The Well-Being and Mental Health Campus Collaborative is charged with outlining strategic priorities and a yearly plan to meet our vision for the University of Iowa to:
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Embed well-being and mental health into all aspects of campus culture and,
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Leverage research, collaboration, and action to improve the well-being of our campus, the state, and the world.
Collaborative Charge
The Collaborative is charged with:
- Setting yearly strategic priorities to embed well-being and mental health into all aspects of campus culture for students, faculty, and staff.
- Leading collaboration to elevate and expand current research, enhance campus-community partnerships, and identify gaps in student, faculty, and staff mental health and well-being programs and services.
- Developing and communicating a cohesive framework that supports the faculty/staff and student success pillars of the upcoming strategic plan and enacts the elements of a health-promoting campus.
- Ensuring well-being and mental health strategies are inclusive and targeted to campus needs.
- Developing key performance indicators and assessing progress toward our strategic priorities.
Collaborative Sponsors
The Collaborative is sponsored by:
- Sarah Hansen, Vice President for Student Life
- Kevin Kregel, Executive Vice President and Provost
- Cheryl Reardon, Chief Human Resources Officer and Associate Vice President
- Marty Scholtz, Vice President for Research
Collaborative Leadership
The Collaborative is led by two co-chairs:
- Joni Troester, Senior Assistant Vice President and Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer
- Tanya Villhauer, Division of Student Life Assistant Dean for Well-Being and Basic Needs
Collaborative Subcommittees
Six subcommittees lead the Collaborative's work in different thematic and functional areas:
Financial Well-Being and Basic Needs: Co-chairs Erin Litton and Steph Beecher
Connection and Belonging: Co-chairs Tanya Villhauer and Kristy Hartsgrove Mooers
Built and Natural Environment: Co-chairs Stratis Giannakouros, Mike Weaver, and Adele Vanarsdale
Evaluation: Co-chairs Teri Schnelle and Martha Pierce
Communication: Co-chairs Joni Troester and Trish Welter
Peer to Peer Support: Co-chairs Bronwyn Threlkeld-Wiegand and Anna Holbrook
Collaborative Membership
Members of the Collaborative represent:
- Office of the Vice President for Student Life
- Office of the Provost
- Office of the Vice President for Research
- Dean of Students
- University Human Resources
- University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
- Division of Student Life
- Facilities Management
- Office of Sustainability and the Environment
- Undergraduate Student Government
- Graduate and Professional Student Government
- College of Education
College of Pharmacy
College of Public Heath
College of Law
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Graduate College
Collaborative Scope
The Collaborative is guided by the following principles:
- Both individual and population-level interventions are essential
- Participatory approaches that engage the voices of students, faculty, and staff create more buy-in
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Multi-disciplinary research, collaboration, and cross-campus partnerships will be prioritized in order to sustain and institutionalize efforts.
Progress Highlights
To date, the collaborative has:
- Created a comprehensive online guide to mental health and well-being resources for the campus community.
- Surveyed and expanded resources for financial well-being.
- Embedded well-being considerations into facilities design and construction.
- Enhanced peer-support programs for students, faculty, and staff.
- Coordinated communication and developed a common language for discussing mental health and well-being.
- Developed program evaluation tools and performance metrics.
- Established a connection and belonging subcommittee in response to focus group feedback.
- Supported growth of mental health and crisis support resources.