The levels of crime and substance use that an IHE experiences are strongly correlated to school-wide test scores, graduation rates, and attendance rates. On campuses with higher levels of collective hostility — as measured by student reports of feeling unsafe, the presence of gangs, and fighting between different groups of students — college student achievement suffers.
Student mental health is a growing concern for colleges and universities. College students face a range of mental health challenges, including stress, anxiety, and depression, which can negatively impact their emotional and physical safety, academic performance, and overall well-being. Programs and practices that support student mental health play an important role in creating a safe and supportive campus climate. This includes dedicated mental health services and resources as well as fostering emotional support between student peers and faculty/staff. Students who have positive relationships with faculty members, mentors, and peers are less likely to report frequent emotional stress than students without such supportive relationships.
Thirteen percent of college students report experiencing sexual violence during their time in higher education, including one in every four college women and more than 20 percent of transgender and nonbinary undergraduates. Typically, IHEs with a positive climate strive to prevent all forms of sexual violence, including threats, harassment, stalking, and sexual assault.
