Running head: FUTURE TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION 1

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Future Trends in Higher Education

Cherlyn Akiens

The University of Memphis

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Future Trends in Higher Education

As a graduate student and future student affairs practitioner, I have learned about several

services within student affairs/higher education practice. For example, in my placement in the

Office of Student Accountability, Outreach and Support, I am learning more and more about how

to assist college students about their concerns by identifying the campus and community

resources to help foster their continued growth and development. Within these resources and for

this assignment, I was able to identify two issues that I consider future trends in helping

institutions with the improvement of student retention and persistence toward students earning a

degree. In my research, these studies will show the increase in mental health counseling with

capabilities that serve students and parent and family involvement in higher education.

College students are faced with a number of factors that may be the cause of mental

health problems. Even students as young as middle school age are faced early on with

competing for the requirements of elite colleges. For example, previous studies indicate that

standards for college admission at Stanford University reports that the high school grade point

average for the 2002 freshman class was 3.9/4.0 (Mowbray et al., 2006). Moreover, some

college students who are transitioning from high school to college are challenged with other

oppositions such as tuition cost, student loan debt, and employment which can affect learning

opportunities and have a negative effect on academics (Mowbray et al., 2006). Similarly,

transfer students are faced with some of the same oppositions, but there are other factors that

transfer students face. For instance, transfer students must determine if their existing course

credits will transfer into their area of study at a chosen institution along with the possibility of

paying higher tuition. Renn and Reason (2013) points out that “transfer students must attend to
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issues of financial aid and attend to the paperwork associated with existing student loans to avoid

interruption with loan deferments” (p. 77).

Studies show that traditionally college and university counseling centers’ emphasis has

been on developmental and preventive counseling, however there has been continuous changes

in the role and function of college counseling centers which has evolved in response to social,

political, and economic factors (Kitzrow, 2003). Today, college campuses are increasingly

diverse which has had a positive effect in the college student population and according to

Kitzrow (2003) “has been the greatest change in higher education in recent years.” However,

along with this demographic change, so have the needs of college students’ mental health.

This increase in diversity has brought a need to provide counseling for a broad range of

students who are dealing with issues such as multicultural and gender issues, career and

developmental needs, life transitions, stress, and violence of which has shifted from “more

benign developmental and informational needs to more severe psychological problems”

(Kitzrow, 2003, p. 168). According to Mowbray et al. (2006) sixty-percent of student affairs

officers and deans have reported increasing numbers of undergraduate students who use

psychological counseling services for long periods of time. In addition to this shift, other severe

psychological problems such as “suicidality, substance abuse, history of psychiatric treatment or

hospitalization, depression and anxiety” have become of great concern (Kitzrow, 2003). Lastly,

social and cultural factors such as divorce, family dysfunction, instability, poor parenting skills,

poor frustration tolerance, and early experimentation with drugs, alcohol, and sex are major

reasons for the increase in mental health problems (Kitzrow, 2003).

According to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (2009),

approximately 1.6 million students solicited counseling assistance in the previous year (Wood,
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2012). Also, with the high increase of students needing this assistance, it has been challenging

for mental health counselors to be able to provide the services fairly to accommodate each

student. Wood (2012) stressed that “with the influx of students seeking assistance, college

counseling centers are taxed with providing more services, often with dwindling resources” (p.

6), thus students are not receiving the adequate help they need. With this in mind, counseling

centers and student affairs officers are working on responding effectively to the increase of

mental health issues (Kitzrow, 2003).

Studies indicate there are several innovative strategies that colleges and universities have

implemented into their mental health programs to meet the needs of students. For example, for

direct clinical services, colleges and universities are “offering more immediate and accessible

appointments for students especially for students in crisis by providing phone consultations and

evening and drop-in appointments” (Kitzrow, 2003). Also, in order to serve more students, peer

counselors and graduate interns are being put into place to service more students along with

group therapy and self-help programs such as pamphlets, books, videos, etc. (Kitzrow, 2003).

Lastly, students are not aware of the resources that are offered on college campuses which results

in students not receiving the help they need. Thus, in order to bring awareness, counseling

centers are conducting ongoing education, outreach, and advertising campaigns to encourage

students to use the services that is available to them (Kitzrow, 2003).

Finally, the Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act of 2009 (MHCIA) brings

awareness nationwide to improve mental health programs. The goal for this legislation is to help

“increase access to services, promote outreach, and better identify at-risk students” (Wood,

2012). Studies also indicate that mental health counselors cannot provide all of the care for

students alone. Other innovative strategies that colleges and universities have implemented is
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online resources that includes anonymous, online mental health screenings, and cyber awareness

workshops. However, faculty, staff, students, and administrators should be trained so that they

will know how to handle certain situations with students. In short, this will enable them to direct

students to the appropriate departments so students can receive accurate direction in the referral

process (Wood, 2012). As mentioned earlier, mental health counselors cannot provide all of the

care and support for students alone. Involving others such as the campus community and

stakeholders which include parents and family “must recognize the importance of mental health

awareness, education, and treatment” (Kiyama et al., 2015).

The future trend of parents and family involvement focuses on the study of millennial

students which is defined as those born after 1982 (Watkins, Hunt, & Eisenberg, 2012). Studies

indicate that over the last 10 years, students and parents have reported increased levels of

communication and involvement with each other which has resulted in creating a “greater sense

of well-being for students” (Kiyama et al., 2015). To add, “family” is included in this study

because “identifying parents as a primary unit of analysis limits the full range of responses to

questions about educational support” in a study along with neglecting familial and cultural

support available to students in the college transition process (Kiyama et al., 2015). Thus, family

can consist of guardians, extended family members, siblings, caregivers, partners, and other

support members (Kiyama et al., 2015).

Other forms of parental and family involvement that supports college students include

offering financial support, assisting with mental health issues, student safety, and roommate

issues (Kiyama et al., 2015). Research also indicates there is an increase in parent and family

being involved in the admission and financial aid process. At the college level, many institutional

polices involve the student, but the financial aid officers involve the family (Lange & Stone,
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2001). One reason for this is for the verification process of needing access to family tax records

to verify income which is one of the processes for student enrollment. To add, another emerging

future trend in higher education involves college choice where parents and family members are

involved in “planning activities in increasing the likelihood of students attending college”

(Kiyama et al., 2015). Parents and family members are starting college savings accounts,

regardless of the amount. This sets a trend of the possibility that the student will attend college

which indicates the importance of a college education by the parents and family members (Lange

& Stone, 2001). Parents and family members have begun to share a wealth of information with

one another in order to secure opportunities for students to attend college. According to Kiyama

et al. (2015), “many parents and families incorporate college-going practices and discussions into

everyday household interactions and involve multiple family members in garnering college

information and resources” (p. 11).

In addition to parents and family involvement in the admission and financial aid process,

some institutions are offering parents and families of millennial students access to “parent-

oriented links on their campus websites to provide information and resources” to questions they

might have about the institution (Elam, Stratton, & Gibson, 2007). This way parents can be

involved in helping their students make the best decision possible about their college choice.

This form of communication will not only allow parents to stay involved, but this will open

pathways for other innovative ways for institutions to assist parents and families to help navigate

their way through the college process with their student. According to Elam et al. (2007), many

colleges and universities are addressing programs that are geared specifically for parents that will

contribute to the development of their knowledge. Programs such as personal and virtual

campus tours, seminars on financial aid, and specially designed websites that addresses campus
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academics, athletics, housing, cultural opportunities, and student wellness programs (Elam et al.,

2007).

To summarize, mental health counseling with capabilities that serve students and parent

and family involvement are future trends that were discussed in this assignment that will

continue to develop in innovative ways in higher education and research for years to come. As it

is known, mental health counselors cannot provide all of the care for students alone. The Mental

Health on Campus Improvement Act of 2009 (MHCIA) brings awareness nationwide to improve

mental health programs along with the continuation of training faculty, staff, students, and

administrators which will continue to bring more awareness to the college campus community.

Also, growth is continuing with parents and family involvement on college campuses where

family members also play an important role in the lives of students. Family members have an

extended definition such as guardians, extended family members, siblings, and others. To add,

the development of new programs such as virtual campus tours, seminars on financial aid, and

specially designed websites will help assist parents and family members to better navigate their

way through the college process.

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References

Elam, C., Stratton, T., & Gibson, D. D. (2007). Welcoming a new generation n to college: The

millennial students. Journal of College Admission, 195, 20-25.

Kitzrow, M. A. (2003). The mental health needs of today's college students: Challenges and

recommendations. NASPA Journal, 41(1), 165-179. doi:10.2202/0027-6014.1310

Kiyama, J. M., Harper, C. E., Ramos, D., Aguayo, D., Page, L. A., & Riester, K. A.

(2015). Parent and family engagement in higher education. Wiley Periodicals,

Incorporated.

Lange, D. K., & Stone, M. E. (2001). Parental involvement in admissions and financial aid. New

Directions for Student Services, 2001(94), 15-26. doi:10.1002/ss.8

Mowbray, C. T., Megivern, D., Mandiberg, J. M., Strauss, S., Stein, C. H., Collins, K., Kopels,

S., Curlin, C., Lett, R. (2006). Campus mental health services: Recommendations for

change. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(2), 226-237. doi:10.1037/0002-

9432.76.2.226

Renn, K. A., & Reason, R. D. (2013). Transition to college. In J. Schuh (Ed.), College students

in the united states: Characteristics, experiences, and outcomes (pp. 63 – 81). San

Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

The Relationship Between College Students and Their Families. (2015). ASHE Higher

Education Report, 41(6), 1–17. https://doi-org.ezproxy.memphis.edu/10.1002/aehe.20024

Watkins, D. C., Hunt, J. B., & Eisenberg, D. (2012). Increased demand for mental health services

on college campuses: Perspectives from administrators. Qualitative Social Work, 11(3),

319-337. doi:10.1177/1473325011401468
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Wood, M. (2012). The state of mental health on college campuses. Inquiry: The Journal of the

Virginia Community Colleges, 17(1), 5-15.

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