SA discusses mental health survey findings of low sense of belonging, psychological resilience

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In Syracuse University Student Association’s Monday meeting, Cory Wallack, SU’s associate vice president of student health and wellness, urged the assembly to support the Barnes Center at The Arch’s goal of promoting holistic wellness across campus after summarizing student survey findings.

The survey, conducted in the spring 2023 semester, found that roughly one-third of all SU students failed to get proper sleep and exercise, Wallack said.

SU sent out the survey to evaluate students’ overall well-being as well as the efficacy of current wellness initiatives carried out by the Barnes Center, Wallack said. He said the survey saw a 30% response rate among all undergraduate and graduate students.

“We have this really sizable portion of students who aren’t sleeping or exercising enough,” Wallack said. “Those factors end up becoming huge in predicting risk for depression and anxiety.”

Wallack said he presented the data to encourage SA to support ongoing and future health initiatives, such as Together We Thrive, a student discussion-based wellness session that held a pilot program during this year’s SU Summer Session.

He also said the Barnes Center plans to create a new Student Advisory Committee in the spring semester that will meet monthly with one of the center’s directors. He also said he would like to partner with SA moving forward, especially in marketing mental healthcare initiatives.

“We’ve realized these programs work — the trick now is getting students excited about them,” Wallack said.

Will Treloar, SA’s president, encouraged assembly members to work at its second-annual Harvest Festival, which will be held on the Women’s Building Field on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. He said the festival and other upcoming events like it tie into the Barnes Center’s mental health goals.

“These upcoming events are about building a sense of belonging on campus,” Treloar said.

SA also approved funding for other community events in its meeting. SA allocated $5,000 to the Barnes Center’s Free Get Yourself Tested Clinics, a program that provides students access to free sexually transmitted infection testing.

SA also approved spending approximately $1,100 to host a Native Heritage Month painting night in collaboration with SU’s Native Student Program and SUNY ESF’s Native American Club, which will be held in the NSP’s house on 113 Euclid Ave on Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.

Other business:

• In its next meeting, SA will vote on a bill that, if passed, would establish a new SA initiative to “re-enfranchise” the Graduate Student Organization, according to SA Vice President Yasmin Nayrouz. The bill would codify SA’s commitment to supporting GSO’s right to elect its own representative. Daniel Kimmel, president of the GSO, advocated for the legislation at the meeting.
• SA appointed two new association justices, Kennedy Peterson and Lauren Newman, to its supreme court.
• SA leaders recently met with Associate Vice President and Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services Craig Stone to discuss student feedback on the “No Problem Too Small” forum held on Oct. 3.