Campus Health moves to new location with better services


By Andy Chang
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Campus Health has moved into a new location that offers more services, more space and a more convenient location for staff and students.

After sitting at North Cherry Avenue and East University Boulevard for almost 10 years, Campus Health is now settling into its new location at the Highland District.

Campus Health's move brings new seminars and classes to students in a variety of subjects.

"We offer classes ranging from asthma education to sexual responsibility. (Counseling and Psychological Services) also has things like alcohol and depression screenings, and even yoga," said Leeann Hamilton, health educator.

"We will also be reaching out to students about health subjects occasionally on the Mall throughout the year. February will have eating disorder and sexual responsibility weeks," she said.

With an increase in space and a new location amidst a number of residence halls, Campus Health officials hope they can serve more students.

"The square footage has increased from 33,000 to 45,000, and the location close to the surrounding residence halls is a great advantage of the new building," said Terri West, administrative associate of Campus Health Services. "Even though the size of staff has not increased, we believe that we will be able to serve more students because of more available space."

Veterinary science senior Amy Evans said she likes the improvements at Campus Health.

"It seems more capable of handling large amounts of students at one time and seems less intimidating because it is more open and well-lit" she said.

Despite the recent move, Campus Health is open and able to serve all students, faculty and staff.

"We moved and remained open during winter break because it is the slow time of the year, so we are fully operational for all normal services," said West.

Campus health officials have been expecting the move from the old location to East Sixth Street and North Highland Avenue for nearly a decade.

"The decision to move was made in the early 1990s but has been on the backburner," West said. "The building is built by a medical facilities builder and received input from various clinics in Tucson."

The Campus Health building, which took a year to build, integrates the different campus services that work closely with one another, such as the Disability Resource Center, said Melissa Dryden, program coordinator for Facilities Design and Construction.

Additionally, Health Promotions and Preventive Services and CAPS will move into the Highland district from various locations across campus, West said.

"All the Campus Health-related services are in one building, so logically, it is easier to find anything you're looking for," said history sophomore Meghan Zazzarino.

The completion of the Highland District will bring two new residence halls and a landscaped area just north of Campus Health.

Dryden said both Posada San Pedro and Pueblo de la Cienega Residence Halls are under construction and will be completed for occupancy in fall 2004.

The move to the new facilities did not change Campus Health phone numbers, so old numbers will work for the same departments and staff, said West.

The new Campus Health Services building is located on East Sixth Street and North Highland Avenue, just east of the East Sixth Street parking garage. The entrance is located on East Lowell Street.

Campus Health's hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 621-6490.