August 16, 2012

Colleges Struggle to Respond to Graduate Students in Distress

Colleges Struggle to Respond to Graduate Students in Distress 1

Courtesy Nick Repak

Nick Repak, executive director of the nonprofit group Grad Resources, started a national crisis line for graduate students in 1999. He was prompted to act by the suicide of a Harvard Ph.D. student who felt oppressed by "abusive research supervisors."

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close Colleges Struggle to Respond to Graduate Students in Distress 1

Courtesy Nick Repak

Nick Repak, executive director of the nonprofit group Grad Resources, started a national crisis line for graduate students in 1999. He was prompted to act by the suicide of a Harvard Ph.D. student who felt oppressed by "abusive research supervisors."

By Stacey Patton

The hundreds of graduate students who called a national crisis hotline during the first six months of this year cited a litany of day-to-day pressures that put them in distress.

Almost 750 graduate students sought help from the 24-hour National Graduate Student Crisis Line (1-800-GRAD-HLP) between January and June, according to records kept by the nonprofit group that operates the hotline.

One female caller pursuing a master's degree said that she felt disrespected by people