THE SEAHAWK/SEPTEMBER 1 S, ZOOI
John Foster
Allison Knight
Students prone to depression Caution, awareness crucial
during hurricane season
dence halls and academic areas are cleared
and sealed during an evacuation. The po
lice keep the campus secure, complete
with inspection teams and engineers.
“Through this policy, houses as well as
furniture are secured before the storm, and
the safety of residents can be guaranteed,”
Riley said.
In the event of a hurricane, the Direc
tor of Environmental Health and Safety,
Stan Hartz and volunteers make available
resources in the event of an emergency re
covery.
“It is the task of Stan Harts to make
changes to the original plan as the hurri
cane progresses,” Riley said.
Police, maintenance men, grounds
keepers, mechanics, heating and air repair
men and electricians all work to restore
the campus after a hurricane hits. The En
vironmental Health and Safety Agency
monitors science buildings, prevents loss
of ventilation, and inspect buildings for
damage.
After the hurricane, students can find
out information about the current status
of the area, when to return to campus and
when classes will begin at the Hurricane
Hotline, 962-3991.
To find out more information about the
evacuation policy, contact Senior Manage
ment at 962-3151.
Campus life and class demands add
hundreds of pounds to the weight that
already looms around the necks of col
lege students, but too much stress can
be dangerous.
Depression is a mental disorder that
affects brain function and motor coor
dination skills. College students make
up a large part of the people suffering
from clinical depression, especially un
dergraduates.
“I see less graduates than under
graduates,” said Jim Cuomo, a licensed
clinical social worker.
Cuomo has specialized in psychiatric
treatment since 1971. He estimates that
three out of four of his clients suffer
from depression.
Assistant Director of Counseling Dee
Casey warns that some individuals may
have a certain brain chemistry that is
susceptible to depression. People who
have relatives who suffer from depres
sion are at a higher risk of developing
the disorder.
Common causes of depression in
clude the loss of a loved one, relation
ship trouble and news of a life threaten
ing medical condition. Depression can
also manifest from minor blues, such as
homesickness.
“However the symptoms of depres
sion can be the same as certain medical
conditions, such as dysfunctional Thy
roid gland,” Cuomo said. “A physical
exam is always a good idea.”
Cuomo speculates that there is no sig
nificant part of the UNCW population
that is affected more than any other.
However, most people suffering from
depression don’t come to a counselor
early enough.
“Sometimes when people are de
pressed they feel so low, they don’t even
feel like getting help,” Casey said.
Therapists at the counseling center
can help students battle depression.
UNCW is prepared for students suf
fering depression. The Resident Assis
tants at each Residence Hall are trained
to notice the signs of depression. Coun
selors as well as medical consultants are
available at the Health and Wellness
center.
For more information about depres
sion contact the Counseling Center at
962-3746.
Signs of depression
♦ Inability to concentrate
♦ Diminished or increased
appetite
Crying spells
♦ Suicidal thoughts with
or without plan
♦ Loss of energy and/or
fatigue
♦Diminished motivation
and pleasure in daily life
♦ Sleep disturbances
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The threat of storms looms during hur
ricane season, but that threat peaks in Sep
tember, the most active month for tropical
weather.
Hurricane evacuation policies are a pre
caution at UNCW that have been integrated
into the curriculum for many years now.
In case of a storm, safety measures are ex
ercised to reflect the students’ best inter-
Educational buildings and residential
halls used to be boarded up, but in recent
years it has become evident that evacua
tion of the campus is a much safer proce
dure. The hurricane evacuation policy be
came formal in 1999 when Hurricane Hugo
hit Charleston.
The hurricane policy is set up by the Ad
ministration of Environmental Health and
Safety. Under the policy, students are al
lowed to leave during the voluntary evacu
ation of the beaches.
“The debriefing of this new policy of
fers a wider opportunity for students to
evacuate,” Assistant Chief of Police Ma
jor Bob Riley said
In case of an evacuation,
a student who does not have
previous access to a house
that is inland should contact
the Dean of Students Office.
They have a list of potential
host families. Resident stu
dents should leave a contact
source for parents with their
resident assistants or resi
dent coordinator.
“There is plenty of warn
ing and ways to prepare for
the hurricane,” Riley said.
When a hurricane is an
nounced, the police move to
the Command Center in the
University Union. They
transfer phones and com
munication equipment and
operate out of the Command
Center.
The dorms are shut down
during evacuation. Resi-
NOAA satellite image of 1999’s powerful Hurricane
Floyd as it headed toward the east coast.
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