{"id":63753,"date":"2018-12-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-19T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2018\/12\/19\/dr-gold-discusses-mental-wellness-budget-at-forum\/"},"modified":"2022-09-02T17:26:29","modified_gmt":"2022-09-02T22:26:29","slug":"dr-gold-discusses-mental-wellness-budget-at-forum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2018\/12\/19\/dr-gold-discusses-mental-wellness-budget-at-forum\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Gold discusses mental wellness, budget at forum"},"content":{"rendered":"

During Tuesday’s forum, Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., shared survey data from the American Council on Education. <\/p>\n

Within it were alarming numbers regarding the mental health and well-being of the nation’s college students. <\/p>\n

In reading the email aloud during Tuesday’s Chancellor’s Forum, Dr. Gold said three out of 10 undergrads surveyed had been clinically diagnosed with depression, one in four college students had issues with anxiety and one in 20 had created a suicide plan in the past year. <\/p>\n

“These numbers are real,” Dr. Gold said. “And, we are not immune.” <\/p>\n

The campus has worked diligently to both destigmatize mental health issues and increase awareness of campus resources, he said. “I don’t have a magic solution, but I’m asking that if you ‘see something, say something.’ <\/p>\n

“This is a huge initiative that we all own,” Dr. Gold said. <\/p>\n

Following an update on the Budget Response Team process (see sidebar), Dr. Gold noted that the NU Board of Regents have approved a “modest” biennial budget request, seeking increases in state funding of 3 percent in 2019-20 and 3.7 percent in 2020-21. More will be known after the Nebraska economic forecasting board’s meeting in February. <\/p>\n

His message to the legislature? Invest in higher education. Without it, he said, workforce needs will go unmet and talented students will go elsewhere. <\/p>\n

In the meantime, Dr. Gold said, the university is “carefully and thoughtfully moving ahead with critical (faculty and staff) positions” and continues to raise philanthropic dollars for such projects as the planned move of the Munroe-Meyer Institute from its existing location on the UNMC Omaha campus to the former First Data building on Pine Street, located near the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Scott Campus. <\/p>\n

Other construction projects remain on schedule including the Davis Global Center and the renovation of the Williams Science Hall and McGoogan Library. With campus space at a premium, Dr. Gold has asked UNMC’s Facilities Management and Planning leaders to refresh the facility masterplan and look for opportunities to provide for needed research and office space. <\/p>\n

Dr. Gold also noted: <\/p>\n