Craig Burns has been named director of University Counseling Services (UCS) after serving in the position on an interim basis since last August.
A 10-year veteran of University Counseling Services, Burns was UCS associate director when he was appointed in 2015 to succeed Thomas McGuinness, who became associate vice provost after heading UCS for 26 years. Â
âWe are very excited that, after a national search, Craig Burns has accepted the position of Director of the University Counseling Services,â said Vice President for Student Affairs Barb Jones. âHe is an outstanding clinician with the administrative skills necessary to meet the needs of the Boston College community.â
Describing Burns as âconscientious and talented,â McGuinness said, âI am confident that he will be an excellent leader for an important department which faces many challenges. He is well regarded by colleagues both within UCS and across the University. I wish him every success.â
âIâm honored by the responsibility and trust that Barb has placed in me to guide UCS, which plays such a crucial role in the life of the campus,â said Burns. âThe respect shown UCS by offices and departments across the University is a tribute to the work done by Tom and many others over the years, and I look forward to building on it.â Â
As director, Burns oversees Boston Collegeâs extensive range of mental health-related services, programs and resources for its student population. More than 1,800 students go to UCS annually for a wide variety of problems and concerns, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, response to traumatic events, eating disorders, family issues, and adjustment difficulties. That number does not include hundreds of other students for whom UCS has provided consultation or outreach.
Burns manages a team of 25 staff members, including 10 full-time and three part-time psychologists, two part-time social workers, three post-doctoral fellows, three part-time psychiatrists, and four full-time administrative assistants. Another full-time psychologist and post-doctoral fellow will join the team later this year.
During his decade at BC, Burns said he and his colleagues at BC, and throughout higher education, have seen âa changing landscapeâ in the field of mental health services for ĐÓ°ÉÔ´´ students.Â
âThere is a greater demand for these services, due to a combination of factors and trends,â he said. âNowadays mental health issuesâand seeking help for themâcarry less of a stigma. At the same time, there are increased stressors, whether financial, social or cultural, among ĐÓ°ÉÔ´´ students. Social media also is a major part of studentsâ lives, and they may need assistance dealing with its impact.â
Burns said the current ĐÓ°ÉÔ´´-age generation presents a set of contradictions that can be challenging for mental health professionals.
âThere is a vast population of highly resilient and competent young people attending ĐÓ°ÉÔ´´ nowadays,â he explained. âBut one noticeable trend in their social development has been an expectation of closer emotional support, which can be more difficult to find among their peers than in the past.
âIn an age where everyone is âconnectedâ and seemingly shares most every aspect of their lives, cultivating meaningful, supportive relationships can nonetheless be difficult for ĐÓ°ÉÔ´´ students. Additionally, students feel great pressure to appear competent and in control. So itâs more imperative than ever for ĐÓ°ÉÔ´´ to ensure that students donât become isolated.â
Thatâs why, in addition to providing one-on-one counseling and psychotherapy to students, Burns and his colleagues see their mission as strengthening BCâs institutional commitment to personal and community development. Among other key partners, UCS collaborates with University Health Services, the offices of Health Promotion, Residential Life, and Dean of Students, the Thea Bowman AHANA Intercultural Center, the Womenâs Center, Boston College Police, Athletics, the division of Mission and Ministry, and academic deans and departments.
âWeâve always placed an emphasis on interacting with the BC community,â he said. âItâs important to us that we are, and are perceived as, engaging students who might not feel comfortable, perhaps because of cultural background, personal identity or socioeconomic status. College is about removing barriers to success, and that includes emotional or mental health issues.âÂ
âOne of Craigâs strengths is his ability to form strong partnerships with faculty, staff, and students on campus,â said Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Katherine OâDair. âIn his role as director, he will work closely with campus colleagues to continue to strengthen our overall approach to student mental health care. I look forward to working with Craig and the team of excellent clinicians and staff in UCS.â
Burns sees his career path as stemming from a longstanding interest in âhow people deal with distress, particularly in relationshipsâ that led him to study psychology in ĐÓ°ÉÔ´´. He earned his bachelorâs degree from Brown University and masterâs and doctoral degrees from The Catholic University of America.
After working with UCS on a post-doctoral fellowship from 2003-04, Burns joined the office in 2006 as a staff psychologist and became a senior staff psychologist in 2011. From 2010-14, he was director of training for UCS. He also has taught in the Lynch School of Education as an adjunct faculty member.
âIn the course of my undergrad and graduate studies, I found a great niche in the community of higher education,â he said. âUCS is a community mental health service, for the community of Boston College.â
His other professional experience includes working as a staff psychologist at The Brookline Center and a research assistant at Massachusetts General Hospital. Since 2005, Burns has maintained a private practice as a psychologist.
âSean Smith | News & Public Affairs