From L-R, Western Washington University President Sabah Randhawa, Ursinus College President Robyn Hannigan, UAB President Ray Watts, University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez Photography by Rebecca Kennedy, Ph.D.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham recently hosted the Health Promoting University Presidents Panel as part of the inaugural U.S. Health Promoting Campuses Network Summit. The event brought together leaders of universities from across the country to discuss ways to embed health into all aspects of campus culture and lead health-promotion action and collaboration locally and globally. Guided by the Okanagan Charter, Health Promoting Campuses use holistic settings and systems approaches to create conditions for health in higher education and beyond.
The panel featured four university presidents, including UAB President Ray L. Watts, Ursinus College President Robyn Hannigan, University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez and Western Washington President Sabah Randhawa, who shared their perspectives on the role of higher education in generating knowledge and testing and applying strategies that improve the health of people and the planet for this generation and generations to come. The discussion covered topics such as creating a culture of health, promoting trans-disciplinary collaborations and campus-community partnerships and addressing health disparities.
In his remarks, Watts emphasized the importance of collaboration in creating a healthy campus environment and surrounding community. He noted that UAB has been successful in shifting the environment in support of health through partnerships with local community organizations to change the built environment through community revitalization and by providing a range of health services and programs. Making good health simple on campuses and in cities across the country means developing sustainable and comprehensive plans to create environments that proactively support health.
“As chair of USHPCN, UAB was honored to host colleagues and partners from around the nation at this inaugural in-person summit,” Watts said. “This was an excellent opportunity to share perspectives and best practices in effectively promoting better health across university campuses and their communities, nationally and globally. It was a pleasure to join my counterparts on the Presidents Panel, and I thank them again for their participation and look forward to our continued partnership.”
Here is what the other participating presidents had to say about the HPU Summit and its importance.
Ursinus College President Robyn Hannigan
“As leaders in higher education, we need to recognize that academic success is not separable from the health and well-being of students,” Hannigan said. “We’ve known for decades that financial insecurities directly and negatively impact student achievement. We cannot ignore the importance of health and well-being in academic success. Ursinus College is proudly committed to ensuring health and well-being is an integrated, campuswide priority, and by working together and sharing innovative ideas as we did at the Health Promoting Universities Summit, I’m encouraged by the strides we are taking, together, to fulfill this mission.”
University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez
“Developing and nourishing a health-promoting culture on campus is a moral imperative as our students navigate the stressors of college life, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Rodríguez said. “UAlbany was proud to be among the inaugural U.S. signatories to the Okanagan Charter because it represents not just our commitment to student well-being but the necessity that we integrate this commitment into every facet of the way our university serves students, faculty and staff. Promoting health and well-being is not the responsibility of just one office on campus; it is the collective responsibility of the entire campus.”
Western Washington University President Sabah Randhawa
“Working on institutional culture is something that needs to happen — always,” Randhawa said. “We are talking about developing cultures that are health promoting, that are kind, compassionate, and that is everyone’s work. Certainly, it is the work of university leadership and keeping the focus on the culture is super critical for making the long-term change that we are talking about. The best thing that we can do as presidents is empower strong leaders like those in the room and give you the support that you need to be successful if we are going to make any progress in this area.”
The Health Promoting University Presidents Panel was just one part of the larger U.S. Health Promoting Campuses Network Summit, which brought together more than 170 participants from universities across the country. The summit provided a platform for attendees to share best practices and learn from each other about strategies for promoting health and wellness on college campuses.
By bringing together leaders from universities across the country, the Health Promoting University Presidents Panel helped to spur discussions and inspire new ideas for promoting healthy lifestyles and well-being among students and faculty.
Click here to learn more about UAB’s signature Health Promoting University initiatives.