Upon review of Student Government Association (SGA) Programs in response to recent state law, The University of Alabama Student Government Association is implementing changes, as well as reaffirming its commitment to ensure every student on campus feels fully supported.
These changes include the sunsetting of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (VP for DEI) and the DEI Passport Program and the start to the Vice President for Belonging and Wellness and the Capstone Wellness Explorer, as well as the implementation of a Capstone Wellness Explorer Executive Board and the VP for Belonging and Wellness cabinet.
Please email Aubrei Grisaffe, amgrisaffe@crimson.ua.edu, with all questions, comments, concerns, or clarifications.
Vice President for Belonging and Wellness
The Vice President for Belonging and Wellness role will encompass student belonging initiatives, as well as broaden the responsibilities to promote holistic student well-being based on the principles of the Alabama Model for Student Health and Wellbeing.
The Alabama Model for Student Health was published by the University of Alabama Administration in 2019. According to the Division of Student Life website, the Alabama Model “provides an understanding of student wellness that contributes to students’ academic and personal success as well as ways to support it.” The model features 7 dimensions of student wellness: social, psychological, academic, physical, spiritual, financial, and career wellness.
The mission statement of the new role is as follows:
The Vice President for Belonging and Wellness’s mission is to foster a vibrant campus community prioritizing the fundamental well-being, engagement, and belonging of every student. Dedicated to cultivating a culture of compassion, support, and empowerment, the Vice President for Belonging and Wellness aims for every individual to feel valued, heard, and supported in their academic, personal, and emotional journey.
The role encompasses proactive outreach initiatives connecting students with resources and opportunities for personal and academic growth. Innovative programming like the Capstone Wellness Explorer is designed to promote physical, mental, and emotional wellness, advocating for a campus environment fostering comprehensive growth and belonging.
The Vice President for Belonging and Wellness is committed to cultivating a campus culture where wellness is a collective responsibility, empowering students to thrive academically, personally, and socially through collaboration, empathy, and dedication to growth. Their goal is to ensure the University of Alabama remains a place where every student can reach their full potential.
The sunsetting of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion role will begin in function at the start of the school year to bring our work into compliance with state laws, but these changes will be ratified within in the Constitution in the spring during the primary Executive Council election, per the Student Government Association Constitution.
Capstone Wellness Explorer
The Capstone Wellness Explorer is an engagement-tracking program that seeks to promote student participation in events that fall under one or more of the seven dimensions for student wellness, outlined in the Alabama Model for Student Health and Wellbeing.
About the Alabama Model:
The Alabama Model for Student Health and Wellbeing was published in 2019 by the University of Alabama administration. The Alabama Model is meant to “provide an understanding of student wellness that contributes to students’ academic and personal success as well as ways to support it,” according to the Division of Student Life website.
The seven dimensions of the model are: academic, social, spiritual, psychological, physical, career, and financial wellness.
Using the Alabama Model framework, the Student Government Association developed the Capstone Wellness Explorer (CWE). The CWE will feature two paths for students to participate in. Students can participate in both paths simultaneously.
Organizational Path
The organizational path of the Capstone Wellness Explorer is a points-based program that will provide students with the opportunity to accumulate points that contribute to organizational totals. Any registered student organization is invited and welcome to opt into the organizational points-tracking system, as these points will be used in the block seating assignment process for student organizations. Students are not required to opt in to this path, but should they choose to, they will be required to fill out a form to record which student organization they want the points to contribute to.
Individual Path
The Individual path of the Capstone Wellness Explorer is an events-based program that will provide individual students with a formal path through which they are prompted to explore a variety of the dimensions of student wellness. Any student, regardless of participation in any registered student organization, is invited to participate in the individual path of the CWE.
Students interested in the individual path will be required to opt in for the path. SGA is working closely with the Source to create a track that encourages students to engage in a variety of different dimensions of student wellness. Students who complete the path will receive a graduation cord.
The mission statement of the Capstone Wellness Explorer is as follows:
The Capstone Wellness Explorer is a comprehensive wellness program dedicated to nurturing the well-being and engagement of students at the University of Alabama. Rooted in The Alabama Model of Student Health and Wellbeing, the program encompasses all seven pillars—Academic, Career, Financial, Psychological, Physical, Social, and Spiritual wellness—each essential for cultivating a balanced and fulfilling collegiate experience.
Through collaborative partnerships, innovative programming, and a commitment to student-centered care, The Capstone Wellness Explorer empowers students to thrive academically, personally, and socially, ensuring that every member of the University of Alabama community can flourish and reach their full potential.
The Capstone Wellness Explorer will be operated by The Capstone Wellness Explorer Executive Board. Appointed by the current Vice President for Belonging and Wellness, Aubrei Grisaffe, during the cabinet selections process in May, the board includes 16 members. The CWE Executive Board’s sole purpose is to run the Capstone Wellness Explorer, including assuring and communicating logistical details of events, promoting the program, and doing outreach across campus to ensure students and organizations understand the way that the program works.
The Capstone Wellness Explorer will kick-off on September 26th, 2024, and close April 5, 2025. Registration for the Individual Path program will end October 31, 2024, at 11:59pm. The Capstone Wellness Explorer Executive Board will be holding interest meetings for both student organizations and individual students in August, so please stay tuned through the SGA Instagram, the Capstone Wellness Explorer Instagram, and your email inbox for information on the dates and times. Additionally, student organizations can request a member of the CWE Executive Board to come present to their student organization about the program.
Vice President for Belonging and Wellness Cabinet
The Vice President for Belonging and Wellness Cabinet will house a cabinet of twenty members. Cabinet members will engage in outreach and programming efforts pertaining to a breadth of goals aimed at student belonging and wellness efforts.