46 replies to this topic

[TopFrog]

FWST: Troubling suicide trend at TCU

By Bob Ray Sanders
bobray@star-telegram.com

A 19-year-old Texas Christian University honor student from Wichita Falls was found dead in her apartment last month, the victim of "an apparent suicide," according to police.

The cause and manner of death were still listed as "pending" Monday on the Tarrant County medical examiner's website, but if Mackenzie Workman's death is ruled a suicide, it would be the fifth of a TCU student in two years.

One such death of a student, especially at a campus the size of TCU, is disheartening. But to have so many in such a short period of time is alarming. Before the first incident two years ago, there had not been a suicide of a TCU student in 12 years, said Linda Wolszon, director of the university's counseling center. ...

http://www.star-tele...end-at-tcu.html

[NewfoundlandFrog]

TopFrog, on 08 February 2012 - 06:30 AM, said:

FWST: Troubling suicide trend at TCU

By Bob Ray Sanders
bobray@star-telegram.com

A 19-year-old Texas Christian University honor student from Wichita Falls was found dead in her apartment last month, the victim of "an apparent suicide," according to police.

The cause and manner of death were still listed as "pending" Monday on the Tarrant County medical examiner's website, but if Mackenzie Workman's death is ruled a suicide, it would be the fifth of a TCU student in two years.

One such death of a student, especially at a campus the size of TCU, is disheartening. But to have so many in such a short period of time is alarming. Before the first incident two years ago, there had not been a suicide of a TCU student in 12 years, said Linda Wolszon, director of the university's counseling center. ...

http://www.star-tele...end-at-tcu.html

Possible silver lining: A short term "bump"--even as bad as the present one--is not necessarily a "trend". Plus the counseling center might be able to use this to highlight positive strategies beyond just trying to reach depressed students. Most especially other students in the community--not just TCU staff--need to learn what to be vigilant for and how to proactively deal with this.

[Frogs On A Plane]

Ugh oh.

[purpledawg]

Leave it to Bob Ray Sanders to stir the pot.

[YA]

purpledawg, on 08 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

Leave it to Bob Ray Sanders to stir the pot.

I thought the same thing when I saw the author.  I was in a hurry, so I skimmed the piece. But it appeared that he was encouraged that TCU has the resources in place to address the issue.  He went thinking they didn't and it appears to him that they do, which he acknowledged.  

It wasn't a hit piece.

[satis1103]

YA, on 08 February 2012 - 09:35 AM, said:

I thought the same thing when I saw the author.  I was in a hurry, so I skimmed the piece. But it appeared that he was encouraged that TCU has the resources in place to address the issue.  He went thinking they didn't and it appears to him that they do, which he acknowledged.  

It wasn't a hit piece.

Right.  He says:

Quote

To my surprise and delight, I learned from Wolszon that TCU has several programs...

I think that may be surprising to some students too and that's part of the issue.  The best services in the world do no good when people aren't taking advantage of them.

[angelo's frog]

purpledawg, on 08 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

Leave it to Bob Ray Sanders to stir the pot.

Did you even read it?

[SnoSkiDrew]

Tcu's services are great in my experience. When I lost my grandfather during my first semester on campus, the counseling center somehow found out and called two or three times over the course of two weeks to see how I was doing and if I wanted to come in and visit.

[Stiff Arm Frog]

purpledawg, on 08 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

Leave it to Bob Ray Sanders to stir the pot.

No, I think the article is far too rosey.  This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed, but I get the feeling that TCU is still trying to play damage control in the media, instead of trying to fix the problem.

From reading the article it sounds like he only had one source for this piece.  That's something the Skiff would do: call up the administrator and publish the company line.  What he and the Telegram need to do is go out and do some serious investigation.  But all they've done after five suicides is run one fluff piece more than a month after the last tragedy.

The Telegram needs to live up to its journalistic integrity and hammer TCU on this.  That's the best way to make sure the school does something about the problem, instead of trying to sweep it under the rug.  I'm sure the school is concerned how that could reflect on them nationally, but they should be concerned about making sure this doesnt happen again.

[Rose Bowl Frog]

Shocking, a Bob Ray Sanders article not about race.

With that being said, Satan is not some boogeyman who resides in hell right now. He is instead according to Peter walking about on this earth like a roaring lion seeking whomever he can devour, and according to Jesus, a being that only comes to steal kill and destroy and is nothing but a liar.

Satan enters these people and deceives them with his usual lies, and because of the fall of man in Genesis our sinful natures submit to Satan's evil ways. The only way to stop the enemy is to use the authority of Jesus and His name given to us by Him at the end of Mark and the beginning of Acts. Otherwise Satan will just manipulate you and use you for his evil agenda. Satan hates man(because he hates anything created in God's image) so he will do anything to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us. People think that when we do evil Satan likes that person and appreciates it, but that's not true. Satan hates us no matter what we do.

[HFrog1999]

SnoSkiDrew, on 08 February 2012 - 09:53 AM, said:

Tcu's services are great in my experience. When I lost my grandfather during my first semester on campus, the counseling center somehow found out and called two or three times over the course of two weeks to see how I was doing and if I wanted to come in and visit.

That's good.  My Grandfather died my Freshman year at TCU and my speech teacher docked me for an assignment I missed to go to his funeral.  Glad to see an improvement.

[Stiff Arm Frog]

HFrog1999, on 08 February 2012 - 10:33 AM, said:

That's good.  My Grandfather died my Freshman year at TCU and my speech teacher docked me for an assignment I missed to go to his funeral.  Glad to see an improvement.

No, the speech department still sucks.  My freshman year I got sick for a week and had my grade In the class dropped from an A to a B.  it's a worthless department, they have to justify their salary by lowering grades however they can.

[allclearforfrogs]

SnoSkiDrew, on 08 February 2012 - 09:53 AM, said:

Tcu's services are great in my experience. When I lost my grandfather during my first semester on campus, the counseling center somehow found out and called two or three times over the course of two weeks to see how I was doing and if I wanted to come in and visit.

To echo Hfrog, I lost 3 of my grandparents while at TCU. For one of my grandfather's funerals, I got sick off something I ate and had to spend a day in an east texas hospital.   No calls from TCU, no nothing. One of my professors made me bring in a funeral program to prove that's where I was.

So yeah, glad things have improved.

[roddog]

Rose Bowl Frog, on 08 February 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:

Satan enters these people and deceives them with his usual lies, and because of the fall of man in Genesis our sinful natures submit to Satan's evil ways. The only way to stop the enemy is to use the authority of Jesus and His name given to us by Him at the end of Mark and the beginning of Acts. Otherwise Satan will just manipulate you and use you for his evil agenda. Satan hates man(because he hates anything created in God's image) so he will do anything to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us. People think that when we do evil Satan likes that person and appreciates it, but that's not true. Satan hates us no matter what we do.

wow, this gave me goose bumps, rbf is my new favorite poster!

[Spike]

purpledawg, on 08 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

Leave it to Bob Ray Sanders to stir the pot.

I've met him on several occasions, and heard him speak last night. I don't agree with a lot of what he writes, but he's a heck of a nice guy. I think his heart is in the right place even if I don't like his politics. This is a serious issue and anything that can be done to spread the word is good.

Thanks for posting the article Top.

[Westsider]

This rates right up there with EastTexFrog and Broboy making fun of handicapped kids the other day.  It really does change these posters from annoying to pathetic.  EastTexFrog, Broboy Toughguy, and Roddog.  Thank god anonymity protects you.

[Kaiser]

Stiff Arm Frog, on 08 February 2012 - 10:08 AM, said:

No, I think the article is far too rosey.  This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed, but I get the feeling that TCU is still trying to play damage control in the media, instead of trying to fix the problem.

From reading the article it sounds like he only had one source for this piece.  That's something the Skiff would do: call up the administrator and publish the company line.  What he and the Telegram need to do is go out and do some serious investigation.  But all they've done after five suicides is run one fluff piece more than a month after the last tragedy.

The Telegram needs to live up to its journalistic integrity and hammer TCU on this.  That's the best way to make sure the school does something about the problem, instead of trying to sweep it under the rug.  I'm sure the school is concerned how that could reflect on them nationally, but they should be concerned about making sure this doesnt happen again.

TCU should focus less on suicide & more on global warming.

[oldscribe]

angelo, on 08 February 2012 - 09:41 AM, said:

Did you even read it?

Yeah. Bob Ray pointed out that it is a nationwide problem and TCU is going at it correctly....

[oldscribe]

Stiff Arm Frog, on 08 February 2012 - 10:08 AM, said:

No, I think the article is far too rosey.  This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed, but I get the feeling that TCU is still trying to play damage control in the media, instead of trying to fix the problem.

From reading the article it sounds like he only had one source for this piece.  That's something the Skiff would do: call up the administrator and publish the company line.  What he and the Telegram need to do is go out and do some serious investigation.  But all they've done after five suicides is run one fluff piece more than a month after the last tragedy.

The Telegram needs to live up to its journalistic integrity and hammer TCU on this.  That's the best way to make sure the school does something about the problem, instead of trying to sweep it under the rug.  I'm sure the school is concerned how that could reflect on them nationally, but they should be concerned about making sure this doesnt happen again.

Hmmm. What is your problem? Are you blaming TCU, or blaming the S-T? Hmmm?

[ArgyleFrog2010]

Rose Bowl Frog, on 08 February 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:

Shocking, a Bob Ray Sanders article not about race.

With that being said, Satan is not some boogeyman who resides in hell right now. He is instead according to Peter walking about on this earth like a roaring lion seeking whomever he can devour, and according to Jesus, a being that only comes to steal kill and destroy and is nothing but a liar.

Satan enters these people and deceives them with his usual lies, and because of the fall of man in Genesis our sinful natures submit to Satan's evil ways. The only way to stop the enemy is to use the authority of Jesus and His name given to us by Him at the end of Mark and the beginning of Acts. Otherwise Satan will just manipulate you and use you for his evil agenda. Satan hates man(because he hates anything created in God's image) so he will do anything to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us. People think that when we do evil Satan likes that person and appreciates it, but that's not true. Satan hates us no matter what we do.

+1000000000