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Provost establishes ad hoc committee to make ‘wellness day’ recommendations

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan R. Wente has established an ad hoc committee to make recommendations concerning the nature and timing of intermittent “wellness days” for undergraduate students throughout the 2021 spring academic calendar.

“This new committee will consider how to schedule and implement days throughout the spring semester that are dedicated to critical well-being strategies,” Wente said. “During this unprecedented time and given the needed adjustments to the academic calendar, it is important for us to consider how to promote wellness practices.”

The members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Spring 2020 Wellness Days are:

  • Vanessa Beasley (chair), vice provost for academic affairs and dean of residential faculty;
  • Andre Christie-Mizell, professor of sociology, dean of undergraduate education, College of Arts and Science;
  • Annika Faucon, graduate student, quantitative and chemical biology;
  • Melissa Gresalfi, professor of mathematics education, Peabody College; dean of The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons;
  • Ben Harris, senior lecturer in vocal music, Blair School of Music; Faculty Senate vice chair;
  • Puja Jagasia, Class of 2021, College of Arts and Science, medicine, health and society/neuroscience; chair, Academic Affairs Committee, Vanderbilt Student Government;
  • Matt King, deputy university registrar;
  • Roger Moore, principal senior lecturer in English, associate dean, College of Arts and Science;
  • Cynthia Paschal, associate professor of biomedical engineering, associate professor of radiology and radiological sciences, senior associate dean of undergraduate education, School of Engineering;
  • Chris Purcell, director of LGBTQI Life;
  • Melissa Rose, professor of piano, senior associate dean of academic affairs, Blair School of Music;
  • Anita Wager, professor of the practice of education, associate dean of undergraduate academic affairs, Peabody College of education and human development.

The committee will make recommendations for the provost’s consideration. The provost also has charged the deans of the graduate and professional schools and colleges to work with their faculties to assess wellness opportunities. Updates will be shared as more plans are made for the spring semester.