An Exercise of Responsibility

UND Promotes Healthful Living, Wellness, and Disease Prevention

Universities like UND have specific objectives for their programs such as writing effectively, thinking critically and behaving

professionally.  However well we equip graduates, they clearly will be able to function most effectively in states of good health and fitness.

The responsibility universities have to educate about health and wellness goes beyond students.  The universities’ own employees will do better work if they are healthy and well. There is also a responsibility to educate the general public about health and wellness.  A university’s responsibility for research extends

to the behavioral sciences to help find even more effective ways of educating.

The University of North Dakota is, in fact, exercising its responsibility to address health and wellness to a very high degree.

Last fall, UND opened a world-class wellness center.   While this facility appears to be devoted to physical fitness, it, in fact, is

derived from a broad-based consideration of the need for a wellness climate across many dimensions.  In addition, the “Healthy UND” program was developed to encompass faculty and

staff as well as students.  A comprehensive worksite wellness program now assists all UND community members in avoiding unhealthy behaviors and fostering habits that promote good health and wellness.

One way to promote health is by having clean air to breathe.  With the support of the key governing bodies for students, staff and faculty, a “tobacco-free campus” policy will take effect in October 2007.  Why go tobacco-free, even outside?  Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death.  We are making a

statement.  According to the American Cancer Society, employees who smoke have more hospital admissions per 1,000 (124 versus 76), have longer average lengths of stay (6.7 versus 5.03 days)

and make six more visits to health care facilities per year than non-smoking employees.  Smokers are absent from work 6.5 days per year more than non-smokers.

Approximately six years ago, Governor Hoeven asked the University to join with the State Health Department to develop a “Healthy North Dakota” program, which has already led to the

publication of a “Comprehensive Cancer Control (CCC) plan” for North Dakota.  This plan focuses sharply on the need to give greater attention to disease prevention as it relates to cancer.  It

addresses ways in which prevention and early detection might be applied to reducing both early death and chronic illness.  The plan is supported by a large coalition of health care organizations

throughout North Dakota, including UND, particularly the School of Medicine and Health Sciences – a nationally recognized leader in rural health.

UND research is yet another dimension to the University’s work being brought to bear on healthful living and wellness.  Behavioral

science has long been an area of strength at UND.  A team of researchers in nursing, medicine, and psychology recently received a grant to build a major behavioral research facility, now under construction.

-UND President Charles Kupchella, Ph.D.

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