NASPA's Health in Higher Education Knowledge Community
Welcome!
The Health in Higher Education Knowledge Community (HHEKC) provides opportunities for student affairs professionals, campus administrators, faculty members, and students to explore and address the complex, important relationships between health and learning – and the role of health in students’ academic and personal success. HHEKC offers:
- A professional community of practitioners, teachers, and scholars who share concern about the critical issues of health in students’ lives and on our campuses
- Professional development opportunities at NASPA conferences, institutes, and workshops
- Opportunities for collaboration
- Shared resources – data, literature, research
- Development of best practices
- Access to ongoing discussions, tools, and resources through this Web site
Mission
The NASPA Health in Higher Education Knowledge Community provides an institutionalized and ongoing structure within NASPA to discuss creating health both on campus and within individuals to advance student learning and the mission of the academy.
Why a Knowledge Community on Health in Higher Education?
Student learning is at the core of the academic mission. Students’ physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health and well-being have a significant influence on their academic and personal success. Creating a campus environment that supports student health and safety is therefore an important, broad institutional responsibility that requires commitment and activities both inside and outside the classroom.
A wide range of college and university professionals work to promote health (defined broadly, not just medically) and therefore support student learning. It is common to find residence life staff, health educators, nurses, student activities staff, physicians, campus recreation staff, counselors, and other Student Affairs professionals leading or collaborating with faculty members or administrators on campus-wide health initiatives. Population-level health concerns (such as alcohol, violence, stress, and depression) are increasingly viewed as campus-wide issues that affect the health of students and their academic progress.
History
The Health in Higher Education Knowledge Community was established in July 2004. As NASPA’s Health Education and Leadership Program ends, The HHEKC will continue the discussion on the relationship between health and learning, and creating environments and healthy campus initiatives that support student achievement.
How to Get Involved
For information on becoming actively involved in the Health in Higher Education Knowledge Community, register or contact Karen Moses at karen.moses@asu.edu.