For
Immediate Release
Contact: Wayne Wenske, Divisional Communications
Coordinator, (512) 232-4687
10,000 Students Invited to Participate in National College Health Assessment
(02/20/08, Austin, TX) On February 18, exactly 10,000 students at The University
of Texas at Austin received e-mail invitations to take part in the National
College Health Assessment (NCHA). The NCHA, sponsored by University Health
Services (UHS), is a confidential, online survey used to assess the health
status of college students. The survey is used by over 300 colleges and
universities nationwide and contains questions about alcohol and drug use,
sexual and mental health, weight and nutrition, and personal safety and
violence. Students who complete the survey may also receive incentive prizes
worth up to $100 for participating.
The survey, conducted every other year by UHS, begins February 18 and will
continue until March 7, 2008. E-mail invitations are extended to a random sample
of both undergraduate and graduate students directing them to an online survey.
Results from the survey are used by UHS to guide services and programs offered
at the university for the next two years. University Health Services is a component
of the Division of Student Affairs.
“ I strongly encourage those students receiving an invitation to follow
the e-mail instructions and to participate in this important survey,” says
Juan C. González, vice president for Student Affairs. “Honest feedback
helps to inform and empower campus staff in providing the best possible services
that our students want and need.”
“ Protecting and enhancing the health of students is University Health
Services’ mission,” says Jeanne Carpenter, associate vice president,
University Health Services. “The National College Health Assessment helps
us to pinpoint and understand the most relevant health issues facing UT students,
resulting in programs and services designed to meet students’ needs.”
“It’s vital that students participate and feel safe doing so,” says
Sandi Cleveland, manager, University Health Services. “The survey is designed
to maintain user confidentiality. There is absolutely no way an answer can be
traced back to an individual participant. Students can answer honestly and safely
without their confidentiality ever being at risk.”
Participating students could receive one of a variety of valuable incentive
prizes. Incentives include $100 parking passes for use in any campus garage,
$100 gift certificates to the University Co-op, and passes for RecSports programs
such as TeXercise, Cycling, Combo, and fitness assessments. The estimated chance
of being selected to receive a prize is 1 in 57.
More information:
National College Health Assessment: http://healthyhorns.utexas.edu/education/ncha.html
University Health Services: http://www.healthyhorns.utexas.edu/
The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs: http://www.utexas.edu/student/vpsa/
Division of Recreational Sports: http://www.utrecsports.org/
The University Co-op: http://www.coop-bookstore.com/
UT Parking & Transportation Services: http://www.utexas.edu/parking/index.html
|
