As students, sometimes we get in the “just deal with it” mentality of things. However, on of the perks of being at a school like UMBC is that you have the opportunity to really change the direction of campus policy. The new SGA Department of Health and Wellness was created by Conor Fowler and Kati Henry, two students who believed that there was not enough student input in creating campus policy and that the health and nutritional services provided by UMBC were not addressing the needs of students adequately.

More specifically, concerns with how University Health Services would handle the H1N1 crisis towards the end of last semester helped Conor and Kati come together to start talking about how students could make a difference and make services more effective. Furthermore, both were worried about the nutritional quality of food provided in the Commons and issues like cross-contamination, allergies, lack of labeling, and lack of vegetarian/vegan options in the dining hall and UMBC as a whole.

The department now has a decent member base, but is looking to expand. With sub-committees focused on UHS, Counseling Services, and Food/Nutrition that have the opportunity to work with the administration and entities on campus like Chartwells, the department is putting students in contact with the right people, encouraging change and helping the on-campus services get good student feedback.

Most recently, the Food and Nutrition committee has had meetings with Chartwells to discuss a permanent all-vegetarian option in the Commons and address cross-contamination in various dining locations. The committee will also be meeting with representatives from the Yum Shoppe to provide more edible options to those with allergies, religious constraints, or strict diets to bridge the gap until the necessary changes are institutionalized on a higher level.

Kati Henry, co-director of Health and Wellness is encouraging students to send an application her and Conor’s way. “We need to the meet the needs of those students who are suffering in silence. We’d like to become a model for other universities.” If you care about other people and are passionate about food on campus, visit the Health and Wellness website and download an application. They’ll be accepted on a rolling basis. If you have any questions about the department and what it does, please send an email to Director Conor Fowler and Co-Director Kati Henry.

Want your band to secure a headlining spot at this year’s QUADMANIA 2010? Email kathrynperia@gmail.com to submit your band’s information by March 12th or ask any questions.