GCSU Wellness Day

Classes have not been cancelled for this day and for Research Day on April 15, they have been redirected. As such, no instructional time is lost. Rather than the semester ending on a Thursday (with Commencement on Friday and Saturday), the semester ends on the following Tuesday (with Commencement on Wednesday and Thursday). There are still 75 instructional days as in years past.

Classes will be redirected for Wellness Day so students can participate in both morning assessments and afternoon activities. While faculty may offer participation credit, they should not assign work that replaces the content or instruction that would have occurred during the scheduled class time.

All administrative offices and university services will remain open on March 3. Staff are being encouraged to take shifts to participate in Wellness Day without disrupting regular operations.

Students will be expected to report to their assigned classroom at the appointed time. Students who do not check in will be sent an e-mail after March 3 to make up their assessments. You can help us by communicating the expectation to participate and the importance we place on collecting and utilizing student feedback to improve their experience.

We hope you will highlight the value of attending by reminding students that incorporating wellness practices and learning about resources are productive for their mental health. This day is not  “a day off.” We hope students will spend one hour of their day engaging with us and use the rest of the afternoon to tend to their wellness however they choose. You can go the extra mile by offering participation credit or extra credit to your students for attending.

Students will check in at their assessment location and at Fresh Check Day. An attendance list can be shared with you after the event. Students will also be given a “passport” for Fresh Check Day, so you can require that as further proof of attendance and participation.

Absolutely! Faculty are encouraged to engage with the booths and enjoy the festivities alongside students. GCSU will also administer the Healthy Minds Faculty and Staff Study on this day in alignment with the Empower pillar of the strategic plan. All faculty and staff are encouraged to take their survey while proctoring is underway.

Graduate students will also be assigned to a testing cohort. Those who meet on campus for classes will be assigned to a classroom. Remote students will be able to access the surveys in their email from home. Graduate faculty should also withhold assignments and class meetings that day and instead encourage students to complete their surveys. All students are welcome at the afternoon wellness activities.

These activities are at the discretion of the instructor. Students who cannot miss or reschedule these experiences are excused from Wellness Day but will be encouraged to still complete their surveys from home.

If you usually teach in the morning, you will be assigned to proctor a classroom for the assessment morning. This day requires "all hands on deck", so faculty with afternoon classes will also be asked to proctor. Additionally, we will need volunteers in the afternoon. A call for volunteers will be made in the weeks before the event.

Most faculty will be assigned a proctoring role or other helping task on that day. Look out for an e-mail with your particular assignment, as well as a call for volunteers for the afternoon.

All faculty have been assigned to a space to assist with Assessment Morning. There are three main assignment types:

1. Testing room “proctor”:   Your duties will include taking attendance, directing students on how to find the surveys in their email, answering any questions that may arise, and just simply being a faculty “presence” in the room, signaling to students the importance of these assessments/surveys and that we are engaging in this day as a whole campus community. The time commitment is 60-90 minutes. Faculty are asked to stay with their testing group until the last student leaves. Most students will take about an hour to take their assessments/surveys, but some might take a little longer.
2. Hospitality station: If not assigned to a classroom to oversee testing, you might be assigned to a hospitality station that will be serving coffee, hot tea, and donuts to students, faculty, and staff. Your duties may include providing directions if a student isn't familiar with their testing location, assisting with coffee/donut distribution during high traffic times, and greeting colleagues as they head to their assignments.
3. Front Campus: You will help with set-up for Fresh Check Day. You will report to front campus and look for Emily Jarvis or Cara Smith to find out how you can help. There will be a lot to do to get ready, such as signing in vendors, setting up tents, hanging banners, setting up the Faculty/Staff Zone, distributing materials to the Fresh Check Day wellness booths, etc. These jobs will not be physically exerting, but you will be on your feet.

You will not need any training, and we will provide you with all of the instruction you need regarding your morning assignment well beforehand. You will receive an email by mid-February according to your assignment type. This email will include where to go, what to do, what to expect, how to track attendance, how to best help students, and who to contact the morning-of if you have questions or encounter any issues.