Following increased construction on Searle Hall, Northwestern’s Counseling and Psychological Services was moved onto the first floor of Foster-Walker Complex. Now, students who use or want to use CAPS can no longer discretely seek out help. They must walk directly into an office that is clearly marked as a center for psychological counseling, totally eliminating the prospect of privacy or confidentiality. This is unacceptable.

It goes without saying that college is a stressful time. But given the stalled economy, the dwindling job market and the deaths of two NU students in the past nine months, the student body has rarely needed CAPS more. And yet, according to a member of the CAPS student board, the center is having one of its lightest years in terms of patient numbers. Many students who use CAPS don’t necessarily want to broadcast that fact, and the university’s decision to move the office into the largest residence hall on campus could easily explain the drop in use.

While this move is temporary, NU officials have said that construction on Searle won’t be completed until well into 2010. This means that, for the next year and a half, students who use CAPS will continue to be denied their right to privacy. And for those students that may want to use CAPS but are still nervous or uncomfortable with the idea, the lack of discretion could be another deterrent.

The university needs to consider relocating CAPS to a more suitable location. 1800 Sherman Ave, the building currently housing the History Department while Harris Hall is under construction, would offers equal if not more office space, and it also provides the thing that Foster-Walker does not: a chance for students to seek help in a low-profile space where their privacy is insured.