journal_vol49no3 - 20

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected campus housing operations
on multiple levels as most colleges and universities made strides to meet
the expectations of operations for institutions of higher education set forth
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . . .
were more likely to blame workplace conditions for causing or exacerbating an illness
and were twice as likely to complain of stress or anxiety and depression-related illness
than was the general population.
According to some studies, the levels of stress in academic staff at higher education
institutions are higher than in other populations, and that trend has increased
significantly since the late 1980s (Winefield & Jarrett, 2001). This is likely due to
their having a number of competing responsibilities, such as teaching, research,
scholarship, and making requests for funding (Abouserie, 1996). In fact, 74% of
staff in one study were moderately stressed, and almost 15% were seriously stressed,
with lecturers being the most adversely affected, followed by professors and research
assistants (Abouserie, 1996). Similar research conducted by Lease (1999) indicated
that the effect of stress on university staff is also detrimental to students. While some
research on university staff and mental health does exist, it is almost always focused
on faculty; few studies focus on the mental health and well-being of university administrators
and practitioners.
COVID-19 IMPACTS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF UNIVERSITY
HOUSING STAFF
The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected university housing operations on multiple
levels as most colleges and universities made strides to meet the expectations of operations
for institutions of higher education set forth by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, which offered pandemic recommendations such as moving to single
occupancy rooms; instituting masking policies; restricting visitation and minimizing
resident interactions; eliminating gatherings, programs, and events; and increasing
the cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces in the residence halls (CDC, 2021).
Since most university housing staff across all levels had to scramble to make the
necessary adjustments to continue operations, it was no surprise that the pandemic
also likely increased their levels of stress and depression, which is a key concern in
more vulnerable populations (Wang et al., 2020). While few studies have addressed
the impact of the pandemic on university housing staffs' mental health and well-being,
several have addressed the impact of COVID-19 on the general population's mental
health and well-being: increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, primarily
as a result of different psychosocial stressors such as the general disruption of people's
lives, the fear of contracting the illness, and concerns about negative economic
effects (Moreno et al., 2020).
Volume 49, No. 3 * 2023 17
journal_vol49no3

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