About
Vision
Oakland University envisions and strives to support a campus community in which all students, faculty and staff embrace well-being as a continual journey toward physical, social, environmental, mental and financial well-being.
Mission
To create and foster an environment where the Oakland University community has the opportunity to develop and attain a healthy and balanced lifestyle in all areas of well-being through innovative programs, opportunities for self-discovery and growth, and the cultivation of a compassionate campus culture.
Check out our Resource Videos for Graham Health Center, Financial Services, OU counseling, the Dean of Students Office and the Academic Success Center as well as some of our student, faculty and staff success stories!
Objectives:
- Increase the number of and percent of individuals who participate in mental and emotional well-being programming.
- Promote optimal well-being and healthy behaviors in faculty, staff and students through current mental and emotional evidence-based well-being practice.
- Expand access to mental health services and promotion for faculty, staff and students.
- Collaborate with one campus department, college, or school to focus on research, data collection, and evaluation that addresses improvement for campus community mental and emotional well-being.
- Ensure accessible, safe and secure campus facilities that are welcoming and inclusive.
Objectives:
- Provide innovative and engaging marketing campaigns to identify and promote open dialogue, safe spaces, and resources for the campus community.
- Provide Oakland University administration with annual data related to well-being successes, gaps, and opportunities.
- Maintain a repository of campus-wide wellness support initiatives collected from University faculty, staff, and students to identify gaps in well-being initiatives and services.
- Create and distribute well-being intervention tools and strategies for faculty and staff use with students and colleagues.
Objectives:
- Increase the number of campus physical/green spaces that support well-being.
- Continue to educate the campus community on campus-wide recycling initiatives.
- Provide access to outdoor physical activity spaces that offer opportunities for social cohesion and integration.
- Remove physical obstacles that prevent work, study and social engagement.
Objectives:
- Recognize leaders and managers who incorporate wellness and drive a positive well-being campus culture.
- Compare Oakland University with other Michigan institutions in benchmarking well-being initiatives and services.
- Identify sources to track and report best practice efforts with campus colleagues.
- Apply for a minimum of two national awards and recognition opportunities for well-being efforts.
- Share on-going successes and outcomes related to well-being on campus and with the community in an open format (website, social media, print publications, presentations, etc.).
- Demonstrate active involvement in local, regional, and national associations related to well-being through conference attendance, committee involvement, and professional presentations.
Coming in 2025…the Okanagan Charter and Healthy Campus Commitment!
Creating a healthy campus culture takes the work of everyone. At Oakland University the Healthy Campus Network includes individuals from across campus in various roles with various interests and backgrounds. The Network is working to bring people together to make changes in personal and community health and well-being.
2024-25 Steering Network
Becky Lewis, Director, University Recreation and Well-Being, Chair
Ann Rayford, Director, Graham Health Center
Mike Wadsworth, Assistant Vice President Student Affairs and Diversity and Dean of Students
Eric Herppich, Assistant Vice President of Labor and Employee Relations, Human Resources
Cortney Heileman, Assistant Director, University Recreation and Well-Being
Jennifer Farrell, Manager of Labor and Employee Relations, Human Resources
Ashley Heang, Manager of Benefit Services, Human Resources
Mackenzie DeSandre, Employee Wellness Support, University Recreation and Well-Being
Everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy, balanced life. Learn more about the five areas of well-being the Healthy Campus Network at Oakland University has identified as key to being successful.
- Physical
- Social
- Environmental
- Mental
- Financial
Fall, 2010
President Russi convenes a wellness committee with representation from all employee groups.
January, 2012
Free Rec Center access given to all OU Benefits-Eligible employees.
August, 2012
Coordinator of Employee Wellness hired by then, Campus Recreation.
Fall, 2012
New employee wellness initiatives introduced and implemented campus-wide.
January, 2013
OU moves to outcome-based insurance plans.
July, 2014
Campus Recreation, University Housing and Graham Health Center partner to increase the hours of the only student health educator from 19 to 30.
May, 2016
Campus Recreation changes name to University Recreation and Well-Being.
July, 2016
University Recreation and Well-Being and Housing partner to move the health educator from 30 to 40 hours (60/40 split). Health educator office moves to the Rec Center.
2018
Continue to advance student and employee well-being as able.
Winter, 2018
Meeting with Marsh & McLennan, OU HR and Rec Well to recap years of well-being initiatives and establish an official Healthy Campus leadership team*.
*Original Healthy Campus Leadership Team: Chief Operating Officer, Assistant Vice President HR, HR Director of Benefits and Compensation, Director and Associate Director of University Recreation and Well-Being, Rec Well Employee Wellness Coordinator, Dean of SHS
Summer, 2018
The Healthy Campus leadership team set initial goals and outcomes for a Healthy Campus initiative.
September, 2018
Healthy Campus team members (with representation from all employee groups and students) selected, approved, and invited to participate.
October, 2018
President Pescovitz charges the selected committee with the task of creating a Healthy Campus Culture.
Late Fall, 2018/Winter, 2019
The Healthy Campus team begins work with SWOT analysis and extensive discussion.
Summer and Fall, 2019
The Healthy Campus team establishes goals, objectives and prepares for a roll-out of the Healthy Campus initiative.
March, 2020
Covid-19 Pandemic stops everything.
2020
Continue to advance student and employee well-being under Covid-19 restrictions.
February, 2021
With the help of University Communications and Marketing, President Pescovitz, RecWell and Intercollegiate Athletics rolled out a Healthy Campus video launch and new website, recognizing a need for mental health advocacy following the Covid-19 pandemic.
July, 2021
Oakland University selected and featured as the first NIRSA** Well-Being Promising Practice.
**NIRSA: National Intramural Recreational Sports Association
2021-22
Continued implementation of well-being programming for faculty, staff and students. Increased participation and support from Graham Health Center. More focus was placed on providing opportunities for the campus community to engage in healthy activities.
Fall, 2022
Presented a NIRSA Promising Practices roundtable follow up on “Where Are They Now- 18 Months Later”.
Spring, 2023
OU Leadership Academy group project focused on a rejuvenation of the Healthy Campus commitment for the OU community. With the help of the President’s Office, Student Affairs & Diversity and University Communications and Marketing plans were made to update the support for leadership education on the healthy campus progress and more programming and recognition of resources for mental health.
Fall, 2023
Formally rolled out the Green Bandana Project, an initiative focused on bringing awareness to mental health resources available on campus.
Present (2024)
The Healthy Campus team grows with new membership and participation, and initiative goals and objectives are updated.
