University of Rochester's Quadcast UR Communications

In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans committed suicide. The strongest increase is in the rate for girls aged 10 to 14. Kathleen Baynes, an assistant professor of psychiatry and a psychiatrist at UR Medicine Mental Health & Wellness, Michael Scharf, chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and Cassie Glenn, an assistant professor of psychology and psychiatry and faculty member at the URMC Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, talk about trying to stem the tide.

As Rochester prepares for its 169th Commencement, four graduating students talk about their aspirations for the future and share some of their favorite memories as YellowJackets. From favorite professors to landing the dream job, Class of 2019 members Gillian Gingher, Gabriel Guisado, Beatriz Gil, and Benton Gordon use this memorable milestone to look forward—and look ahead. Meliora!

Higher education is often thought of as the place where students expand their minds and prepare themselves for their lives and careers. That often means freedom of inquiry and freedom of speech. For some, the tenets of the First Amendment are sacrosanct. Others consider free speech at its strongest when we protect more marginalized and vulnerable voices. Dean of students Matt Burns and political science professor David Primo shed light on this growing debate.

From smartphones and social media to online learning and virtual reality, digital technologies are changing the ways we connect with each other and interact with our world. Students on today's college campuses are digital natives and bring with them expectations when it comes to learning and interacting on electronic platforms. Joan Rubin, Jayne Lammers, and Emily Sherwood discuss being educators and being human in the digital age.

If you look at social media, or just simply read, watch, or listen to the news, it’s easy to get the sense that America is more polarized than ever. Three university experts: Joan Saab, David Primo, and Kevin Meuwissen discuss the nature of America's current political and social divide and offer ideas on how higher education might help bridge the widening gap.

Professor of religion and classics Nora Rubel, assistant professor of history Thomas Fleischman, and assistant professor of psychology Laura Elenbaas sit down for an academic and interdisciplinary conversation about how we understand hate and intolerance. Together, they discuss recent incidents of racism and antisemitism and offer insights from their fields.