An Ivy League university known as “the suicide school” to the American public is living up to its reputation due to recent deaths that have occurred on the school’s campus.

Six deaths have occurred at Cornell University this year; three confirmed suicides last fall and three more since February. The school, located in upstate New York, has been nicknamed the “suicide school” by major media outlets like CNBC and CNN because of the dramatic suicides recorded on the university’s campus. Just 10 suicides occurred at the school between 2000 and 2005, and none until the recent deaths in late 2009. This year’s increase in student suicides concerns professors, students and health professionals at Cornell and universities across the U.S.

“The cumulative effect of this loss of life is palpable in our community,” said Susan Murphy, vice president of student and academic services in a video on Cornell’s Web site.

“We are knocking on every door of our student residences to check on our students who live with us to make sure that they are okay. We even have staff positioned on the bridges because we know … they can be scary places at times like this,” she said.

The latest three Cornell suicides were carried out by male students who jumped from on campus walking bridges into ravines below.

Timothy Marchell, a clinical psychologist at Cornell University, argues that Cornell doesn’t have more suicides than other schools, but that suicides at Cornell are more publicized because of their nature.

A 10-year study on suicide performed by members of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center reveals that 7.2 college students in 100,000 are likely to commit suicide. With a student body of 20,000 at Cornell, the university should average less than 1.5 suicides a year. Cornell’s six recent suicides put the university at more than four times the national average.

No immediate changes are being made on Biola’s campus after the recent deaths at Cornell. Biola hasn’t experienced any cases of suicide to date, but the university is not excluded from such actions by students. Biola will continue to be attentive to the well-being of its students, says staff from the Biola Counseling Center.

The Biola Counseling Center, located a block north of Biola’s campus on La Mirada Boulevard, has trained staff available to assist students seeking advice regarding suicide.

“Like any other college campus, some Biola students struggle with thoughts about suicide,” said Melanie Taylor, psychologist and director at the center.

Most cases brought to the Biola Counseling Center do not address suicide directly.

Instead, Biola counselors address problems known to precede suicide such as eating disorders, addictions and family troubles, said Taylor.

“Biola should be, and I believe is, concerned about the mental health of its students,” Taylor said. “Our responsibility to the Biola community is to address any mental health issue that is presented to us by our clients, and that includes suicidality.”

In regards to one of the Cornell men who committed suicide, one Cornell student said the young man had become reclusive and insecure. There were definite signs of suicidal intentions.

For this reason, Biola’s Counseling Center encourages not only their staff, but also Biola students to be attentive to those possessing suicidal tendencies or signs of self-harm.

“Thoughts, feelings and ideation around suicide do not occur in a vacuum. There are always reasons why someone wants to take their life,” said Taylor. “There are many signs that would cause concern about someone.”

Studies performed by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center show that people ages 15-24 and the elderly are more likely to commit suicide than adolescents or middle-aged individuals. Studies also show that 94 percent of college students who have seriously considered suicide blame depression that arises from living in a new environment as well as academic and social pressures.

Red flags for someone who suspects a friend is possibly considering suicide include extreme isolation from social activities, preoccupation with death and continual hopelessness.

“If you notice a friend, or are feeling yourself, depressed to the point of wanting to do self harm, suggest the counseling center as a resource for dealing with whatever is driving such desperate feelings,” said Taylor.

Biola’s housing staff live in close quarters with students and are many times the first to know when problems arise. RAs are warned to report any suicidal activity to their superiors.

“We are trained to look for signs of depression and an especially the telltale sign is if they have any kind of self-inflicted wounds,” said Jake Hamilton, an RA in Hope Hall.

“Having people that are trained to deal with these kinds of issues actually living with the people experiencing them is advantageous, to say the least,” he said.

Hamilton said he’s dealt with signs of serious mental issues on his floor but never suicide specifically.

“If in the course of counseling or talking with someone and they suggest … that they are contemplating suicide, then we are required by law to report it to our superiors so that the person in question can receive professional help and counseling,” he said..