AMHERST — A commitment to embedding health into all aspects of campus culture is being made by the University of Massachusetts as its chancellor signs onto the Okanagan Charter, joining 13 other institutions of higher education across the country.
“Through our research and engagement enterprise, we have a long tradition of pioneering discovery and innovation that advances global well-being,” Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said during a signing ceremony eld Thursday morning at the Old Chapel.
“Today, we are expanding the scope of this commitment, as we join other campuses across North America in signing the Okanagan Charter, and begin our effort to lead the way as a global model for creating a university ecosystem defined by holistic well-being,” Subbaswamy said.
UMass joins other campuses that have become health-promoting universities, including the University of Michigan, Cornell University and the University of California Berkeley. Each is dedicated to infusing health into everyday operations, business practices and academic programs. The approach is grounded in a holistic vision that integrates physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being.
The commitment at UMass will be on health and wellness for students, faculty and staff; sustainability; diversity, equity and inclusion; and the built and natural environment.
Each participant in the Okanagan Charter determines its own measures to realize the values, principles and spirit of the charter.
Shayan Raza, president of the Student Government Association, encouraged students to participate in the program.
“It isn’t just up to administration or faculty to develop solutions,” Raza said. “So when there is a call for focus groups — participate. When there are surveys — participate. When you are studying something related to our environment, to our mental health, to our physical health, consider how it can be applied to improve the lives of those around you.”
— Scott Merzbach