In the face of growing concern about student depression and suicides nationwide and on campus, UC Davis will offer new workshops on identifying student depression while also asking faculty members to reach out to overwhelmed students.

"Be alert" was the advice given by Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Judy Sakaki to about 50 new faculty members at an orientation on Monday. "Take the extra minute to reach out to a distracted student. It might make all the difference in the world."

She explained that if a faculty member comes upon a disturbed student — whether in the office, classroom or even around the campus — then he or she should "refer" the student to the campus's Counseling and Psychological Services unit. (See http://caps.ucdavis.edu). Sakaki said this may involve the faculty member calling the unit, having the student call the unit or, in the most extreme case, having the faculty member walk the student to CAPS. Last year, CAPS received about 3,000 student visits.

Sakaki emphasized that faculty are "not alone" and encouraged them to "lean on" campus resources when trouble arises. The key, she said, is to act when the problem is noticed — and sooner rather than later.

To this end, Sakaki said, the campus will take the unprecedented step of offering workshops for faculty members interested in identifying and dealing with stressed-out students. The workshops, she added, will be formally announced in a few weeks. They are tentatively titled, "Distressed and Distressing Students" and "Distressed and Dangerous Students."

"Don't take a chance," said Sakaki, noting UC Davis' reputation as a "familial" place where people help one another. More and more students are experiencing stress and depression, she said, "whether it is based on performance, meeting family expectations or making the most of the college experience."

Davis making strides

In 2004-05, UC Davis, a campus of 30,000 students, witnessed four or five student suicides — a figure that is not unusual compared to prior years, say campus officials. Also, the count depends on whether a drug overdose is counted as a suicide.

One of those students was Adam Ojakian, a senior who killed himself at school Dec. 17. On Sept. 21, his parents, Victor and Mary Ojakian, appeared before the UC Board of Regents and requested systemwide information to learn more about how many and what kind of students have committed suicide at which campuses, and what safeguards the campuses had in place to protect them.

"We're doing what most people can't and won't do," the Ojakians wrote to the regents. "We're saying, 'It's not over.'"

The Ojakians suggest that all UCs take the types of actions that UC Davis has undertaken to cope with student depression and prevent future suicides.

UC President Robert Dynes has called for a comprehensive review and study of students' mental health needs throughout the UC system. Student regent Adam Rosenthal also has urged Dynes to review students' mental health needs.

Facts about suicide

• The 1997 Big Ten Student Suicide Study found 7.5 suicides per 100,000 college students, compared with a national average of 15 per 100,0000 among a comparable sample of college-age adults.

• Suicide rates among young people tripled between 1952 and 1997.

• Graduate students have a higher rate of suicide than undergraduates.

• 75 to 80 percent of college students who kill themselves are male.

• Mental illness, usually depression, is the cause of 95 percent of college suicides. Substance abuse, anxiety, hopelessness and desperation increase risk.

Sources: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Psychiatric Times and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.