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UNC Chapel Hill canceled classes Tuesday for 'Wellness Day' after suicide investigations

Virus Outbreak UNC Cluster
Posted at 4:56 PM, Oct 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-12 16:56:15-04

The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill canceled classes Tuesday to observe "Wellness Day."

The announcement comes after the school lost two students to suicide in the past month.

"We are in the middle of a mental health crisis, both on our campus and across our nation, and we are aware that college-aged students carry an increased risk of suicide," said Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz in a statement. "This crisis has directly impacted members of our community -- especially with the passing of two students on campus in the past month."

The letter to students from Guskiewicz was sent on Sunday, which was World Mental Health Day.

According to ABC News, the university's police department reported that they responded to suicide at the Forest Theater on Sept. 4 and Saturday at the Hinton James Residence Hall.