Wellness on Campus

Promoting Wellness in the College Community

Wellness Web Graphic

The College's Wellness Council is a campus-wide group of faculty, staff, adjuncts, and students that develops and implements innovative and evidence-based strategies to support wellness within our community.  

Exciting new initiatives led by the Council include the recent opening of the Food Pantry in the Main Building – an “everyday” effort to reduce food insecurity – and the development of the Courtyard Gardens to build our sense of community in promoting sustainable gardening practices and nutrition education. 

Additional and ongoing Wellness Council programs include awareness raising programs to address relationship and sexual violence and substance abuse and impaired driving. 

Students studying outside

Sub-Groups

The main work of the Council is conducted by five sub-groups that offer students, staff, and faculty to lead new initiatives or join existing ones.

The groups are:

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Dedicated to reducing alcohol and drug abuse-related consequences, this group works to educate students on high-risk use, promote responsible behavior, and increase campus support for students in recovery through a series of initiatives and programs, including:

  • #thinkagainTompkinsCortland social norming campaign
  • Narcan (opiate overdose prevention) trainings
  • April Alcohol Awareness Month including the White Handkerchief Campaign
  • Red Watch Band alcohol poisoning prevention
  • Support of the College Good Samaritan Policy
  • The Options Program 1:1 and small group substance abuse prevention education

Nutrition and Fitness

The Nutrition and Fitness sub-group conducts and supports the following:

  • The Food Pantry, providing food for students daily in the Main Building
  • Courtyard Gardens
  • Support for the development of the Student Garden Club

Tobacco Prevention

This group encourages healthy tobacco-related decisions in the community through the creation/expansion of smoke-free spaces on campus, the development and support of cessation programs, and review and research of the College's tobacco policy.

Violence Prevention

The group works to increase awareness of violence-related issues and works to create an environment free of violence, as well as to support individuals affected by violence. Initiatives include:

  • The Clothesline Project
  • Empowered Bystander Trainings
  • Take Back the Night
  • Go Teal
  • It's On Us campaign
  • We Care Campaign

Mental Health

The Mental Health sub-group increases awareness of mental health issues and resources on campus, as well as providing support for students with eating disorders and other mental-health related concerns. Initiatives include:

  • EAP programs
  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Stress Free Zones
  • Depression Screening Events

For more information on the Wellness Council and its initiatives, please contact co-chairs Patty Tvaroha, or Matt Kiechle.

Sustainability at Tompkins Cortland

The Sustainability sub-group strives to create a culture of sustainability to ensure that we as a college community have minimal negative environmental impact on our campus and our community. The sub-group helps to support the College's goal to incorporate sustainability into decision making regarding:

  • recycling
  • purchasing of goods and services
  • purchasing and production of energy
  • construction of new buildings
  • curriculum design and implementation
  • collaborative efforts in the community

In addition to the specific goals outlined in the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, the College will implement sustainability initiatives that are suitable for and capitalize on the unique characteristics of Tompkins Cortland. These combined efforts will lead to a community that is viable and thriving for generations to come.