SHSU Counseling Center Understaffed, Overcrowded

The Tuesday March 25 edition of the Houstonian discusses the overcrowded Counseling Center and the excitement the new Health and Counseling Center brings:

Student Health and Counseling Center Plans Underway

Plans for the new Student Health and Counseling Center are underway according to yesterday's Houstonian:

The team met Jan. 9 to explain to the potential architects and contractors the bidding process. The architects and contractors have to submit documentation talking about previous projects that they have done and how they can contribute to the project.

The construction management team met Wednesday and looked through what people have submitted to see what their qualifications are, according to SHC director Sarah Hanel.

Hanel said on Jan. 25 the university will meet and announce the short list of companies they would like a presentation from and an opportunity to interview. By Feb. 7 the interviews will be complete and the most qualified contracting and architectural company will be selected on Feb. 8.

Jan. 25 they plan to break ground at the old King Hall location. This is across the street from their current location.

"A lot of the Health Centers traffic comes from new Lone Star Hall and a lot of the freshman dorms surrounding us as well as Old Main Market," according to Hanel.

The estimated breaking of ground is in October of this year and the building is hoped to be finished in the summer of 2014.

Student Health and Counseling Center Project

Today@Sam reports that during Homecoming 2012 students will have the opportunity to vote for two referendum items, including fee increases that would benefit students through the Student Health and Counseling Construction Project.  To fund the new construction, requests have been made to increase the Medical Service Fee, paid by students as part of their semester tuition, from $38 to $75.  Voting takes place Tuesday, Oct. 16 and Wednesday, Oct. 17.

The Student Health and Counseling Center Expansion Project would provide an approximately 28,000-square feet, two-story building that would house a combined Student Health Center and Counseling Center in the empty lot previously occupied by King Hall.

Built in 1965, the current Student Health Center currently serves a student population that is 222 percent larger than the 5,743 enrolled students that made up SHSU’s student body at that time; despite this large growth, the facility has had no additions or structural changes. The current Counseling Center is located between the Drain and Farrington Buildings.

Collaboration to improve Student Health Center

The Houstonian reports on the student focus groups that met recently to discuss the Student Health Center:

Several students representing different clubs and organizations on campus were asked to attend. This group included representatives from the nursing program, Program Council, Bearkat Learning Community and Student Activities.

The overall consensus of the building was that it was nice, but nothing defined the building as the SHC. Some students believed it was vacant for the longest time

“The front of the building is not even facing the traffic of campus,” Tobias Steen, junior psychology major, said.

The combining of the Counseling Center and SHC was also discussed. About two thirds of the students knew there was a counseling center and about half knew where it was.

According to [Associate Vice President for Student Services Ken] Jenkins, [architectural programmer Terry] Phillips will take the students’ opinions and along with Tim McGreggor, another architectural programmer, they will draw up possible plans for the SHC. The plans will be shown to the students and a student referendum will be put on the ballot around homecoming for students to vote on whether or not they approve the expansion.

This same process will occur for the Lowman Student Center expansions which is planned to start discussion in May.

Student Government Association Supports Expansions

The April 12 edition of the Houstonian reports the Student Government Association voted on legislation to support expansion of student service buildings. Both Senate Resolution S12-08, "A Resolution in Support of The Health Center and Counseling Center Expansion" and Senate Resolution S12-09,"The Lowman Student Center Expansion" passed.

Student Health Center asks SGA for Help

The March 6 edition of the Houstonian discussed the representatives from the Student Health and Counseling Center speaking to the Student Government Association on proposed resolutions:

Drew Miller, Ph. D, executive director of Student Counseling and Health Services, and Sarah Hanel, Director of Student Health Center, presented the Senate with ideas to expand their facilities and combine their services. With a growing student population, the Student Health and Counseling centers are experiencing overcrowding and are having to turn away students on a daily basis with a lack of staff and facilities.

The SHC is due for expansion during the 2013 fiscal year. The expansion will allow for the building of a drive-thru/walk-thru pharmacy, psychiatry/mental health and a wing dedicated to women's health services. There is no request for an increase in student fees at this point.