With several health-related organizations on Grounds, the newly formed Health Unity Council aims to support each of these individual clubs, while serving as a mechanism for the groups to achieve their common goals.
Alyssa Lederer, a second-year College student and chairwoman of HUC, said she hopes the new council will be a "coalition for everyone to work towards ultimately the same goal."
The purpose of the council is to discuss and assess the health needs of the University community, serve as a support system for each organization and create innovative and effective ways to inform University students about their health-related resources.
The HUC currently has representatives from the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Prevention Team; Eating Out, Fighting, Overcoming, and Responding to Cancer Everywhere; One in Four; Peer Health Educators; Promoting Negativity, Sexual Assault Facts and Education; Student Athlete Mentors; and UVA CARES, as well as two at-large members.
"The idea is that together we're stronger," said Corbin Martin, chairwoman of external affairs for HUC.
According to Lederer, the council is trying to develop a Web site and outfit a glass case in Newcomb Hall with upcoming health-related events and contact information for each member club by the beginning of November.
HUC's long-term goal is to have a student-run resource center in the new student center, which still is in the planning stages. The new center also would serve as a link between the students at the University and the Charlottesville community, said Colleen Colby, a fourth-year College student and president of SAFE.
The council is necessary for the University community, because before this year there was no real communication between the University's various health awareness groups, Martin said.
"I think everyone involved is really excited about sharing common goals and gaining support for their group's activity," said Katherine Kimbrell, a fourth-year College student and a HUC member-at-large.
Several members of the different health organizations said the council will help pool the resources of the community.
"I like the idea of creating a central place where students can access resources," Colby said. "It would be a place that hopefully students would feel comfortable about going to."
Colby said she wanted her club to be involved in HUC because, "it allows smaller organizations to collaborate on events and work together .... in the past there's been a lot of overlap, and having all [the clubs] there together allows us to better serve the student the population."
Lederer stressed that the HUC will be holding open meetings every few weeks for anyone interested.
"My personal hope is that the administration and the new student center committee will recognize that there is a real interest in student wellness," Kimbrell said.
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