In the ongoing effort to better support students, Queen’s University has restructured its health and wellness services.

Following an external review, recommendations were made to create a broad student wellness services delivery model. This model would support enhanced integration and collaboration across units at Queen’s and with wellness partners across the campus and in the Kingston community.

Among the transitions is a pair of name changes.

To better reflect its programs mandate, the Disability Services Office (DSO) has been renamed as Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS). While it has a new name, QSAS will continue to work with other university partners to ensure Queen’s and its programs are accessible.

The other name change involves the former Health, Counselling, and Disability Services (HCDS) which is now Student Wellness Services to better encapsulate the wide range of services and programs it offers in supporting the personal and academic development of students.

The groups now under the Student Wellness Services umbrella include Student Health Services, Counselling Services, Queen’s Student Accessibility Services, Health Promotion, and the Regional Assessment and Resource Centre (RARC).

“These changes are the first step toward enhancing the health and wellness services Queen’s University provides its students,” says Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean (Student Affairs). “While still in the planning stages, and contingent on funding, the university is also looking into co-locating many of these services in a, modern, accessible Student Wellness Centre at 67 Union St., at the heart of the campus to better meet the needs of the student body.”

Student Wellness Services also recently launched a new website that provides a broader range of information and increased access to the many services available through the unit.

The search for the executive director of Student Wellness Services continues following the retirement of Mike Condra on June 30.

“This organizational model is in line with other Ontario universities. We are committed to expanding services and increasing access for students at Queen's,” Ms. Tierney says. “I am confident this model will help all of us work together to achieve these goals.”