Dear Student Affairs colleagues,
We are writing to update you on organizational changes aimed at more holistically providing mental health and wellness support for our entire campus. Beginning Aug. 1, Health & Wellness Services will shift from Student Affairs to Strategic Resources and Support.
The pandemic has underscored our need to support the wellness of our entire community, including employees, as well as for Health and Wellness Services leadership to have an increased presence in the decision-making spaces on our campus. We also know that, even before the pandemic, concerns about mental health were widespread and utilization of mental health services were on the rise. We need to consider new models to optimize support and care for our students and employees.
Interim Associate Vice Chancellor Jessica Doty will continue to lead Health and Wellness Services, reporting directly to COO Patrick O鈥橰ourke. As part of the transition, the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) will move from the Department of Human Resources to Health and Wellness Services. Recreation Services will remain in the Division of Student Affairs, aligning with the philosophy that all CUSG-run cost centers remain centrally located within Student Affairs.
As you know, sustaining and supporting our community is one of four major campus priorities. The restructuring of Health and Wellness Services and incorporation of FSAP ensures a university-first approach that aligns our resources and decision-making to create a campus environment where health and well-being are embedded in policies, cultures and organizations across the university.听
We expect these moves to be additive, and there are no plans to reduce staffing. In fact, over time, we believe that elevating Health and Wellness Services in our campus organizational structure will create new opportunities that enable us to expand campus research partnerships around health and wellness, inform academic course development, deepen our relationship with CU Anschutz through programming such as expanded clinical internships, and expand partnerships in the community to enhance support for our students.
We assure you that student fees and funds will not be used to subsidize baby直播app and staff care. Health and Wellness Services currently funds services for employees through grants, and the university is working on a long-term funding model to support this care. We will also keep the counseling services for baby直播app and staff separate from those for students. These populations have different needs and the counselors need to employ their skills to serve those populations.
As with any change, this restructuring will require a transition period. Student Affairs will continue to work and partner with Health and Wellness Services to ensure continuity and ongoing support for our students and health and wellness employees. The new structure will leverage a combination of campus resources and Student Affairs shared services to provide Health and Wellness Services with administrative support in areas such as communication and marketing, human resources, business and financial services, and information technology. Health and Wellness Services and Student Affairs will work in partnership throughout the fall semester to determine needs.听
We recognize that transition can raise questions and anxiety. We will rely upon collaboration among campus leadership and leaders from Student Affairs and Human Resources working closely together to enable us to provide the best experience for our students and staff. We appreciate the leadership of JB Banks and Merna Jacobsen in helping guide this effort. In the coming weeks, as further decisions around implementation are made, please do not hesitate to reach out to us or JB with questions or concerns you might have. We are grateful for all that you do for our university community, and are excited for opportunities that await as we implement these changes.
Sincerely,
Russell Moore, Provost
Patrick O鈥橰ourke, Chief Operating Officer