Talking About the Need for More Student Health Services at City College

Words by Sarah Logan
Cover Photo courtesy of InTouch media

INtouch Media, a student-run media agency facilitated through City College’s Advertising and Public Relations program, partnered up with CCNY’s Student Health Services (SHS) to host a roundtable discussion about student health on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Throughout the hour-long discussion, topics ranged from coping skills to physical health maintenance, as well as the needs of CCNY’s SHS as we re-enter campus post-pandemic.

To begin, the leaders of INtouch Media discussed the purpose of the roundtable discussion, as well as the dire need for the SHS’s resources. “The City College Student Health Services is severely under recognized in the City College community and is therefore underfunded and understaffed. It is more important than ever that we let the administration now that this is not something that we’re willing to compromise on,” said Aspasia Celia Tsampas, a Team Leader of INtouch Media.

Romy Fabal, an RN and Director of City College’s Student Health Services, also spoke during the discussion, saying, “Right now, being the only nursing clinician at the college, one of my main responsibilities is processing immunization records for students. I also look to collaborate with outside organizations to enable students to get services that are not currently available on campus, like COVID testing, health insurance, primary care, and STD testing.” Prior to the pandemic, Fabal had a few part-time staff members helping her with these tasks, however, they have since been let go from their positions.

Romy Fabal, RN and Director of City College’s Student Health Services speaking at the event.

The discussion also brought up the most crucial needs for the SHS, one of which is an effective line of communication between City College administration and every student’s health needs. “We’re not asking for a place to do surgery or x-rays, but we can have simple primary health resources like STD testing, the ability to perform routine physicals, strep throat prescriptions, things like that,” explained Fabal.

The discussion continued openly, creating a safe space for City College students and viewers on the Zoom call to discuss their mental and physical health. “The topic of mental health has definitely increased in discussion because of the pandemic. People are slowly starting to realize their mental health is just as important as their physical health,” said Anida Djokovic, an Event Planner for INtouch Media. Students also wrote in the chat, discussing their own experiences. “I am someone who doesn’t like to reach out for help. Since the pandemic, I have been reaching out for mental health services,” one student wrote.

In addition to discussion about mental health, students talked about the importance of physical health. “Since quarantine, I’ve been eating healthier meals and committing to a workout schedule,” one student wrote. “Running and exercise truly help – that’s real talk. It helps everyone calm down mentally,” another student added. Participants also discussed what helps them most individually when they are feeling stressed or unmotivated. “Setting little goals for yourself and taking tasks step-by-step helps bigger tasks seem less scary,” said Jesse Gardner, another Event Planner for INtouch Media.

At the end of the discussion, the topic returned to the SHS’s need for additional support by the City College administration. “Although much of the responsibility of wellness may fall on ourselves, often, we urgently need to know that we have the support of City College and CUNY. We need to advocate for the allocation of proper funds to the student health services,” said Bryan Lezama, a Team Leader for INtouch Media.

To advocate for this cause, INtouch Media created a petition to “Save Our Student Health Services” or “SOSHS.” The petition hopes to bring awareness to City College’s Student Health Services, as well as allocate funding for necessary medical equipment and supplies that SHS needs to properly function. You can sign the petition here.

The event ended with many thanks from the listeners on the Zoom call. “Great conversation, thank you for giving us a chance to talk about our wellbeing,” a student noted.