REGINA -- University can be stressful with the pressure of assignments, exams and finances, but with the added weight of the COVID-19 pandemic, some students think more could be done to ease their mental burden.

For University of Regina student Emily Lints, she feels the school's counselling services are struggling to meet the needs of students.

“I just don’t like being generalized under a ‘stressed out student’ if it’s something more serious going on and I feel like a lot of students kind of identify with that,” said Lints. “Once everything kind of shut down, just being able to navigate all of the different platforms was pretty stressful for a while.

“Losing all of the supports from the university in trying to find out where your class was going to be for the next month.”

Although the U of R has moved their cancelling services online, Interim President Dr. Thomas Chase agrees there are shortcomings in the process.

“We’re doing our best,” said Chase. “Clearly we are not doing enough in all cases.”

Chase also wants to see the U of R be a better support for its students.

“We need to boost supports because that stress and the mental health concerns are not going to go away.”

In a virtual town hall event on June 24, NDP leader Ryan Meili advocated for a universal mental health program. He is optimistic given the increased awareness on mental health.

“One of the things that encourages me the most, is the way this conversation has changed in the last few years,” said Meili. “Prevention, primary care, crisis care and long term rehabilitation. That’s what a universal mental health picture has to include.”

Regina-Pasqua MLA Muhammad Fiaz says the provincial government has increased its awareness on mental health.

“Our government takes this very seriously, mental health,” said Fiaz. “In the last budget - for the first time ever - we dedicated about 7.5 percent of our whole Saskatchewan health budget dedicated to mental health.”

Chase has stated that he has reached out to Lints and plans on working with her to make the university’s support services better for all students.

“What we have to find going forward are better ways of doing some of the things we’ve learned we’re not doing as well as we should,” said Chase.

Lints is encouraged and welcomes all improvements to bring better awareness to the mental health of university students.

“It was really amazing to hear all of the politicians mostly agree with our views, number one,” said Lints. “And be able to speak not just from their party views but personally."