“In taking on the survey, we really are hoping to set more of a direction for university health and well-being,” Executive Director of University Health and Wellbeing Dr. Alexis Travis said. “So, (we want) to lean in and to listen to Spartans and to understand what their needs are around health and wellness.”

The survey poses questions relating to physical, mental and social health, which Travis said are all key aspects of health. She said the survey will help UHW achieve its goal of integrating health and well-being into all aspects of campus life, and doing it with a “culturally sensitive and holistic lens.”

In order to advance UHW’s efforts to promote campus health and wellbeing, Travis said, the department must consider the diversity of the MSU community and the breadth of unique worldviews that come as a result. 

“Everybody's coming with a different understanding,” Travis said. “And that's why this assessment is so important, so that we can understand, ‘what does health mean to you?’”

“We use that information to shape how we provide services, what services we provide and the initiatives that we have here on campus to promote health and well-being,” Travis said. 

The survey comes following a fall semester in which several student groups that represent marginalized populations on campus expressed concerns over inadequate support from the university. Interim President Teresa Woodruff addressed those concerns in an email sent to students on Nov. 10.

“Recently, we have heard rising student voices telling us we must do better," Woodruff wrote. “These come as conflict in the Middle East polarizes communities and emboldens antisemitism and Islamophobia. Black students share feelings of isolation and safety concerns due to racist expressions and harassment on our campus."

But Travis, who has worked in public health her entire career — most recently as the State Health Officer for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services — hopes the survey will help the university better support students. 

“We want to understand those most marginalized experiences and then bring that into the center,” Travis said. “So that way we can actually pursue health equity and reduce those disparities that are holding some Spartans back from attaining academic success and other forms of success.” 

UHW Assessment and Plan Co-Chair Dr. Norm Beauchamp said that the survey will not waste students' time. 

“The efforts that the students put in to create a better tomorrow, we're going to invest in them and make sure they come to light,” Beauchamp said. “Be the change that you want to see, and the only way that we can get there is by (students) helping us know what they need.”

Beyond the survey, Travis said, UHW will also be holding focus groups at the end of January to hear directly from community members. Students, faculty and staff can register to participate in the focus groups here. 

“This is not a plan that will sit on the shelf,” Travis said. “It's something that we'll put into implementation immediately, and so Spartans can count on being able to inform our programming moving forward for folks who are here today, but also for folks into the future.”