By: Pat Manley

Pat Manley
Thu, 15 Feb 2018 12:25:29 +0000

I am in favor of mental health services for students. This has been available for many years at Ohio State and should be a part of student health. My concern is that the university, like many other institutes of higher learning across the nation, is increasingly preoccupied with programs that are driven more by a political agenda (including federal mandates) rather than education and career preparedness.

These programs divert millions of dollars away from student services and ultimately drive up tuition, which despite claims to the contrary, is no longer affordable for many lower and middle class families. I know this first hand from the influx of top high school students into community colleges, such as Columbus State, where I teach part-time. I can’t help but wonder what impact high college expenses have on the mental health of those who struggle to pay for college? I know it was very stressful for me at the time and I see it in many of my own students.

Pat Manley
Candidate for U.S. Congress
Ohio’s 12th Congressional District