With the arrival of a new academic year, graduate student leadership is renewing its commitment to improving the lives of students pursuing graduate work at Stanford. This fall, the Graduate Student Council (GSC) says it will prioritize two of the most pressing issues facing students: personal well-being and financial security. Efforts to address these challenges – including two open community meetings – coincide with similar goals established by the university.

For many graduate students, forgoing full-time employment in order to commit to a rigorous graduate program isn’t easy. The personal stress students endure as a result of intense research, demanding schedules, family commitments and more can have major impacts on their mental health.

Research published earlier this year found that graduate students nationwide have a six times greater risk of suffering from anxiety or depression compared with the general population. GSC co-chair Amy Tarangelo said some of the reasons for this include poor relationships with advisers, financial stress and limited access to quality mental health services.

“We would like to work with Stanford to address each of these issues,” Tarangelo said.

The council, she added, will encourage the university to implement mandatory training for advisers in management skills and will advocate for improved departmental policies around addressing harassment and other interpersonal grievances.

“We would also like to see Stanford expand its mental health services at CAPS [and] as part of building a healthier, more supportive campus for all students, we also hope to continue promoting policy changes that improve the diversity and inclusivity of our campus,” she said.

The council’s goals align with some initiatives already established by the university. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) recently welcomed a new director. This fall, the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs (VPSA) will launch a mental health and well-being task force co-chaired by Dr. Jim Jacobs, executive director of Vaden Health Center, and Ken Hsu, assistant vice provost and head of the Graduate Life Office. Construction of the Escondido Village Graduate Residences, which will add housing for more than 2,400 graduate students, and a new Children’s Center slated to open later this year will help address concerns about affordability.

Despite these gains, Tarangelo said the GSC will continue to press for further improvements.

The council, in collaboration with the Office of the Vice Provost of Graduate Education (VPGE) and VPSA, will host an open community meeting to discuss mental health on Wednesday, Oct. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Graduate Community Center.

Tarangelo said the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing in the Bay Area is another major contributor to graduate student stress. Even on campus, she said, rising housing costs are outpacing the annual increase in stipends, meaning that many students end up with less and less money every year.

“We would like to work with the university to set minimum stipend levels and institute fixed yearly increases in stipend rates,” she said, adding that annual stipend increases should be made to outpace the rising costs of on-campus housing.

The council also plans to urge the university to invest in future construction projects that maximize the amount of on-campus housing available to graduate students, including graduate students with dependents. “We will also continue fighting for affordable child care and child care subsidies for students with dependents,” Tarangelo said.

The council, VPGE and VPSA will co-host a second open community meeting to discuss affordability on Tuesday, Nov. 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Graduate Community Center.

Anyone interested in attending the open community meetings is asked to RSVP.

More information about the Graduate Student Council is available online.