How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
WSN reported today that the percentage of NYU students who use the Student Health Center's services is up to 60 percent in 2009, an increase from about 37 percent in 2006. Henry Chung, director of the SHC and assistant vice president for student health, credited the boost to a drastic change the center undertook in 2006, which allowed it to more readily accept health insurance other than university coverage.
Though this change was implemented three years ago, the WSN Editorial Board thinks this recent report deserves recognition. Because of NYU's huge student population and urban setting, students are exposed to a huge amount of potentially illness-inducing factors. That the university recognizes this and is trying to aid students displays its commitment to student welfare.
Additionally, the changes in 2006 made "core services," such as short-term counseling services, free (within a limit). Given the university's history with student mental health, this is a huge plus. NYU can be a daunting and intimidating place, especially during freshman year, so services such as counseling truly benefit the community. Student suicides and mental health issues are prevalent here unlike they are at other, more conventional universities, so having such services free of cost can be absolutely critical for students. And just as prevalent this semester is the risk of H1N1 infection. Having the health center accessible and open can help ease student fears: tests are a convenient step away and insurance is even less of a concern than it used to be.
However, we do feel that there are certain aspects of health services that are lacking. Some students have said the services can often feel impersonal and inadequate, and we agree that parts of the process can seem too bureaucratic. Counseling, for example, can be a circular, roundabout process that takes too much time to truly get the care that some students need. Likewise, the process for primary care, which may involve long waits or uncongenial staff, can sometimes be such a hassle that some students simply avoid it.
Though the Student Health Center is not without its faults, it offers many valuable and necessary services to students in an often-convenient form. Students have clearly recognized its worth, and we hope the university continues to offer these services and continues to make improvements to the health center.
