Dear Dartmouth community members,

The creation and cultivation of an environment where students can reach their potential is essential to our mission, and supporting student mental health and well-being is foundational to achieving this goal.

Commitment to Care, our strategic plan for supporting student mental health and well-being, strives through a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to create a campus culture where students feel valued and empowered, and where they have the resources they need to maintain their health and well-being. The plan commits to specific and immediate actions as well as long-term initiatives that will assess and strengthen the academic ecosystem, physical infrastructure, student support systems, and our campus community. At Dartmouth, our vision is to be a caring, inclusive community that prioritizes mental health and well-being and equips all students with the resources and skills to thrive on campus and beyond. 

Commitment to Care, which consolidates significant progress Dartmouth has made recently— including 24/7 teletherapy, a new Time Away for Medical Reasons policy, and the elimination of infirmary charges—has five strategic goals that will: 

1. Center well-being in all we do, both inside and outside the classroom;

2. Create an inclusive community to foster mental health and well-being for students with diverse lived experiences;

3. Equip students with the resources and skills to navigate both success and failure with strength and confidence;

4. Proactively work with those experiencing mental illness to aid students in reaching their goals;

5. Invest in innovative applications of evidence-based approaches to respond to changing environments and needs.

To ensure meaningful progress, we will assess outcomes regularly, with a focus on metrics and data analysis by a dedicated working group.

This plan is the culmination of widespread effort, and we want to thank all those who played a part, especially the undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students who dedicated countless hours serving on committees, attending focus groups, and reviewing and vetting this plan. In addition, we want to express our appreciation to Geisel School of Medicine Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Matt Duncan, and JED Campus Project Coordinator Katie Lenhoff, for their dedication and leadership in bringing this plan to fruition.

Dartmouth's mission is to prepare students for a lifetime of learning and of responsible leadership. Through this plan and the work ahead, we will enable more students to realize this aspiration and to reach their potential. Each one of us can make a difference in the life of a student or peer, and we hope this plan will serve as a guide as we continue this important work.

Sincerely,

Sian Leah Beilock

President

David Kotz '86

Provost