The Learning Mission of Higher Education: "Policymakers need to begin thinking in terms of a health agenda instead of a health care agenda." McGinnis, Williams-Russo and Knickman, Health Affairs. 21:2., p. 89. Possible Solution: The Intervention Pyramid
If a university with 10,000 students achieves a 2010 target for a "stress" "Retention Objective" of 1.4% (down from 1.8%) it would have 40 fewer students who dropped a course (140 instead of 180, 22% reduction). If it achieves a "Stress" "Mission Objective" target of 25% (down from 28.4%) it would have 340 fewer students who received any lower grade or dropped a course (2500 instead of 2840, 12% reduction).
The vision is to have vibrant healthy students who are ready to learn. It reflects a "college health agenda" as opposed to a "health care agenda" since health is much more than the absence of illness and dis-ease and there are proven strategies for promoting health and preventing dis-ease (see the Study Well Health Continuum).
The guidelines will allow students to participate successfully in the University mission "to advance learning and knowledge by linking theory and practice in all disciplines, and to prepare them for lifelong learning, leadership and careers in a changing multicultural world." The students will be able to more effectively be educated and motivated with best practices for developing and achieving goals. The techniques in the guidelines are from sources such as the American College Health Association Standards for Practice of Health Promotion in Higher Education and Healthy Campus 201: Making It Happen.
My vision is that, by graduation and using three of health promotion's many best practices,
This is a challenging "vision," but that's the idea - have a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) that has about a 70% chance of being successful.
View the Project SISTER web page. Project SISTER is the local sexual assault crisis and prevention service.
MBA, MA, Certified Health Education Specialist
August 2004