How do you feel knowing that you’re paying for someone else’s therapist?

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Well, you will be. Starting in the fall and throughout the academic year 2023-24, a sports psychologist will be paid for by anyone taking in-person classes on Oregon State University’s Corvallis campus.

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In February, the Associated Students of OSU Student Fee Committee held a public meeting during their final deliberations of budget requests for the next academic year from student fee-funded entities, one being Intercollegiate Athletics.

 

During the deliberations, the request that an additional sports psychologist – student-athletes have one sports psychologist already – was approved by the SFC, and subsequently, the ASOSU Congress approved this SFC decision.

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To have a sports psychologist, whose salary comes directly out of all students’ pockets, but is only accessible to student-athletes, isn’t fair.

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When the fee request was first voted through by the SFC, student-athlete advocates for funding an additional sports psychologist said that the one psychologist they have was spread too thin. But, this is the nature of mental health resources on campus in general.

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Counseling & Psychological Services availability issues remain a problem, as students in acute mental crisis have to wait weeks to months for an appointment.

 

In a Reddit thread about the sports psychologist’s decision, students shared frustrations about not being able to get timely help for their mental health crises and needs through CAPS.

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Read the full article on The Daily Barometer's website here.