Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Summit

Together, we can address these and other challenges impacting the well-being of students, faculty, and staff.

June 12-13, 2023

  • The Crowne Plaza, Knoxville, TN

 

Jun. 12 – Day One Schedule

12:30-1:00 P.M.
Summit Check-in

1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Welcome and Introduction of Keynote Speaker (Summit 1)

Randy Boyd, President, UT System

Bernie Savarese, Ed.D., Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success, UT System

Leigh Cherry Morales, Ph.D., Director for Student Success, UT System


1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Keynote Speaker Presentation (Summit 1)

Ben Locke, Ph.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Togetherall


2:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Break

2:45 – 3:30 p.m.
Session 1: Wellness Presentations (break-out rooms)

The Art and Science of Contracting for 3rd Party Tele-Mental Health Services

  • Presentation Description:
    This presentation will provide attendees with a strategic framework for researching, evaluating, and selecting 3rd party tele-therapy services. Attendees will learn about and discuss different institutional motivations for seeking and sub-contracting such services and how these motivations dovetail into national dynamics in college student mental health along with risks and benefits. Key behind-the-scenes differences in tele-therapy models will be reviewed to determine the treatment, contracting, collaboration, and procurement process. A case example will be provided along with extended time for questions and discussion.
  • Location: Summit 1
  • Presenter(s):
  • Ben Locke, Ph.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Togetherall
    Matthew McEvoy, Chief Executive Officer, Togetherall

 

Let’s Talk: Engaging Diverse Students in Mental Health Initiatives

  • Presentation Description:
    Engagement of diverse students may be considered from a variety of current perspectives – nationally, campus-wide, counseling center and the Individual counselor. An opportunity to explore factors associated with each perspective and its’ impact on student engagement will be provided. Participants will be asked to examine and share current engagement practices in terms of these different perspectives. Participants may also be challenged to bravely consider personal/professional characteristics, counseling center culture and campus-wide culture as either promoting or hindering engagement of diverse students.  Expanded approaches to engagement will be discussed.
  • Location: Board Room 1
  • Presenter(s):
  • DeKayla Thomas, MS, NCC, Counselor, UTHSC
    Kimberly Williams Collins, Ph.D., HSP, Licensed Counseling Psychologist, UTHSC

 

Tennessee’s Crisis System: Meeting Tennesseans
Where They Are

  • Presentation Description:
    This session will provide an overview of Tennessee’s Crisis Continuum, including footprint, service descriptions/goals and recent outcomes data. Services highlighted include crisis call services, mobile crisis services and community stabilization programs. These community-based treatment resources include Walk-In Center Services, Crisis Stabilization Units and Respite Programs.
  • Location: Salon C
  • Presenter(s):
  • Jennifer Armstrong, LPC-MHSP, Director, Office of Crisis and Suicide Prevention, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Students’ Sense of Belonging and Resilience in a post-COVID World: Implications for Higher Education

  • Presentation Description:
    Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education students’ experiences of mental health issues were elevated. In a post-pandemic era, college campuses are continuing to see higher rates of students experiencing mental health challenges and crises, as well as seeking out services at higher rates than in previous years. Factors which can mitigate some of these challenges include a sense of belonging and building resiliency in the face of challenges. This session discusses research and findings from a large-scale survey to college students and implications for practice and future research to help higher education professionals understand students’ challenges and how they may be able to facilitate students’ success and retention through relevant university services.
  • Location: Salon A
  • Presenter(s):
  • Kevin Doyle, Ph. D., LPC (VA), Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator for Mental Health Counseling
    Elizabeth O’Brien, Ph. D., LPC-MHSP, Director, Counselor Education Program; Director, School of Professional Studies
    S. Tyler Oberheim, Ph. D., LPC-MHSP, Assistant Professor and Clinical Coordinator

Healthy Minds Survey Trends and Related Programmatic Opportunities for Addressing Wellness Within our Campus Communities

  • Presentation Description:
    As we move forward from the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health continues to be a topic of concern both on our campuses and within our communities. During this session, we will review what the most recent data from the Healthy Minds Survey can reveal about the state and national status on mental health and substance use behaviors occurring among the 18–25-year-old population. We will also explore some of the ways that our campuses are utilizing their data, including an overview of the JED process and programmatic opportunities for sharing the results of the Healthy Minds data to drive meaningful conversations and change within our campus communities.
  • Location: Salon B
  • Presenter(s):
  • Kayce Matthews, MA, CPS 1, Director, Coalition for Healthy and Safe Campus Communities (CHASCo)
    Megan McKnight, MSW, Director UTC Center for Wellbeing

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Break

3:45 – 4:15 p.m.
Facilitated Roundtable Discussions: Addressing Big Challenges
(Summit 1)

Table 1: Transitioning Students to Off-Campus Care​
Table 2: Navigating Student Departure and Return Following a Leave of Absence or Hospitalization​
Table 3: Addressing Mental Health Staff Recruitment, Retention, and Licensing Delays​
Table 4: Providing Tiers of Support​
Table 5: Building Partnerships with Off-Campus and Community Partners​
Table 6: Engaging Distance Learners in Campus Wellbeing Efforts​
Table 7: Responding to a Campus Suicide


4:15 – 4:30 p.m.
Break

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Session 2: Process-Mapping Workshop (Summit 1)

Leigh Cherry Morales, Ph.D., Director for Student Success, UT System


Day One Keynote Speaker

Dr. Ben Locke

Dr. Ben LockeDr. Ben Locke is a licensed psychologist and the Chief Clinical Officer for Togetherall, a clinically moderated peer support platform available to millions of people globally where he oversees an international team of clinical staff who provide 24/7 coverage. Ben has worked in the mental health field since 1995 in a wide variety of settings including wilderness therapy, psychiatric hospitals, group homes, community mental health, and more than 20 years in college/university counseling centers with a focus on administration, operations, and research. Prior to joining Togetherall, Ben served as the Senior Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Penn State University where he was also the founder and the Executive Director of the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, from 2004 to 2021 and an affiliate faculty member in Counseling and Clinical Psychology departments at Penn State University.

 

Jun. 13 – Day Two Schedule

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Check-in and Breakfast

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Panel Discussion: Campus and Community Collaboration (Summit 1)

Moderator: Clay Woemmel, Ed.D., LPC-MHSP, ACS, Counselor, UTHSC

Panelists:

Shannon Perry, MS Ed, MBA, Director of Student Conduct and Care, UT Martin
Jennifer Tourville, DNP, Executive Director, Substance Misuse and Addiction Resource (SMART) Initiative, UT Institute of Public Service
Emily Oswald, BSN, Northwest Regional Director, Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN)
Nathan Payne, Director of Collegiate Recovery, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS)
Leigh Cherry Morales, Ph.D., Director for Student Success, UT System Office


9:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Break

9:45 – 10:30 a.m.
Facilitated Roundtable Discussion: Practitioner Wellbeing (Summit 1)

Table 1/Pink ​
Table 2/Orange​
Table 3/Yellow​
Table 4/Green​
Table 5/Blue​
Table 6/Black

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Break


10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Session 3: Campus Showcase Presentation (Summit 1)

Brett Fuchs, Associate Dean of Students, UTC
Kathy Lovett, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Student Academic Support Services & Inclusion, UTHSC
Jill Zambito, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health & Wellbeing, UTK
Jenifer Hart, Clinical Coordinator, UTM
Desiree Stone, Campus Mental Health Counselor, UTS


11:45 a.m. – Noon
Break

Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Campus Meetings and Lunch (break-out rooms)

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Session 4: UT System Debrief and Goal-Setting (Summit 1)