ASU Campus Health Center Proposed by SGA
Ashley Whitaker
Issue date: 2/23/10 Section: News
Students with a case of the sniffles may soon be able to find a remedy for their ills on campus.
The Student Government Association (SGA) is working on a resolution that will approve a health clinic to open shop on campus. The project is in the planning stages, but those involved said that not only is a health clinic "conceivable," but it could open within the next 2 years.
"We have been looking at other schools, what they offer, and how much the students there pay for those things," said Maritess Banez, SGA president and a junior nursing major. "Augusta State University has always prided itself on having some of the lowest fees in the state. I know our students already complain about the fees they have now, when they don't realize, like, how much lower those fees are than at other universities."
Opening a health clinic has always been a goal for Banez, and she said the topic was first suggested at the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting that the school holds every summer. The meeting is essentially a large-scale faculty meeting that discusses goals for the upcoming school year, as well as changes within the Board of Regents.
"One of the activities we did this year was to compare ourselves to other universities," Banez said. "And one of the biggest things we noticed, when looking at fees, is that everyone had some sort of health fee, except for us."
Banez said that the scale of health services at other universities is widely varied, with some schools just offering a center to distribute Aspirin and Band-aids, and others, like Georgia Tech, having more advanced services, with access to "tons" of health related machines.
Banez is currently working with the SGA senate to come up with a clear resolution that will start highlighting what Augusta State wants for it's facility, including placement and services. As of right now, Banez said she would be happy to start with a place to distribute bandages and pain medication, but that the center could eventually offer HIV tests, vaccinations and contraceptives.
The Student Government Association (SGA) is working on a resolution that will approve a health clinic to open shop on campus. The project is in the planning stages, but those involved said that not only is a health clinic "conceivable," but it could open within the next 2 years.
"We have been looking at other schools, what they offer, and how much the students there pay for those things," said Maritess Banez, SGA president and a junior nursing major. "Augusta State University has always prided itself on having some of the lowest fees in the state. I know our students already complain about the fees they have now, when they don't realize, like, how much lower those fees are than at other universities."
Opening a health clinic has always been a goal for Banez, and she said the topic was first suggested at the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting that the school holds every summer. The meeting is essentially a large-scale faculty meeting that discusses goals for the upcoming school year, as well as changes within the Board of Regents.
"One of the activities we did this year was to compare ourselves to other universities," Banez said. "And one of the biggest things we noticed, when looking at fees, is that everyone had some sort of health fee, except for us."
Banez said that the scale of health services at other universities is widely varied, with some schools just offering a center to distribute Aspirin and Band-aids, and others, like Georgia Tech, having more advanced services, with access to "tons" of health related machines.
Banez is currently working with the SGA senate to come up with a clear resolution that will start highlighting what Augusta State wants for it's facility, including placement and services. As of right now, Banez said she would be happy to start with a place to distribute bandages and pain medication, but that the center could eventually offer HIV tests, vaccinations and contraceptives.
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