Survey: College Students Consider Health and Wellness Services Average

As student health issues pose a greater threat to retention and completion for college learners, campus leaders have invested new attention and resources into expanding and improving well-being services on campus.

A 2024 survey of college presidents by Inside Higher Ed and Hanover found 70 percent of respondents had invested in wellness facilities or services to promote overall well-being among students. But students say the offerings are just OK.

Fewer than half (46 percent) of students rate the quality of their campus health and wellness services as either good (34 percent) or excellent (12 percent), according to a May 2024 Student Voice survey by Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab. The largest share of respondents (36 percent) say services are average, and 17 percent say offerings are fair or poor.

While many students are less than pleased with what’s presently available to them, they also say it’s an area that could make a difference in their lives. Around one in five (19 percent) of respondents believe if their college invested in wellness facilities or services to promote overall well-being, it would promote their wellness and mental health.

Students say: The survey exposed some differences with how community college students engage with their campus’s wellness services compared to their four-year peers. Two-year students were more likely than their four-year peers to rate the quality of wellness offerings as at least good (52 percent) compared to their four-year public (45 percent) and private counterparts (39 percent).

Similarly, private school learners were more likely to want additional wellness offerings (23 percent) compared to their public institution peers (19 percent).

Forty-five percent of students say their campus has good or excellent variety of campus health and wellness services, with 19 percent saying the variety is fair or poor and 36 percent rating the variety as average.

Students who self-identify as having physical disability are more likely to rate the quality of their campus wellness services and facilities as poor or fair (24 percent), compared to their peers with no disabilities (13 percent). Those with a physical disability also give the variety of services a more significant poor or fair rating (25 percent).

Adult learners are more likely to identify investing in wellness facilities as a measure that colleges could take to improve their well-being (21 percent) compared to their traditional-aged peers (19 percent).

Possible solutions: Within the survey, 3 percent of students identified other institutional actions that could help improve their well-being. Some proposals by student respondents related to wellness facilities and services include:

• Expanded timing of well-being services offered. Classes, work and social activities or other obligations can make it challenging for students to find time for fitness classes or to use the gym. Late-night or early-morning offerings can make it more accessible for commuters and those with competing priorities to focus on their physical wellness. One student indicated a 24-hour fitness facility would improve their wellness. Student journalists at Princeton University also reported interest from students on campus to expand the hours of the gym to reduce crowding while it undergoes renovations.
• More available counseling center services. Often, college counseling centers have a limit on the number of free sessions a student can participate in to allow counseling staff to keep up with demand. While students want nonclinical services for their overall health and well-being, prioritizing clinical staff availability is also important to learners. Six students noted challenges with scheduling counseling appointments or the cost of counseling in their responses. “My university [counseling center] is always completely booked as soon as the appointment booking window opens at 6 a.m.,” wrote one student at the University of Nevada, Reno. In 2022, Oglethorpe University removed a cap on the number of counseling sessions a student could attend in a given year.
• Required student health workshops. Some learners want more intentional curricular offerings that focus on health and well-being. “Have student health workshops built into the curriculum and taken each semester,” wrote one Ohio University student. “It could include things like exercise and yoga. It would be mandatory and could help bridge the gap on students who have a hard time starting.” Spelman University in Atlanta requires all students to complete a physical activity course as a general education requirement, providing important health education to learners and promoting a healthier campus culture.
• Relaxation spaces. Stress can be overwhelming for the average college student, so having spaces or activities available for learners to decompress and refocus can benefit their academic experiences and overall well-being. A relaxation lounge or sensory room can be one solution that is embedded within academic buildings to promote tranquility among learners. Virginia Tech built a Brain Gym within its new Innovation Campus, which allows students to engage with stimulating activities or rest between classes.

Do you have a wellness tip that might help others encourage student success? Tell us about it.