Though we are entering a “post-COVID” world where we are treating the virus as endemic, we need to consider the disproportionate direct and indirect impacts this virus has had on current and future college students. Many of these impacts are results of inequitable systems. College health professionals interfacing with these students must think about how to build equitable policies and practices that will support students as they heal from the repercussions of the pandemic.

Since 2020, our normative campus work environments have shifted from over-worked and stressed to overwhelmed and strained. This program will address the issue of flourishing amidst burnout conditions and how to shift a campus culture from fear-based excellence to a deeper, more authentic level of excellence where well-being is essential. Of equal importance, how do we as health professionals maintain our mental health through the exhaustive work and relentless challenges of creating health-promoting universities?

The mental health needs of equity-deserving students are increasingly being highlighted across institutions alongside the realization that current systems cause barriers to seeking support. Anti-oppressive practice enables us to work to affirm students’ identities while giving them the campus environment needed to flourish. This session will let participants explore anti-oppressive frameworks, their intersections with campus mental health, and why anti-oppressive practices are critical across the spectrum of health and wellness, from orientation to counselling services.

The Pathways Project at Pratt Institute is promoting student wellbeing throughout the academic experience. Student affairs staff, faculty and students are engaged in an inquiry and implementation process to change the culture of studio education from stressfully competitive to mindfully flourishing that is inclusive and equitable. This session engages participants in the inquiry and discovery process and provides guidelines for developing an inquiry team to study and change your campus culture to promote positive mental health that is targeted and inclusive.

This talk focuses on how college health professionals can teach students to engage with nature for improved mental and physical health and wellbeing. It will include discussions of the quality and duration of nature exposure that yields greatest benefit, focusing on equity and diversity in experiences in nature, and demystifying the outdoors to foster regular exploration by populations who traditionally have not been able to access parks. Discussion will include instructions for implementing nature prescriptions.

Climate change has been identified as a public health emergency by the American Public Health Association and the American Medical Association. This presentation will address the impacts of climate change on the physical and mental health of college students, issues of health equity and the implications for campus health care services. An action plan including relevant emergency preparedness and health promotion and outreach activities will be discussed.

The ACHA created the Faculty and Staff Health and Wellness Coalition 12 years ago and the speakers have been the leaders of this coalition ever since. They are also the developers of the ACHA’s National Faculty and Staff Health Assessment (ACHA-NFSHA). This session will briefly describe the ACHA Faculty and Staff Health and Wellness Coalition and its purpose, and then an overview of the official ACHA National Faculty and Staff Health Assessment Survey. The majority of the session will focus on reviewing the results of the first years of the ACHA-NFSHA survey, explaining current trends in employee wellness programming in higher education, identifying the gaps in employee wellness programming in higher education, and describing how various campuses have used data to address the wellness needs of employees through best practices.

Drug and alcohol misuse continues to challenge collegiate leaders, although recent progress is documented. Data from the 2021 College Alcohol Survey, which includes improvements, gaps and reductions over time, provides foundations for campus strategies. New topics on the impact of social media and of the pandemic provide timely insights. Rich insights from long-term professionals and advocates complement and bring to life the research. This session offers grounding, direction, and inspiration for meaningful action.