Morgan Grabowski (mograbowski@ursinus.edu)
As the new semester begins, the Ursinus community is again familiarizing itself with the COVID-19 regulations on campus. In order to ensure the health and safety of everyone here, the Wellness Center will be maintaining the same procedures as last semester. As a refresher: the Wellness Center will not be taking any walk-in visits. Instead, visits will be by appointment only, which can be scheduled by emailing wellness@ursinus.edu or by calling 610-409-3100. There is also an alternative to appointments. The Wellness Center is offering telehealth calls for minor medical concerns. Teletherapy calls are also still being conducted. Any student in need of a private space for online therapy can reserve a room in the Wellness Center. Crisis Hour, which takes place on weekdays from 2-3, will be held online. The link to Crisis Hour is on the Wellness Center’s website under “Counseling Services.”
The Wellness Center is maintaining extended hours for this semester. Medical appointments will be available from 9:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday. However, appointments for after 5:00 must be made in advance. Waiting room occupancy will still be kept to a minimum, and students will have their temperatures checked upon arrival.
Dr. Lauren Finnegan, the Director of Counseling and Wellness, was pleased with how last semester went for the Wellness Center. In reference to the teletherapy feature, Dr. Finnegan says, “many students have told me they enjoy having therapy from a comfy space in their room!” There have also been fewer no-shows for appointments than in previous semesters, which helps keep the Wellness Center running smoothly.
COVID-19 is still a “significant concern” for the Wellness Center. Dr. Finnegan hopes that the Ursinus community can continue to work hard to keep cases to a minimum. She says, “I hope we are able to recreate the same kind of bubble that we did in the fall.” In addition to the physical toll of COVID-19, Dr. Finnegan is extremely aware of the mental toll that this pandemic has had on students. The Wellness Center is currently working on more ways to reach out to and support the students.