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  3. Supporting the Mental Well-being of the AUC Community

September 12, 2021

Dear AUC Community

I’d like to congratulate us as a community for successfully completing the first week of our Fall 2021 semester. Whether it’s been attending classes, reconnecting with friends, classmates and colleagues, learning (or re-learning) our way around this beautiful campus – it’s been an exciting and exhilarating time. Amidst all this excitement, we know that this is also a time of stress and worry. 

Coming back to campus brings with it new concerns, in light of the ongoing pandemic. If you’re experiencing stress as you re-enter the world of face-to-face learning, we want you to know that you’re not alone, and that we are here for you.  

Earlier this summer, I formed a special task force, including members of our Psychology Department and the Center for Student Well-being (CSW), to explore these issues and provide us recommendations on how best to address them. As you probably saw, their first task was to conduct a needs assessment in the form of a community-wide survey. When asked to describe how you feel about returning to campus, you told us that while you’re excited, happy and hopeful, you are also worried and nervous.  Resources are available to help you acknowledge and address these issues. 

Throughout the coming weeks and continuing during the semester, here are some of the things we are doing to help address your concerns, stress or anxiety. 

  • The Center for Student Well-being should be the first stop for any student who is feeling anxious or stressed. During regular working hours from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, counselors are available to provide both online and in-person services based on student preference. After 4:00 pm and on weekends, part-time counselors are also offering online sessions based on their availability and student preference. These services are available to all undergraduate and graduate students. CSW will be running a diverse outreach schedule for students throughout AY21-22. Topics range from stress management, staying positive and maintaining wellbeing, to mindfulness, and adjusting to the return to campus. Outreach will be offered in hybrid format with online webinars and in-person workshops. For the full outreach schedule, visit the Center for Student Well-being website.
  • In-person counseling services are available for AUC faculty and staff at the New Cairo clinic. Anyone who wishes to book an appointment should contact the clinic directly at [email protected]. 
  • In the early days of the pandemic, the Department of Psychology in collaboration with the Center for Student Well-being developed this online Stress Management Toolkit. This will be updated over the course of the coming weeks, to address the specific situation of returning to face-to-face learning. The resources in this toolkit are useful for all members of our extended community – students, faculty and staff, as well as our families. 
  •   On September 23, 2021 we will be holding a very special Campus Conversation, dedicated wholly to the issue of stress management. 
  • The Psychology Counseling Training Center will be offering a seminar/webinar series during the Fall and continuing into the Spring semesters. These will address a range of issues related to a coping with stress, wellness and resilience.
  • The Center for Learning and Teaching, in collaboration with the Department of Psychology will be providing workshops and webinars to faculty on trauma-informed pedagogies, student support and faculty well-being.

Anyone who feels that they are in need of support during this time should make use of these resources.

Sincerely,

Ehab Abdel-Rahman

Acting President and Provost