Student Well Being Paramount as CWU Begins New School Year

CWU students returning to school will find that their health and wellness services have become a little bit easier to navigate.

During the summer, the university consolidated the CWU Student Medical and Counseling Clinic, the Wellness Center, and University Recreation into a single unit, which will report, initially, to Jenna Hyatt, who will serve as the acting associate dean for Student Health and Wellness.

Hyatt, who will help lead and guide the initial consolidation efforts, says the change underscores the commitment CWU has to the importance health and wellness play in the lives of CWU students.

“This reorganization allows for greater visibility of what is available to our students in all of these areas,” she said. “But, more than just visibility, we want to make our health and wellness programs increasingly accessible to all of our students. We want them to know that being active and engaged in the health and wellness resources we make available will improve their lives.”

The consolidation provides the opportunity for new collaboration within the individual units, “which can only benefit students, and elevate the role health and wellness play in encouraging student excellence,” Hyatt said. “We know that students who are able to address their physical and mental and health needs function at higher levels.”

While important now, Hyatt, who also currently serves as CWU’s associate dean of Student Living, says the goal is to help students maintain the habits and healthy lifestyles they develop during their college years upon graduation and as they move on into their careers and lives with a focus for students to find the best fit for them.

“Learning how to live in a healthy manner is among the most important lessons we can teach our students,” Hyatt said.

William Schafer, CWU dean of Student Success, noted, “The university will conduct a national search for the new [associate dean] position, which is funded from vacancies and does not require additional [student-funded] resources.”

Hyatt added, “We are now in a national search for the associate dean for Health and Wellness. We anticipate the position will be filled by next January.”

Media contact: Robert Lowery, Department of Public Affairs, 509-963-1487, Robert.Lowery@cwu.edu

September 28, 2018