The Student Health Service (SHS) has suffered a number of vacancies in recent months which has led to a tightening of services to students.
“We are doing an assessment of the Student Health Services Director, in doing so to ensure that we can provide the best care for students,” Nycole Courtney, AVP for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Success, said, regarding the lack of a director for SHS.
The previous Director of the Student Health office resigned in early August to leave for new opportunities in another state, according to Dean Courtney.
“There is a lot of burnout because of COVID-19 and people wanting to seek new opportunities or otherwise making a new career change because of the burnout, and so there is a lot of turnover, but nothing because of student health,” Dean Courtney said.
The current staff vacancies are a registered nurse and a family nurse practitioner openings, though a new psychiatric practitioner was hired and started on August 22nd as a new addition to the Student Health office team.
“We are looking to fill the vacancies, we have already hired one registered nurse and we’re looking to fill one more.” Amy Robohm, interim Director for Student Health Services said.
Robohm stated that SHS had a lot of applicants for these positions but maintained that while services were strained by student demand because of the vacancies, that this was only temporary.
“We recommend that students should schedule appointments to the Student Health office as much in advance to ensure that we can see them,” Rohohm said.
“It’s been a bit hectic in the health office. It was very busy this morning to just get checked in and you have to plan way ahead of time so that way, you aren’t screwed,” said Kristen Chester, a BFA candidate in the university art department.
