Category: student support

Higher education needs a plan in place for student “pastoral” use of AI

With 18 per cent of students reporting mental health difficulties, a figure which has tripled in just seven years, universities are navigating a crisis.

The student experience can compound many of the risk factors for poor mental health – from managing constrained budgets and navigating the cost of learning crisis, to moving away from established support systems, and balancing high-stakes assessment with course workload and part-time work.

In response, universities provide a range of free support services, including counselling and wellbeing provision, alongside specialist mental health advisory services. But if we’re honest, these services are under strain. Despite rising expenditure, they’re still often under-resourced, overstretched, and unable to keep pace with growing demand. With staff-student ratios at impossible levels and wait times for therapeutic support often exceeding ten weeks, some students are turning to alternatives for more immediate care.

And in this void, artificial intelligence is stepping in. While ChatGPT-written essays dominate the sector’s AI discussions, the rise of “pastoral AI” highlights a far more urgent and overlooked AI use case – with consequences more troubling than academic misconduct.

Affective conversations

For the uninitiated, the landscape of “affective” or “pastoral” AI is broad. Mainstream tools like Microsoft’s Copilot or OpenAI’s ChatGPT are designed for productivity, not emotional support. Yet research suggests that users increasingly turn to them for exactly that – seeking help with breakups, mental health advice, and other life challenges, as well as essay writing. While affective conversations may account for only a small proportion of overall use (under three per cent in some studies), the full picture is poorly understood.

Then there are AI “companions” such as Replika or Character.AI – chatbots built specifically for affective use. These are optimised to listen, respond with empathy, offer intimacy, and provide virtual friendship, confidants, or even “therapy”.

This is not a fringe phenomenon. Replika claims over 25 million users, while Snapchat’s My AI counts more than 150 million. The numbers are growing fast. As the affective capacity of these tools improves, they are becoming some of the most popular and intensively used forms of generative AI – and increasingly addictive.

A recent report found that users spend an average of 86 minutes a day with AI companions – more than on Instagram or YouTube, and not far behind TikTok. These bots are designed to keep users engaged, often relying on sycophantic feedback loops that affirm worldviews regardless of truth or ethics. Because large language models are trained in part through human feedback, its output is often highly sycophantic – “agreeable” responses which are persuasive and pleasing – but these can become especially risky in emotionally charged conversations, especially with vulnerable users.

Empathy optimisations

For students already experiencing poor mental health, the risks are acute. Evidence is emerging that these engagement-at-all-costs chatbots rarely guide conversations to a natural resolution. Instead, their sycophancy can fuel delusions, amplify mania, or validate psychosis.

Adding to these concerns, legal cases and investigative reporting are surfacing deeply troubling examples: chatbots encouraging violence, sending unsolicited sexual content, reinforcing delusional thinking, or nudging users to buy them virtual gifts. One case alleged a chatbot encouraged a teenager to murder his parents after they restricted his screen time; another saw a chatbot advise a fictional recovering meth addict to take a “small hit” after a bad week. These are not outliers but the predictable by-products of systems optimised for empathy but unbound by ethics.

And it’s young people who are engaging with them most. More than 70 per cent of companion app users are aged 18 to 35, and two-thirds of Character.AI’s users are 18 to 24 – the same demographic that makes up the majority of our student population.

The potential harm here is not speculative. It is real and affecting students right now. Yet “pastoral” AI use remains almost entirely absent from higher education’s AI conversations. That is a mistake. With lawsuits now spotlighting cases of AI “encouraged” suicides among vulnerable young people – many of whom first encountered AI through academic use – the sector cannot afford to ignore this.

Paint a clearer picture

Understanding why students turn to AI for pastoral support might help. Reports highlight loneliness and vulnerability as key indicators. One found that 17 per cent of young people valued AI companions because they were “always available,” while 12 per cent said they appreciated being able to share things they could not tell friends or family. Another reported that 12 per cent of young people were using chatbots because they had no one else to talk to – a figure that rose to 23 per cent among vulnerable young people, who were also more likely to use AI for emotional support or therapy.

We talk often about belonging as the cornerstone of student success and wellbeing – with reducing loneliness a key measure of institutional effectiveness. Pastoral AI use suggests policymakers may have much to learn from this agenda. More thinking is needed to understand why the lure of an always-available, non-judgemental digital “companion” feels so powerful to our students – and what that tells us about our existing support.

Yet AI discussions in higher education remain narrowly focused, on academic integrity and essay writing. Our evidence base reflects this: the Student Generative AI Survey – arguably the best sector-wide tool we have – gives little attention to pastoral or wellbeing-related uses. The result is, however, that data remains fragmented and anecdotal on this area of significant risk. Without a fuller sector-specific understanding of student pastoral AI use, we risk stalling progress on developing effective, sector-wide strategies.

This means institutions need to start a different kind of AI conversation – one grounded in ethics, wellbeing, and emotional care. It will require drawing on different expertise: not just academics and technologists, but also counsellors, student services staff, pastoral advisers, and mental health professionals. These are the people best placed to understand how AI is reshaping the emotional lives of our students.

Any serious AI strategy must recognise that students are turning to these tools not just for essays, but for comfort and belonging too, and we must offer something better in return.

If some of our students find it easier to confide in chatbots than in people, we need to confront what that says about the accessibility and design of our existing support systems, and how we might improve and resource them. Building a pastoral AI strategy is less about finding a perfect solution, but more about treating pastoral AI seriously, as a mirror which reflects back at us student loneliness, vulnerabilities, and institutional support gaps. These reflections should push us to re-centre these experiences, to reimagine our pastoral support provision, into an image that’s genuinely and unapologetically human.

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October 1, 2025
Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom: A Faculty Guide to Compassionate Engagement – Faculty Focus

In recent years, higher education has witnessed a surge in conversations around student mental health. National surveys consistently report escalating rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness among college students (American College Health Association 2023). Yet despite these growing concerns, faculty remain largely underprepared to intervene effectively. While staff in student affairs and counseling centers are often trained in mental health response and early intervention, faculty are frequently left out of these critical conversations. This divide has resulted in a persistent gap—both in knowledge and in action.

Studies show that students are more likely to exhibit early signs of distress in the classroom than in other campus spaces, making faculty key frontline responders (Lipson et al., 2022). However, faculty often report feeling ill-equipped or unsure about how to identify mental health concerns or refer students appropriately. A 2020 national survey of faculty found that only 51% felt confident in recognizing when a student might need help, and fewer than 30% had received any formal training (NASPA, 2020). In addition, given the other responsibilities to achieve tenure, it can be challenging to know how to prioritize a list of competing needs.

Despite the increase in mental health programming across universities, little has changed in how faculty are prepared to support students. Institutions often prioritize staff development in these areas, assuming counseling centers or student affairs teams will manage the bulk of mental health interventions. However, without better integration of faculty into institutional wellbeing strategies, students may continue to fall through the cracks.

Recognizing the Signs: What Faculty Can Do

Common signs of student distress—frequent absences, changes in participation, disorganized thinking, or emotional outbursts—often surface in classroom settings. While faculty are not expected to diagnose or treat mental health conditions, being able to recognize these red flags and respond appropriately can be lifesaving.

It is important for faculty to understand their role in the broader system of care: to notice, approach with compassion, and refer. The role does not include functioning as a therapist. Each faculty member has been socialized in their respective fields for several years. That training should not be set aside. Rather, learning how to refer students is vital. Still, the referral process can be opaque. Many faculty are unaware of what services are available, who to call, or what their responsibility is after making a referral. Closing this knowledge gap requires clear, accessible systems—and consistent faculty inclusion in mental health trainings and initiatives.

From Concern to Connection: The Power of Referral

Faculty can make a difference by normalizing help-seeking behavior and offering concrete pathways to support. A simple statement like, “I’ve noticed you seem a bit off lately—are you okay? If you’d like, I can help you find someone to talk to,” can build trust and remove stigma. Learning the language of how to intervene can help facilitate the appropriate connection to campus services. The goal is to get students connected to care in ways that faculty can provide.

The Divide Between Faculty and Staff

Staff members in counseling services and student affairs are trained in trauma-informed practices, crisis response, and developmental theory. Faculty, by contrast, are rarely required to learn these skills, even as they face growing demands to support student wellbeing.

This disconnect is structural, not personal. The division between academic and student affairs has long been a feature of higher education. Yet if we are to meet the holistic needs of students, institutions must actively dismantle these silos and build collaborative, cross-functional approaches to care. Faculty should be partners in designing wellbeing strategies, not peripheral to them.

Supporting Faculty Mental Health

It’s also essential to acknowledge that faculty are under pressure too. Burnout, compassion fatigue, and rising expectations in teaching and service can make it difficult to engage in additional emotional labor. Supporting student mental health cannot come at the expense of faculty wellbeing. It should also be noted that female presenting faculty are more likely to be approached by students to share about their mental health. Female presenting faculty may be carrying the additional stress of trying to help students in addition to their other duties.

Institutions must invest in faculty support systems—professional development, access to mental health resources, and workload adjustments—to ensure sustainable engagement. Training in student mental health should be framed not as an added burden, but as a shared responsibility that supports teaching, learning, and community resilience.

Toward a Culture of Care

UMBC is advancing a “Culture of CARE” that centers equity, resilience, and connection across the campus experience. For faculty, this means being empowered to recognize when students need help, equipped with tools to respond appropriately, and connected to a broader network of care. It also means ensuring that faculty themselves are cared for, supported, and not left to carry this burden alone.

As the Assistant Vice President for health and wellbeing, I enjoy assisting in bridging the divide between faculty and staff. By embedding mental health into the culture of higher education, we can create campuses where everyone—students and educators alike—can thrive.

Dr. Rae Chresfield is a higher education leader with over 15 years of experience in mental health, wellbeing, and student support. A first-generation college graduate, she began her academic journey at Coastal Carolina Community College and earned a B.S. in Behavioral Science from the University of Maryland University College, an M.A. in Mental Health and Wellness from NYU, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from SUNY Buffalo.

Dr. Chresfield has held progressive leadership roles in higher education, including Director of Counseling Services, Associate Dean of Health and Wellness, and Assistant Professor. She currently serves as the inaugural Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellbeing at UMBC, where she leads strategic efforts to embed a holistic Culture of CARE across campus. Her work focuses on integrated service delivery and bridging the gap between mental health professionals and institutional leadership.

Widely known as “Dr. Rae,” she is recognized for her compassionate approach and commitment to student-centered systems that support wellbeing, equity, and resilience.

References

American College Health Association. 2023. National College Health Assessment: Spring 2023 Reference Group Data Report. Silver Spring, MD: ACHA.

Lipson, Sarah K., Laura H. Eisenberg, and Daniel Eisenberg. 2022. “Faculty and Mental Health: Knowledge, Confidence, and Responsibility.” Journal of American College Health 70(6): 1491–1500. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1909043.

NASPA. 2020. The Role of Faculty in Student Mental Health: Results of a National Survey. Washington, DC: NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

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May 23, 2025
Lessons from innovating in our student support model

Over the last ten years – and particularly since the pandemic – the complexity of student wellbeing issues in higher education has increased significantly. It became clear to us at the University of Exeter that the traditional model of academic tutoring alone was no longer sufficient to meet the needs of our students.

Like many other higher education institutions, we had long utilised an academic support model where most academic staff were allocated groups of tutees to provide both academic and pastoral support alongside a range of professional services in areas such as welfare, wellbeing, accessibility and financial support. Our review and research into higher education institutions best practice – both in the UK and internationally, and drawing on approaches from schools and further education providers, identified a clear need for dedicated expertise to provide pastoral support at Exeter.

This led to the development of our Pastoral Mentor model, which we began piloting in autumn 2023. By 1 August 2025, we will have rolled out Pastoral Mentors to every department. Our model was described briefly in Wonkhe last year but you can also read more about it in the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. In summary, Pastoral Mentors are dedicated, non-teaching student support staff embedded in departments, serving as a friendly first point of contact for students facing challenges affecting their studies. They proactively reach out to students based on engagement and attainment data, offer a non-judgmental space for conversations, and connect students with specialist support services as needed. Our pastoral mentors work closely with discipline based staff and wider support services to identify the best way to assist students and ensure that the help they need is connected and timely.

Lessons from transformation

While institutions will adopt different approaches to student support, in this piece we reflect on what we’ve learned from implementing institutional change at Exeter, and share the key principles which underpin our model – offering insights we hope will be useful for others working in this space.

Early identification is key. The earlier students identify they are struggling the easier it is to provide support and put remedies in place. Often, the causes of student failure and drop out begin as relatively low-level challenges, but these can escalate over time – non-attendance leads to missed submissions, which in turn result in failed modules, referrals and potentially withdrawal. If we can identify students whose attendance pattern drops early and support them to get back into the classroom, we can mitigate against many of these larger issues.

Data is key to this. All institutions now hold large amounts of data on our students; attendance, engagement with the VLE, submissions, grades. We need to use this to support students and at Exeter we developed a bespoke engagement dashboard to enable us to identify students who might be struggling.

Clear lines of responsibility are vital. It’s no good having access to data if it’s not clear who is going to act on it. Our Pastoral Mentors are responsible for using the engagement dashboard to identify students of concern and do the initial reach out. They then are responsible for linking students who require more specialist support with the correct service, not just telling the student who to contact but in some cases making that contact for them or following up with the student later to ensure they have accessed the support they need. It’s vital that students don’t slip through the net – whether because no one acts on the data or because they fall unnoticed between services.

Clear escalation processes need to be established. It’s critical to have a clear understanding of where one person’s responsibility ends and when a student should be confidently referred to a specialist. We’ve developed well-defined escalation processes so that our Pastoral Mentors don’t feel pressured to take on issues beyond their expertise and remit, and to ensure we make full use of the specialist staff elsewhere in the institution – helping to maintain the integrity of the overall support ecosystem.

Presence is a must. Early feedback from our students’ union and students’ guild highlighted the importance of face-to-face, named support, with students finding it easier to seek help from someone they already know. Our Pastoral Mentors are present in departments, they attend welcome and transition events, informal department gatherings and department social events for students. Students should know who the Pastoral Mentor is before they need help to facilitate that first conversation. As a core part of the education team, Pastoral Mentors also become specialists in the rhythm and challenges of the discipline and can thus provide contextualised support and advice relevant to the students’ programme.

Clarity of message for students is essential. Students are often put off seeking support because they fear disciplinary or fitness to study processes, in particular international students sometimes do not seek support from traditional academic tutors because they do not want to disclose problems to those teaching them or marking their work. Our Pastoral Mentors aim to decouple support from formalised processes around unsatisfactory progress or visa compliance and rather focus on reaching out compassionately, emphasising the importance of a students’ wellbeing and success. Students have reported that this enhanced their sense of belonging and mattering, making it easier to seek support early.

Supporting colleagues through change

Institutional change is never easy and while many staff recognise the need to enhance our student support offer to students, it remains an emotive issue. Some departments embraced the new model from the outset, while others found the transition more difficult. There’s never “enough” evidence, particularly when the change you are implementing is both transformative and innovative.

As academics we often spend a lot of time seeking and compiling evidence to support a theory, but sometimes we have to be brave enough to enact change because it’s the right thing to do and have confidence that we can bring people along over time. If everyone waits for the evidence from others, innovation will never happen. We have found that co-creation is powerful; in order to address the “evidence” challenge, we had to deploy compassion and communication rather than additional data.

We have to meet colleagues where their concerns lie, not t diminish those concerns but to listen to and recognise both the opportunities and risks associated with change. At Exeter, we adopted a phased co-creation model for our Pastoral Mentor approach, being open with departments that we didn’t have all the answers upfront and that we needed to work together to meet students’ needs. Through this iterative approach we were able to take all our departments with us at a pace that suited them and subsequent feedback on the roll out has been overwhelmingly positive.

Student support is an emotive area, and it’s important to recognise existing best practice alongside the benefits of change. While we should acknowledge the great work many have done and continue to do, it is also important to recognise the pressure providing pastoral support can put on colleagues. We were keen to ensure that specialising support wasn’t seen as a criticism but a way to relieve pressure on colleagues and ensure more sustainable support for our whole community.

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May 15, 2025
Effective academic support requires good data transparency

Academic support for students is an essential component of their academic success. At a time when resources are stretched, it is critical that academic support structures operate as a well-oiled machine, where each component has a clearly defined purpose and operates effectively as a whole.

We previously discussed how personal and pastoral tutoring, provided by academic staff, needs to be supplemented by specialist academic support. A natural next step is to consider what that specialist support could look like.

A nested model

We’ve identified four core facets of effective academic support, namely personal tutoring (advising/coaching/mentoring etc), the development of academic skills and graduate competencies, all supported by relevant student engagement data. The nested model below displays this framework.

We also suggest two prerequisites to the provision of academic support.

Firstly, a student must have access to information related to what academic support entails and how to access this. Secondly, a student’s wellbeing means that they can physically, mentally, emotionally and financially engage with their studies, including academic support opportunities.

Figure 1: Academic support aspects within a student success nested model

Focusing on academic support

Personal tutoring has a central role to play within the curriculum and within academic provision more broadly in enabling student success.

That said, “academic support” comprises much more than a personal tutoring system where students go for generic advice and support.

Rather, academic support is an interconnected system with multiple moving parts tailored within each institution and comprising different academic, professional and third-space stakeholders.

Yet academics remain fundamental to the provision of academic support given their subject matter expertise, industry knowledge and their proximity to students. This is why academics are traditionally personal tutors and historically, this is where the academic support model would have ended. Changes in student needs means the nature of personal tutoring has needed to be increasingly complemented by other forms of academic support.

Skills and competencies

Academic skills practitioners can offer rich insights in terms of how best to shape and deliver academic support.

A broad conception of academic skills that is inclusive of academic literacies, maths, numeracy and stats, study skills, research and information literacy and digital literacy is a key aspect of student academic success. Student acquisition of these skills is complemented by integrated and purposeful involvement of academic skills practitioners across curriculum design, delivery and evaluation.

Given regulatory focus on graduate outcomes, universities are increasingly expected to ensure that academic support prepares students for graduate-level employability or further study upon graduation. Much like academic skills practitioners, this emphasises the need to include careers and employability consultants in the design and delivery of integrated academic support aligned to the development of both transferable and subject-specific graduate competencies.

Engaging data

Data on how students are participating in their learning provides key insights for personal tutors, academic skills practitioners and colleagues working to support the development of graduate competencies.

Platforms such as StREAM by Kortext enable a data-informed approach to working with students to optimise the provision of academic support. This holistic approach to the sharing of data alongside actionable insights further enables successful transition between support teams.

Knowing where the support need is situated means that these limited human and financial resources can be directed to where support is most required – whether delivered on an individual or cohort basis. Moreover, targeted provision can be concentrated at relevant points over the academic year. Using engagement data contributes to efficiency drives through balancing the provision of information and guidance to all students. The evidence shows it’s both required and likely to prove effective.

Academic support is increasingly complicated in terms of how different aspects overlap and interplay within a university’s student success ecosystem. Therefore, when adopting a systems-thinking approach to the design and delivery of academic support, universities must engage key stakeholders, primarily students, academic skills practitioners and personal tutors themselves.

A priority should be ensuring varied roles of academic support providers are clearly defined both individually and in relation to each other.

Similarly, facilitating the sharing of data at the individual student level about the provision of academic support should be prioritised to ensure that communication loops are closed and no students fall between service gaps.

Given that academic support is evolving, we would welcome readers’ views of what additional aspects of academic support are necessary to student success.

To find out more about how StREAM by Kortext can enable data-informed academic support at your institution, why not arrange a StREAM demonstration.

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April 9, 2025