Speaking Thursday at Cornell, Patrick Kennedy — former Congressman of Rhodes Island and a mental health care reformist — addressed the stigma and treatment of mental illnesses.

The Greek system hopes to take on a new role at Cornell by partnering with Gannett Health Services to make students more aware of physical and mental health resources on campus.  

An email survey to identify and reach stressed, anxious or depressed transfer and international students was recently sent by Gannett Health Services. Despite its potential effectiveness, a small percentage of students responded to the survey, and others said the questions made them feel uncomfortable.

Mental illness, when covered by the popular media, is generally considered in one of two contexts: stories about violent crime or exposés on the shortcomings of drug company marketing. The American public would be better served by greater consideration of the everyday success stories made possible by the revolution on psychiatric pharmacology.

Colin Chan '14 commends The Hangar Theatre's production of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, next to normal, which tackles serious issues through song.

As the Calendar Committee prepares to present its proposed changes to the academic calendar to the Faculty Senate, the Student Assembly unanimously passed a resolution Thursday decrying both the changes and the lack of student input in the discussion leading up to the recommendations.

 The University is working to find a permanent source of funding for the Gannett Health Center in order to avoid a significant reduction of its funding at the start of Fiscal Year 2013-14.

President David Skorton’s message to the community after a string of student suicides in 2010 — “If you learn anything at Cornell, please learn to ask for help” — has resonated among employees on campus through the University’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, which has recently gained visibility.

The University’s Calendar Committee is proposing to add four vacation days to the spring semester and shorten exam week in an effort to reduce student stress, the committee’s chair Prof. Jeff Doyle, plant biology, confirmed Wednesday.