University Council Notes: Sept. 29, 2015
University Council notes Sept. 29, 2015
President Engstrom opening remarks.
Linda Green, director of Wellness at Curry Health Center, presenting for Brent Hildebrand, who is out sick. “UM’s State of Health and What it Means for Us.”
Curry measures how healthy students are and designs programs around that. Looking at what student health means for success.
Screened Curry Health Center video.
At UM, mission is student success. Curry Health Center is primary health care for students. How do these two missions align? How does Curry help UM? Every two years conduct NCHA survey. Used at schools across the country. Online survey sent to 6,000 UM students. 15-20 percent return rate.
Are health and grades related? Does health affect us in a broader way?
65% who record an A average report being in excellent health.
Fewer D and F students report excellent health. Seems to be correlation there.
Weight and GPA: when one goes up, the other goes down.
Better sleep habits = better grades.
Physical activity relates to grades. Academic success relates to fruit and vegetable intake.
There are many of us who are responsible for helping students be healthier.
Tobacco use: Lower academic success among those who use tobacco.
Depression affects grades as well.
Common factors affecting academic performance: top 3: Sleep difficulties, anxiety, stress.
Curry is going to make sleep an initiative over the next year.
Since 2002: Stress up from 22% to 33%. Sleep issues: 22% to 25%. Alcohol use impeding education from 16% to 6%. Curry has done a lot of work around alcohol use since 2002.
How do we best keep students healthy? What are their biggest health needs? How does our work influence student health?
Really focused on alcohol initiatives. In 2002, mean number of alcoholic drinks consumed: 7.14. 2014, it was 4.52. Now lower than national average now, previously always higher.
Worked with Missoula community to decrease drinking and driving. Late-night bus service making a big difference for students. In 2002, 25% of students said they drove after 5 or more drinks. In 2014, it was down to 2.6%.
Cigarette use: In 2002, 35% used in past 30 days, Down to 15% in past 30 days in 2014.
Students who report being treated by professional for health problems:
Mental health: 20% for depression, 17% for anxiety. 35% reported feeling so depressed they could not function. Still a gap between those who feel that way and those who seek help.
Students report feeling very overwhelmed. Not getting enough sleep.
% of students who BMI is classified as obese: 2002: 7.6%. In 2014, 16%. Seeing that trend nationally as well.
What does it mean? New areas to focus on? Sleep, time management, Optimal Bear. Do we need a bigger strategy? Feel good about tobacco and alcohol work.
More than ever the relationships that we have across campus really make a difference. We need to work with Campus Rec, UM Dining, Optimal Bear, UC Market, Residence Life, DSS.
Questions: MT No. 1 in country for suicide. Montana has always been high, as many northern states. Many factors. Lack of services, remote communities, long winters, access to firearms, less access to mental health. Rates of those who have attempted suicide are around 1-2% among college students. Lower than average rate. Connections prevent suicide. Sense of social support and success. Those mental health services are very important.
Depression: Treatments for depression and how to get those services to more students. Lot of walk-ins for those services through medical clinic, SARC, Optimal Bear, crisis services, counseling services. Reduce stigma. Inform about services. Had a student group working around reducing stigma, but was hard to get participation. That’s a challenge. Help students deal with stress, sleep better, eat better. All those things impact mental health.
Stress/anxiety related to credit hours? Survey does not take that into account. Don’t stress yourself out so much that you can’t succeed.
Drug use included in survey? Is included, marijuana use is very close to cigarette use, meth use is very low.
How do we get this info to students? Health blog sent out to students. Challenge is getting them to open it. Going toward social media. Getting a lot of student connection there. That’s how our students want to connect. Share in classroom setting.
ASUM Leadership Cody Meixner and Betsy Story.
Outline of work this year:
Cody: Pledged to work on Conduct Code to make more accessible, easy to read, common sense policies. Eliminate legal terminology. Been working on all summer. Ready for vetting in spring, implementing next fall.
Change way Alcohol.edu and PETSA for first-year seminar session. Could also incorporate health services.
Sustainability: partnering with Re-invest MT to push Foundation to divest in fossil fuel investments. Large scale solar initiative. Find funding for a project here. Trying to find investor now.
Electric buses will arrive in April. Among first in the nation. Hope to electrify entire fleet in 10 years.
Child care center. 110 kids from students, faculty, staff. New infant care center now open. One of few in the country. 12 infants in program so far.
Research and scholarship fee passed in spring. ASUM can now fund academic endeavors of groups and individuals.
Questions: Student health insurance landscape is changing rapidly. Is that a study area for ASUM or UM in general. Cody: Not a conversation that we have had in recent years. But it could become a more relevant issue.
Linda: Rick Curtis is working on that and looking at that on a statewide issue. Rate has gone up a lot because there are fewer students.
Alcohol.edu: recent news about alcohol use. Thoughts and concerns? Cody: first-year seminar would be not academic heavy, but make really about becoming an adult, services available. Need that info in a cohesive way, Alcohol.edu is not that format. Students not taking seriously. More engagement, interaction, programs like “beer googles” and hearing from other students are more effective than online tutorial.
Linda: feedback from “beer googles” has been very effective. That program is the voice of students and it makes a difference. It’s a multimedia presentation that lasts an hour. 3 students tell personal stories. Video clips, music, live speakers.
Kent Haslam: Continue to make mental health a priority for students and something they can talk about.
Engstrom: VETS director, any comment on these issues. Shawn Grove: veterans often represent larger population on campus, which is non-traditional students. Poll each year. Alcohol use matches Linda’s statistics. Tobacco use is higher. 30% of veterans say depression is an issue, which matches Linda’s info. Curry nurses come to VETS office every month and hang out with students, has great influence. Really appreciate that.
Any other questions on other topics? None.