“We defeat this virus one way: Together. Our actions will ultimately dictate whether we can stay on campus. Further, how we manage the risk of COVID-19 transmission on our campuses will profoundly impact our country,” says SMU Student Body President Austin Hickle.
DALLAS (PRWEB) August 28, 2020
Today, The College Health Alliance of Texas (CHAT), a newly formed student coalition of young Texas leaders, released a student guide for college students returning to campus this fall. The student guide is a regularly updated handbook with, in part, best COVID-19 practices from the CDC (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), as well as student insights on how to approach this semester.
Some suggestions from the handbook include:
- Treat your online classes like an in-person course. Have the discipline to dedicate substantial time to it as you would with a traditional course.
- Know where and how to get treatment and other support services and resources, including counseling or therapy (in person or through telehealth services).
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
The coalition’s purpose is to serve as the voice of the collegiate demographic and encourage students to practice safety guidelines to prevent further spread of the virus. CHAT will effectively communicate the importance of CDC guidelines, actively engage students to be proactive, and facilitate collaboration with university, health and administrative officials.
The organization represents 20 of the top universities and colleges in the state with seven members on the Executive Committee. Executive members include: Austin Hickle, Southern Methodist University, Student Body Vice President; Faisal Al-Hummod, Texas Tech University, Student Body Vice President of External Affairs; Cedrick Mattli, Texas A&M University, Vice President of Legislative Affairs; Tessa Schrreiber, Rice University, Government Relations; Oliver Chapin-Eiserloh, Trinity University, Student Body Vice President; Austin T. Stephens, University of Texas at El Paso, Student Body Vice President; and Nikola Skerl, University of Texas at Austin, State Relations Agency Director.
“We defeat this virus one way: Together. Our actions will ultimately dictate whether we can stay on campus. Further, how we manage the risk of COVID-19 transmission on our campuses will profoundly impact our country,” says SMU Student Body President Austin Hickle.
Members of the coalition are actively seeking more student leaders to join the initiative to expand outreach and build awareness around campus safety.
In the upcoming weeks, the College Health Alliance of Texas will distribute a statewide student survey that will allow students to share their thoughts and concerns from their experiences on campus this fall. The results will be used to brief local and state elected officials on how to better communicate with the collegiate demographic.
Links
Website: collegehealthallianceoftexas.com
Twitter: @CollegeHealthTX
Instagram: @CollegeHealthTX
About the College Health Alliance of Texas
The College Health Alliance of Texas is a group of Texas student leaders united to build consensus, stop the spread of COVID-19 and to keep college campuses open by effectively communicating how following simple public health guidelines is in everyone’s best interests.