The importance of improving health services cannot be overstated. By partnering with Boyton as well as Paul Wellstone in a mental health advocacy campaign as well as promoting a tobacco free campus, GAPSA hopes to positively influence students at the University of Minnesota
RESOLUTION
Graduate and Professional Student Assembly – University of Minnesota
Date : October 16, 2012
Author: Meghan Mason, Vice President for Administrative Affairs
Topic: Boynton, University Counseling and Consulting Services, and Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Heath Partnership
WHEREAS, mental health conditions are most common during the ages of 18-24, with 24% of young adults in this category experiencing mental health conditions (Active Minds, 2007); and
WHEREAS, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students (Mental Health America of Illinois, 2007); and
WHEREAS, nearly half of all college students report feeling so depressed that they have had trouble functioning, and 15% meet the criteria for depression (Mental Health America of Illinois, 2007); and
WHEREAS, the University of Minnesota Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health has a website dedicated to student mental health; and
WHEREAS, the University of Minnesota Boynton Health Services provides mental health counseling for all students, staff, and faculty; and
WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly values its partnership with Boynton Health Services, the Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health and the University Counseling and Consulting Services to improve the health and well-being of the University of Minnesota graduate and professional student body;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, resolves to work with Boynton Health Services, the Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health, and University Counseling and Consulting Services on creating initiatives and activities that improve student mental health and wellness at the University of Minnesota.
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RESOLUTION
Graduate and Professional Student Assembly – University of Minnesota
Date : October 16, 2012
Author: Meghan Mason, Vice President for Administrative Affairs
Topic: Smoke-Free Campus Policy
WHEREAS, smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, causing over 393,000 deaths per year (American Lung Association, 2012); and
WHEREAS, secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard for people of all ages, and is estimated to cause 50,000 deaths each year in the United States (American Lung Association, 2012); and
WHEREAS, 18-24 year olds use tobacco more than any other age group; and
WHEREAS, the American College Health Association has encouraged all college campuses to become tobacco free (ACHA, 2009); and
WHEREAS, 774 colleges and universities, small and large, public and private, throughout the country have enacted 100% smoke-free campus policies (and of these, 562 have a 100% tobacco free policy)(ANRF, 2012); and
WHEREAS, 29 colleges and universities in Minnesota (including the University of Minnesota, Crookston, the University of Minnesota, Duluth, Bemidji State University, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, Saint Cloud State University, and Winona State University have enacted 100% smoke-free campus policies (ANRF, 2012); and
WHEREAS, the 2008 Opinion Survey on Tobacco Use and Exposure at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus indicated that students, staff, and faculty report strong support for a policy prohibiting smoking on the entire campus (Boynton Health Services, 2008); and
WHEREAS, the 2010 College Student Health Survey shows that for both nonsmokers and smokers at the University of Minnesota, campus is the most commonly reported location for exposure to secondhand smoke (Boynton Health Services, 2010); and
WHEREAS, the 2006 United States Surgeon General’s Report “The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke” concluded that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke (USDHHS, 2006); and
WHEREAS, the University of Minnesota provides tobacco cessation counseling for all students, staff, and faculty; and
WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly values its partnership with Boynton Health Services to improve the health and well-being of the University of Minnesota graduate and professional student body;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, resolves to support Boynton Health Services in its efforts toward a 100% tobacco-free campus policy at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
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