Northern Michigan University
PA-14: Wellness Program

NMU hosts "Wildcat Wellbeing" which is a resource hub created by the special advisor for campus wellbeing, Dr. Abigail Wyche (AVP for Wellbeing) and the Wellness committee which handles health- and wellbeing-related issues and creates programs related to health and wellness for students, staff and faculty. In addition, NMU has a counseling center that provides counseling and consultation services to NMU students, faculty, and staff. The Northern Michigan University Counseling and Consultation Services offers counseling and psychological services that facilitate students' personal development to participate more successfully in the NMU living and learning community. All currently enrolled students are eligible for free and confidential counseling and consultation services. Their professional psychologists and counselors provide focused individual counseling, group counseling, and psycho-educational presentations. In addition, walk-in emergency services are available daily for students who feel in urgent need of help or crisis intervention. The professional staff are objective, non-judgmental guides to assist students in overcoming both long-standing and immediate problems. We strive to help students develop new skills and perspectives to enrich their lives. Some of the common issues that students bring to counseling are depressed and anxious feelings, family difficulties, personal crises, coping with loss, and other impediments to personal and academic functioning. They also aid with self-esteem, self-acceptance, identity and sexuality difficulties, as well as healing from the effects of sexual assault/abuse, suicidal thoughts and other destabilizing experiences. The staff provides consultation to a variety of NMU personnel and departments. They offer guidance to students, staff and faculty to recognize and cope with signs of distress in others. The University Wellness Committee is a standing committee charged with creating and fostering an environment designed to promote better employee health through education, health screening, and access to healthy lifestyle choices. The committee consists of representatives from each employee union group, a representative from the non-union employee group and a member of the retirees group covered under NMU's group health insurance. In addition, representatives are present from various university academic departments including Nursing and Health and Human Performance. Representatives from Financial Services and the Health Center also sit on the committee with the university health promotion specialist and the assistant director of human resources. The committee meets throughout the year to discuss various health care issues and concerns. It has offered many different programs. These programs included "Get In, Get Out, Get Well," "Satellite Fitness Classes," "Campus Trekkers" walking groups, "Soup Symposiums," "Awakening the Inner Wildcat Incentive Program" and blood pressure screenings. All NMU students, faculty, staff, retirees and spouses are invited to participate in wellness events.

The policy prohibits smoking on all university property and university-owned vehicles. The only excluded areas include: Public sidewalks and roadways bordering the campus, Personal vehicles driven or parked on campus that have the windows fully closed (meaning the vehicle is completely enclosed --including no open doors, hatchbacks or other vehicle openings) and where there are no minors in the vehicle, and the NMU Golf Course. https://www.nmu.edu/tobaccofree/home Fully policy is available here: https://www.nmu.edu/tobaccofree/policy