The University of Texas System Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) is committed to supporting a robust portfolio of Student Affairs initiatives across the nine academic institutions. OAA routinely convenes institutional Student Affairs representatives on a variety of issues including the Disability Officers, Enrollment Management personnel, and the Student Government Association representatives.
Student Affairs Initiatives
Student Leadership Opportunities
Mental Health Initiatives
In 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2018, the University of Texas System’s Board of Regents approved allocations totaling just under $12m to fund 9 different campus-based student safety, mental health, and substance use-related programs. In 2022, the Board allocated another $16.5 million to continue and expand the programs described below. These programs are the result of the UT System’s commitment to support well-being at all of its academic and health institutions.
Expanding Clinical Mental Health Services to U.T. System Students via Telehealth Support
TimelyCare is a virtual mental health and well-being platform for currently enrolled students at academic and health institutions in the U.T. System. Through the mobile app or desktop, students receive 24/7 access to virtual care through phone or secure video visits. Scheduled Counseling and Psychiatry visits are available to students anywhere in the United States and additional services such as TalkNow, Health Coaching, Self-Care Content and Peer Communities can be accessed anywhere in the world. TimelyCare providers offer support in over 240 languages. For more information, please reference the U.T. System press releases UT System Regents invest in new student mental health resources and TimelyCare: Extending Beyond the Traditional in Service to Texas Students.
Faculty and Staff Training for Suicide Prevention
This initiative provides U.T. System campuses with an in-person training program for recognizing and responding to students in distress and preventing suicide. The in-person train-the-trainer program will provide comprehensive training in a public health approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention and group facilitation for faculty and staff. These faculty and staff members will be equipped to train other facilitators who can deliver an in-person suicide prevention and distress intervention workshop on their campus. Campus-based training will begin in Fall 2024. Phase two of this initiative includes expanding this training to an online platform. Both of these training modalities will equip campuses to effectively respond to students’ mental health needs and increase the likelihood of a meaningful connection with appropriate professional resources.
After-Hours Crisis Counseling Services for U. T. System Academic and Health Institutions
ProtoCall provides telephone intake assistance, assessment, stabilization, support, and referral services to students experiencing mental health crises, customized for each academic and health institution. The after-hours crisis support is an important tool in making mental health resources available to U.T. System students 24/7/365.
Web-based Alcohol Education and Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention for Students, Faculty, and Staff at U.T. System Academic and Health Institutions
Vector provides web-based alcohol and sexual assault prevention education designed specifically for college students. The alcohol course, AlcoholEDU, is proven to reduce dangerous alcohol use and alcohol-related harm and increase the use of protective factors. The sexual assault prevention courses are Title IX compliant, fulfill educational requirements found in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Texas State Law, and satisfy NCAA requirements for sexual assault training. This program offers an effective and cost-efficient way to reach all our students.
Thrive at U.T. App
Thrive at U.T., available for free to U.T. System students on iPhone and Android devices, was designed by the Counseling and Mental Health Center at U.T. Austin and has been adapted for each academic and health institution. Thrive at U.T. helps students improve their well-being in various domains including expanding social connections, challenging negative thoughts, and managing difficult moods. Videos of student stories help normalize common challenges while interactive exercises help students identify how to plug various concepts into their unique challenges. The app was designed around students’ busy lifestyles. After a short engagement within the app, daily reminders provide recommendations for brief, in-the-moment actions that, over time, help students integrate newly acquired skills into their routines.
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