Introduction

According to the World Health Organization (2021), good mental health enables people to realize their potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their communities. Over the past decade, Canadian post-secondary institutions have been reporting increasing concerns around student mental health arising from growing demands for  mental health treatment and support services (Linden et al., 2021).

This trend, alarming in and of itself, should be particularly troubling for us as educators because of the role of well-being in student learning. Students with poorer mental health and well-being, whether they have a diagnosed mental illness or not, are more likely to experience academic difficulties (Eisenberg et al., 2009; Keyes et al., 2012; Mojtabai et al., 2015; Zandvliet et al,. 2019 ). A survey of UPEI students in fall 2020 noted that 63% of respondents reported that they struggled more with their mental health during that semester compared to previous years. Stress, anxiety, worry, and financial pressures remained  top of mind concerns in the summer of 2021 for students (CASA, 2021).  Similar issues of stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties were among the top factors negatively impacting students’ academics with 41.9% saying that stress significantly affected their performance (ACHA-NCHA III, 2019). Recent studies have also helped highlight well-being issues among graduate students, which also reflect concerns associated with anxiety, exhaustion, and stress (Evan et al., 2018;  Levecque et al., 2017; Pyhältö et al., 2012) but also reveal  the importance of supervisory relationships and alignment of expectations (Pyhältö et al, 2012; Barry et al, 2018).

While mental health outcomes stemming from recent world events such as the climate emergency, COVID-19 pandemic, racial tensions and armed conflicts in Afghanistan and Ukraine are concerning, issues associated with declining student mental well-being were clearly present beforehand (MacKean, 2011; Munn, 2019). In short, prioritizing student learning also requires prioritizing student well-being. While well-being has been defined in different ways (Centers for Disease Control, 2018; Hughes & Spanner, 2019), in simple terms, well-being can be described as judging life positively and feeling good.” (Veenhoven, 2008). As we consider these  definitions, it is important to consider that unpleasant affect and experiences are a normal part of life, but from the perspective of health and well-being, we would hope that such experiences are transient and localized.  Critically, engaging students in practices that promote mental health and well-being must go beyond any single campus unit; it is the responsibility of our entire community to contribute to cultural change (Okanagan Charter, 2015).