Bruins to feel the pain when SHAs go
There will be no one to go to for emergency condoms next year. No one giving out aspirin for cramps and fevers, or ice packs for random accidents. The Student Health Advocate Program is breathing its last sighs this year, ladies and gentlemen.
“The SHA program is definitely ending this year,” confirms SHA Durrain Haq, a third-year psychobiology student. “The branch of the university that funds (it) is expanding and they are cutting funds from it.”
I cannot believe that someone would even consider the removal of something so beneficial to UCLA students. SHAs not only give basic health care to Hill residents, but also provide counseling and mentorship in everything from foot cramps to chemistry homework.
For students living on the Hill, the disappearance of health care and contraceptives is an issue of grave importance.
“I was shocked and disappointed when I heard the SHA program was closing. I always go there for medicine. This will make flu season so much worse because not having access to drugs (on the floor) can make the situation more serious,” said second-year English student Jojo Yang passionately.
The SHA on my floor during my freshman year was an immensely beneficial resource to me and other brand-new Bruins. Ed Wu, now a fourth-year business economics student, was helpful, outgoing and genuinely cared about the welfare of his fellow students. Speaking to several other SHAs this week, I realized that the end of this program will become a final sentence for them as well as those they serve.
“I am sad to hear of its closing. The members get to know each other really well (because) we spend so much time together training,” said SHA Michael Yim, a third-year physiological sciences student.
He explained that, in order to become a SHA, students have to go through an application and interview process, take a special class, and receive training in peer counseling and basic health care.
I managed to get ahold of Tiffani Garnett, the SHA program coordinator, as she was leaving her office. I learned that their “department is going into a new direction to better align (its) services with the mission and goals of Student Development.” She continued by saying, “We want to help students by fostering a supportive campus community.”
When asked to comment in response to the concern bubbling up on the Hill, she replied, “There are other ways to access health care. The Ashe Center has great services such as E-Nurse. Next year, students can still go to Hilltop, and the Office of Residential Life is equipped to facilitate access to critical care.”
E-Nurse is an online facility that provides health care information to UCLA students; basically, you can look up your symptoms online and then dream of the cures.
As for critical care, it is assuring to know that heart attacks and severed limbs will command due attention, but what about less dramatic troubles?
Anyone who has been phlegm-ridden or flu-stricken in the residence halls can tell you that just the thought of a trained student nearby with cough syrup or painkillers is very reassuring.
Straggling to Hilltop might invoke slight bouts of resentment, but I predict that scheduling illnesses around the hours of the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center will be the most difficult task for Hill residents next year. Moreover, I am not sure how potent E-Nurse will be in handing out ice packs or hangover medication.
“After first quarter, the (SHA) encounters go down. Students learn to take care of themselves,” remarked Garnett, speaking of the resilience of the student body.
I suppose it is possible that her department truly has the students’ best interests at heart, but they may have underestimated the value of the program.
“There are so many people coming to us all throughout the year for basic needs. We do everything from taking their temperatures to bandaging their wounds. The Ashe Center isn’t even open during the weekends. This is something so useful, something you need,” exclaimed SHA Christopher Wang, a third-year economics student who frowned at the thought of a SHA-less UCLA.
Granted, all hell probably will not break loose next year because of the disappearance of the SHAs and students will likely learn to adapt quickly (we did make a nonviolent transition from $1 to $1.25 at Diddy Riese), but it is disappointing.
I don’t want to adopt the role of the idealistic revolutionary on you by suggesting that we sew some sort of tear-drenched flag and jump into the trenches for the SHA program.
But maybe sending some appreciative notes to the SHAs and some less-than-loving notes to the machine will help us rage against it.
E-mail Joshi at rjoshi@media.ucla.edu if you really want to meet E-Nurse. For general comments e-mail viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.
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