UK president addresses deaths of two students since semester began

University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto is urging students to get the mental health resources they need after two student deaths this month.

“Such losses of people so absurdly young and so remarkably full of promise makes dimmer our community spirit and makes heavy our individual hearts,” Capilouto wrote in a campuswide email on Friday. “As you cope with loss and pain, we insist that you consider seeking assistance across the multitude of resources available to you in our shared space,” referring to a website that lists numerous mental health resources on campus.

On Jan. 8, Taylor Rae Nolan, 19, died. The death was later confirmed a suicide by the coroner’s office, according to the Kentucky Kernel. Nolan was a member of the Chi Omega sorority and had been part of student government on campus.

On Wednesday, freshman Sean Culley, also 19, died in an incident at Jewell Hall. UK officials said foul play was not suspected. Culley was an engineering student from New Jersey.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students after traffic accidents, and nationally, suicides have increased among all age groups.

In Kentucky, the overall suicide rate climbed 36 percent between 1999 and 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Lexington, Coroner Gary Ginn said last week that he was concerned about the suicides of five children under the age of 14 in the last year.

Depression among college students has also risen, according to the National College Health Assessment, and about one in 12 students has a suicide plan.

That’s why many schools have set up resource and action centers, like UK’s Community of Concern, which allows faculty, staff and students to contact school officials about people who may be in trouble.

The number of referrals has increased between 38 percent and 40 percent each of the past two years. In 2017-2018, 1,139 cases were created for UK students; the most common concerns were mental health (18 percent), academic stress (10 percent) and excessive class absences (9 percent). Suicidal thoughts or attempts made up 7 percent of the referrals.

Capilouto said that UK will be holding more meetings in residence halls and other group spaces about available mental health resources.

“My hope is that everyone on our campus — no matter who you are, where you are from, what you look like, or what you believe — can know you are not alone,” he wrote.

This story was originally published January 26, 2019 at 12:25 PM.