PGSG adds mental health advocacy week to academic calendars

In a small, cramped room off of Northwestern Avenue, Purdue Graduate Student Government Senate Chair Josiah Davidson announced that FA23-R004 had been carried. Nobody made any big gesture at the carrying of the motion, but senators around the room couldn’t help but grin, a few quietly clapping as well.

A motion three years in the making had finally been passed with unanimous approval during the PGSG meeting Wednesday.

FA23-R004 is a PGSG resolution to add Mental Health Advocacy Week to the official Purdue academic calendars, a motion that has been in the works since as early as 2021.

MHAW was created in 2020 between the collaboration of several student groups, Purdue Student Government and Purdue Administration and Human resources, according to an article on Purdue Today.

In 2021, PGSG passed a similar motion during its November meeting, listing the reason behind its creation, the success of the week, and how the week has not and would continue not to interfere with regular Purdue operations.

The provost at the time, Jay Akridge, had shot down the legislation and MHAW was not added to the academic calendars, according to President of PGSG Somosmita Mitra.

Mitra said she does not expect history to repeat itself under the new administration with Provost Patrick Wolfe.

“Where it failed was at the University Senate, because the provost, Akridge I believe, explicitly mentioned that the academic calendar is no place for (MHAW),” Mitra said, “and if you look at the minutes from the University Senate reports of 2021, you'd find that he was very strongly against it.”

Mitra said Wolfe has already given his approval of the resolution in a letter to her.
It was more than just an administration change, Mitra said, it’s a cultural one too.

“At that point of time too, mental health was not a big factor, or it was not a recognized factor,” she said. “The whole purpose is recognition that the academic success of a student is also related to its housing problems, stipend problems, wellness problems. All of them are related to your well being here on campus at Purdue.”