, according to the UNC Police crime log.

The email said both UNC's campus and the world are facing a mental health crisis, with college-aged students carrying an increased risk of suicide.

"This crisis has directly impacted members of our community – especially with the passing of two students on campus in the past month," Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said in the email.

The University is creating a support network starting Tuesday for students, faculty and staff.

The University is working with UNC's Counseling and Psychological Services, the Department of Psychiatry, the School of Medicine and the School of Social Work to create the support network. More information will be provided tomorrow, according to the email.

UNC is also launching the Heels Care Network in the coming weeks — a campuswide campaign to promote and support mental health awareness.

In the email, Guskiewicz said he met with student and faculty leaders over the weekend.

On Sunday, the executive boards of the Undergraduate Student Government and Graduate and Professional Student Government sent a letter to Guskiewicz, Provost Bob Blouin and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Amy Johnson requesting for instruction to be paused from Monday to the end of Tuesday.

"Students require this immediate action from the university to ensure that their mental health needs are being considered and met," the letter said. "Furthermore we request that all planned University Day celebrations be postponed to allow students to reflect, grieve, and seek services uninterrupted."

The campus email sent Sunday said University Day will still be recognized at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Mental health resources

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255, is available 24/7. It is free and confidential.

UNC students who need assistance during this time may contact Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of the Dean of Students or Student Wellness. CAPS can be reached 24/7 by phone at 919-966-3658. University employees can reach out to the Employee Assistance Program.

Peer supporters from student-run organization Peer2Peer, which offers mental health resources for graduate and undergraduate students, can be reached through their online form. Students can remain anonymous.

university@dailytarheel.com