Our History

In 1970, a student, Louis Ringe '71, and two other students had a dream and took action to make it come to fruition. They envisioned the establishment of a crisis hotline on campus to respond to the needs of students who were affected by personal concerns and societal events of the time, such as the drug crisis, the Vietnam war, and civil rights issues. In the spring of 1970, with the assistance of the University Counseling Center, the dream of these students was realized, and a student-operated hotline, CRISIS 5300, was born.

The efforts of these students did not end upon their graduation from the University at Albany. As years passed, CRISIS 5300 gained momentum. Upon its renaming as "Middle Earth" in 1973, grant funds were secured by the Dean of Students, Lois Gregg, to expand Middle Earth into a comprehensive peer counseling and peer education agency. Middle Earth quickly gained a reputation as a leader in peer assistance, consulting on the development of similar programs at other colleges and universities across the state, speaking to young people about alcohol and drug prevention, and training professionals, such as hospital personnel, teachers, and overseas operators for New York Telephone, on ways to recognize and address crisis situations. In 1983, Middle Earth expanded its horizons by sponsoring its first Sexuality Week, an event which continues today.

At present, Middle Earth carries the same name and logo, but the look of the agency has evolved with our times. The agency continues to operate a student-driven hotline service and peer education program under the supervision of a Director who is a licensed psychologist. Middle Earth operates one of the few surviving student-driven hotlines in the country, and it is the only hotline of its type which services the Albany County area. Students can perform services for Middle Earth either on a volunteer basis or for course credit through the Department of Counseling Psychology. The agency is funded both by the University and by the Student Association, making it a student organization that enjoys the rights and benefits of University affiliation.

The nature and scope of Middle Earth services have also evolved with our changing times. While its mission continues to focus on providing services to assist students in achieving their educational and personal goals, this mission is carried out in a more proactive, preventive manner. For example, the impact of HIV/AIDS on our lives today could have never been imagined by a Middle Earth volunteer of the 1970's or early 1980's, nor was there as much of a focus in society or in Middle Earth training on the importance of issues such as personal safety, eating disorders, and human diversity. While CRISIS 5300's first hotline service was operated by less than ten students and was housed for a time in a converted closet in the Campus Center, today's Middle Earth volunteers number over 120, and its offices are located in the Health and Counseling Building.

The look of Middle Earth consumers has also changed. Typically, the hotline service receives over 1600 contacts per academic year. Males request slightly more services than females, perhaps suggesting that males prefer to seek services anonymously. The three primary issues of concern for students who contact the hotline are peer relationship issues, sexuality concerns, and psychological concerns. In addition, the Middle Earth outreach education program devotes its Sexuality Week to discussions of current topics. Through this effort, over 15,000 students and community members are reached.

In 1970, a student had a dream and, with the help of administrators who cared, did something with it. The dream is still alive because over 1200 alumni, over 120 students, and a number of administrators and student leaders who care thought it was important to continue to do something about it. Thanks, Louis, from Middle Earth!