When I was in college, I was married. My university mailed every bit of information that pertained to my grades, my financial aid and bills, and my courses directly to me. Nothing passed “Go,” i.e. my parents, and no one collected $200.

Well, the school did. A lot more than $200, too. But that’s neither here nor there.

Once my younger sister – who didn’t run off and elope at 18 – started college she, too, received everything pertaining to her grades and courses; my parents, however, received the bills.

When traditional-aged college students apply for college, the schools and financial aid programs often use the parents’ financial information to determine how much financial aid the student receives.

My marriage didn’t last, but one of the few good things that did come of it was that, because I was married, my university and FAFSA looked at my and my husband’s income – not my parents’ income. The result? I got more financial help.

My sister’s financial aid, on the other hand, was based on my parents’ income. Ah, the joys of not giving in to youthful ignorance, or mania – whichever caused my decision to get married.

*cough*

Anyway, my father has often wondered aloud why colleges are so quick to use the parents’ income to determine how much money a student gets (”They’re your children!” they say), yet they refuse to share the student’s grades and other information with the parents (”They’re adults!” they say).

Such were the thoughts that surfaced in my mind when I heard about the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors recent and unanimously approved policy to “notify student’s parents if their child has mental illness and is deemed a danger to himself or others” (UVa to warn of mental illness signs). I don’t see how this comes as such newsworthy information, given that the article also reminds us “[a]ll public colleges and universities in Virginia are required to approve such a parental notification policy, as per legislation unanimously passed by the General Assembly earlier this year and signed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine in March.”

I have several opinions and thoughts about this policy. I commend the University’s effort to protect all students, especially in light of college- and mental health-related tragedies such as the Seung Hui Cho shooting. At the same time, I wonder how the students – who are 18 years old and older, i.e. adults – are going to feel about having their personal health information revealed – even if it is to their parents.

Sure, the policy states that the University won’t contact parents in the event that such contact could cause the student to harm himself or others, but that in itself poses a whole host of other problems.

When it comes to potential suicide and/or murder, I’m all for an intervention. To me, potential suicide and/or murder are the confidentiality deal breakers. Period. Still, I can’t help but to pause and wonder how the students are going to feel about such personal health information being revealed.

*sigh*

I do hope this works out for the best.

What are your thoughts on it?

The above image is owned by JoshBerglund19 and is being used according to these Creative Commons attributions.

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