A university counseling center (UCC) provides mental health and other services within a university or college environment. The need for these services is on the rise. Counseling center directors and other student affairs personnel have reported an increase in the mental health needs of college students, with issues like eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse/dependence, severe depression/anxiety, suicidality, and sexual assault becoming more prevalent in this environment. Among Big Ten Conference universities, directors report a 42% increase in the number of students seen at their counseling centers. In a summary of recent survey data, Duenwald also reports that the use of psychiatric medication has increased almost 10% among college students since the year 2000. May (2003) finds that a UCC will typically work with 15-20% of students at colleges and 8-12% at a university. Given these numbers, May recommends 1 counselor per 600 students in colleges and a 1:1000 ratio in universities with an average of 5 to 6 sessions per student.
UCCs generally offer a variety of services including individual and group counseling, psychodiagnostic testing, alcohol and other drug counseling/evaluation, crisis assistance, campus outreach programs, consultation services, and graduate student training. Though services primarily target mental health problems (i.e., anxiety, depression), students also utilize counseling services to enhance areas of their life, including relationships, career/vocational choices, academic and athletic performance, and exploring psychological strengths. Lehigh University Counseling and Psychological Services (UCPS) is an example of a university counseling center.
Another example of a university counseling center is the University of California, Irvine Counseling Center. In addition to the services mentioned above, the center also offers Peer Programs. Peer Programs offered by the UCI Counseling Center include C.O.A.C.H, The Peer Educator Program, and the LGBTQ Mentorship Program. In these programs, students receive services not from licensed health professionals, but from other students at UCI who have assumed these helping roles. This is a different approach to counseling for students who find more comfort in speaking with fellow peers who they can more easily relate with. Each program has a different focus, whether it be group-based, individual-based, or special needs-based; but all have the same goal—to promote student mental health and well-being in all aspects of life.
in 2021, a study was released where campus counseling was found to not be as effective for students with disabilities and psychiatric disabilities.
History
Early to mid 1940s: University counseling centers began formal operations, responding to the increasing educational and vocational needs of returning veterans of World War II.
1950: The Association of College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD) was established in 1950 by a group of mid-western college and university counseling directors. Dr. Ralph Birdie, director of the Student Counseling Bureau at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis hosted the first conference on the UM campus. Annual meetings were hosted throughout the 1950s by several universities including the University of Illinois, Michigan State, The Ohio State University, State University of Iowa, University of Missouri, and the University of Minnesota. In the early days, the organization was referred to as the Annual Conference of college and University Counseling Directors. Conference attendance was based on invitation from participants and grew over time as directors around the country developed collegial relationships with each other. Initially membership was primarily drawn from mid-western institutions, but eventually the annual conference became a national affiliation of directors.
Following World War II, counseling centers were established in response to the educational and vocational needs of returning veterans. Directors were pioneering the development of organized counseling units and recognized their need to "talk shop" - to exchange information with each other and to develop a practical knowledge base on how to best to serve students. They gathered to discuss organizational issues, to share experience about how to work effectively with campus administration, and to discuss the nature of the work with students. An integral part of the annual meeting was the opportunity to develop and nourish collegial friendships through work and recreation in a restful setting.