The university-wide council will be responsible for the implementation of recommendations around mental health and wellness.
As part of its ongoing efforts to support mental health and wellness, Elon University has formed a new university-wide Council on Wellness and Well-Being that merges the existing efforts of two university groups.
The new council will include 35 faculty and staff members and will invite students to join in the effort as projects are developed. The council will be chaired by Becky Neiduski, dean of the School of Health Sciences, and Jana Lynn Patterson, associate vice president for student life and dean of students.
The formation of the council comes two years after a working group developed a series of recommendations to enhance student wellness that resulted in the launch earlier this year of the Act-Belong-Commit framework to promote a mentally healthy Elon. As part of the official launch of the new framework at Elon, the university in September hosted a two-day Mental Health Summit that provided insight into efforts already underway on campus and opportunities for the future.
In addition, last year Elon partnered with the JED Foundation, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to young adult mental health and suicide prevention. The foundation conducted a thorough review of university programs, policies and practices as part of their JED Campus program.
The new Council on Wellness and Well-Being will be responsible for shepherding the implementation of the combined recommendations from these two university efforts using a three-year timeline for implementation to guide the work. The combined recommendation and implementation plans are available here.
The Council’s charge is:
- To collaboratively advance wellness and well-being as a strategic priority for Elon University and assess the effectiveness of those efforts
- To lead the implementation of recommendations from the Student Wellness and Well-Being Working Group and the JED Campus process.
Inaugural members of the Council on Wellness and Well-Being are:
Executive Team
Becky Neiduski, Health Sciences, co-chair
Jana Lynn Patterson, Student Life, co-chair
Matthew Antonio Bosch, Student Life
Ann Bullock, Education
Caroline Ketcham, Exercise Science
Susan Kirkland, Business, Finance, and Technology
Larry Mellinger, Campus Recreation and Wellness
Paul Miller, Office of the Provost
Marie Shaw, Counseling Services
Additional Council Members
MarQuita Barker, Residence Life
Stacie Dooley, Law School
Marcus Elliott, Center for Access and Success
Meghan Fisher, Administrative Services
Jan Fuller, University Chaplain
Jenny Gonzalez, Planning, Design, and Construction Management
Kathy Harrison, Faculty/Staff Wellness
Rene Jackson, Student Professional Development Center
Tabeer Khan, Elon Dining
Jordan King, Student Involvement
Tina Kissell, Disabilities Resources
Danielle Lake, Design Thinking
Sylvia Muñoz, Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education
Melissa Murfin, Physician Assistant Studies
Roselee Papandrea Taylor, University Communications
Brandy Propst, Elon 101 and Academic Advising
Leigh-Anne Royster, Center for Equity and Inclusive Excellence
Eddie Seijo-Vilá, Student Health Services
Jeff Stein, President’s Office/Strategic Initiatives
Mike Ward, Athletics
Amanda Tapler, Public Health Studies
Erica Thomas, Education and Wellness
Josh Tillotson, Campus Safety and Police
Paul Tongsri, Student Care and Outreach
Charlotte Williams, Campus Recreation and Wellness
Kathy Ziga, Academic Advising