“We Have to Love Our Law Students”

David B. Jaffe, Associate Dean of Student Affairs at American University Washington College of Law, recently penned an article of interest: The Key to Law Student Well-Being? We Have to Love Our Law Students.

Jaffe’s article is about the health and well-being of law students, focusing on mental health and addiction. He offers concrete ideas for faculty, staff, and students at law schools to address student well-being holistically, including:

• Deans: modeling, assessing, and prioritizing student well-being
• Admissions: drawing attention to at-risk students
• Orientation: acknowledging and addressing mental health and substance abuse
• Faculty: opening the door to conversation, being aware of key deadlines, leading meditation
• Attendance: signalling problems with well-being
• Peers: utilizing student peer support networks
• Counseling: offering on-site or making it readily-accessible
• Alcohol: scaling back at school events
• Alumni: raising  voices in support of student well-being

It’s a thoughtful and heart-felt article.

-KitJ