This year, one of the most widespread and stacked committees was formed to address student health and wellness issues through implementation of policy, enforcement of established procedures, and alignment of all ongoing efforts. Co-chaired by the Vice President of Student Affairs, Associate Vice Provost of Student Health & Chief Health Officer, and the Vice Provost for Campus Wellness & Crisis Intervention, the Student Well-being Council is collaborating with The JED Foundation to take a new comprehensive, public health approach to improving our campus.
The JED Campus program targets 7 areas to assess existing strengths and identify areas for improvement. These strategic actions include the following:
While USC is at the national average or slightly above in most of these categories, there is much more we can do to establish mental health as a priority on campus. Instead of relying solely on our student health and counseling services, we must incorporate these values and resources in all departments across our school, starting with senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
Offices that have already made a commitment to establishing enduring, systematic change at USC include Student Affairs, Student Health, University Relations, Housing, Auxiliary Services, Financial Aid, Human Resources, Public Safety, Admissions & Planning, Administrative Operations, the Academic Senate, the Staff Assembly, and both Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and Graduate Student Government (GSG).
We hope to see our ongoing initiatives spread throughout campus!
Published on November 5th, 2018
Last updated on April 1st, 2021