DSC HEALTH & WELLNESS

Grad Student Health & Wellness Survey 2012

Students’ year of matriculation

Percentage of respondents by program

1st18%

2nd15%

3rd17%4th

13%

5th14%

6th10%

7th6%

8th7%

Urban Education

Theatre

Sociology

Public Health

Psychology

Political Science

Philosophy

Music

Mathematics

HLBLL

French

English

Criminal Justice

Computer Science

Comparative Literature

Biology

Art History

Anthropology

0 5 10 15 20 25

Respondents’ primary campus

Baruch College

Borough of Manhat-tan

Brooklyn College

City College

City Tech

College of Staten Is-land

Graduate Center

Hunter College

John Jay College

Laguardia Com-munity College

Lehman College

Queens College

Respondents’ experience with the Wellness Center

Strongly Disagree

Moderately Disagree

Mildly Disagree

Neutral Mildly Agree Moderately Agree

Strongly Agree

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35I was satisfied overall

My concerns were addressed.

I was provided with adequate referrals

The individual counseling services met my needs

Group counseling services met my needs

The workshops I attended were helpful to me

What are you main health and wellness concerns-and how do you think the DSC could better help you with these?

• Reproductive health—more STD and HIV screenings.• Consistent insurance, facilities for lactation.• More exercise classes would be helpful, since there is always a

waiting list.• More health insurance options for students who can't get NYSHIP.• Don't have mentally stressed students arrested.• I would like to have access to health care on my home campus in

case of emergencies.• It’d be great to have a list of recommended providers and post it

(maybe on the blog?).• I’m very pleased that we have free pilates and yoga at the GC.• Running dissertation support groups in the evening.• Free ’flu shots!• Stress, nutrition, sleep, exercise, study environments that are

calming and quiet.• It would be nice to have HPV vaccines for heterosexual males.• Transitioning to grad school w/o losing coverage. • More counseling sessions. • Stress, anxiety, nutrition, low pay for heavy workload,

administrational intransigence to student/faculty activism.• Online dissertation completion workshops/groups would be

really really useful.• The mental health practitioners at the Wellness Center aren’t diverse (in

terms of race/ethnicity).

Respondents’ diet

Vegan6%

Vegetarian7%

Pescetarian7%

Red Meat Free9%

Omnivorous44% Dairy Free

5%

Gluten Free5%

Kosher3%

Halaal1%

Sever Nut Allergy0%

Other13%

Is your diet adequately catered for at the other CUNY campus(es) where you spend time?

• Having a good cafeteria/cafe with healthier food, and more options. This is not the case at John Jay.

• Very few healthy food options at CCNY.• Hell NO, the food at Hunter is gold-coated shit.• No. CSI does not have easily accessible restaurants.• No, it isn't. Baruch College's cafeteria is rather sad in terms of

nutritious options, particularly for folks who follow specific diets.• Not at Hunter. Vegetarian/Pescatarian options are limited and

boring.• Not remotely.• NO (Queens College).• Nope. Brooklyn College has not many vegan options.• Not at hunter student cafeteria, though the faculty one (only open for

three hours a day) is better.• No food at the new SSW building :(• Very little variety at the kosher cafe means I bring my own food

when I go.• No. Not at Hunter—the food is terrible there. Not healthy.

How could your diet be better provided for?

• At the GC: lower prices, student discounts; at Hunter: by not eating there.

• It would be nice if the main dining hall on the 8th floor carried packaged baked goods that were certified kosher, just as the 356 Express on the ground floor does.

• Better prices, it is too expensive.• Provide more vegan options (vegan sandwiches, soymilk, vegan hot

meals).• By providing more (explicitly) vegan options at the cafeterias—

including vegan baking.• Hours at the 8th Floor Dining Commons are inadequate, given

demand.• A variety of health and energy bars would be lovely.• More options, labeling (e.g. dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, etc.)

and/or ingredients listing.• Greater variety of non-egg, non-dairy vegetarian food.• My diet could be better provided for by increasing the vegetarian,

gluten-free and dairy-free options. • Quality and variety of food and presentation are excellent.• More "student" priced meals. Also coffee should be cheaper if you

bring your own mug.• Longer hours; credit card machine on first floor.• Provide healthy, local and sustainably sourced product.

NYSHIP covered respondents’ experience with insurance

Strongly DisagreeModerately Disagree

Mildly DisagreeNeutral

Mildly AgreeModerately Agree

Strongly Agree

0

5

10

15

20

25

I have not had difficulty in understanding my benefits

I have been able to locate good health care providers

I have not had unexpected charges

Overall I am happy with my plan

Strongly Disagree

Moderately Disagree

Mildly Disagree

Neutral Mildly Agree Moderately Agree

Strongly Agree

0

5

10

15

20

25 I have not had difficulty in understanding my benefits

I have been able to locate good health care providers

I have not had unexpected charges

Overall I am happy with my plan

Non-NYSHIP covered respondents’ experience with insurance

General health- or wellness-related requests, comments, or questions for us?

• Not sure if this is something you can address, but I'm really upset at the disparity in wellness center access across CUNY. Most campuses don't have a Nurse Practitioner!

• Make your services more known. I’m not sure if the information is distributed on social networks, but please do.

• What happens if a students health fails enough to need a leave of absence and the student loses health insurance due to not teaching? Teach while very ill? Be without insurance and thus without medical care? I've seen no safety net for this.

• Keep NYSHIP!• Seriously, our insurance is terrible, and I've lived in NY for 33

years and had lots of terrible insurance plans. It's a HUGE stressor.• Please consider having a nutritionist on site at the Wellness

Center. • I had a severe cough at the beginning of the semester and tried to

use the Wellness Center, but the nurse was out for a whole week! Additional coverage should be provided when this happens.

• Help arguing with the insurance company.• CUNY campuses should give GC PhD students access to that

campus's gym for free.• Please make the cafe downstairs carry better vegan options! I

can never use the cafeteria because I'm a night student. Even just soy milk would be greatly appreciated.