Zoe & Matt - Health & Safety

If students can thrive here, first they need to be well. Student Assembly plays an important role in promoting student health and safety. We’re focused on continuing and improving access to important sexual health and sexual violence prevention resources, as well as exploring ways to improve mental health resources. We will welcome conversations with administration and the Board of Visitors about improving the resources the school provides for basic needs of students.

In past work, we revived and led the Period Project, improving accessibility to menstrual products. We continued funding for sexually transmitted disease testing, pregnancy testing, Plan B, and added Ella to be more body-inclusive. We ran an initiative to prevent sexual violence, especially during the Red Zone (the first part of the academic year before Thanksgiving Break) and created resource cards for survivors. We also worked with the Health Center to fund free durable medical equipment like crutches and funded free flu clinics.

Our Policies

Free period products

Period products should be free. While Period Project has made significant progress over the last year -- by reviving communication with adminstrators, developing a campus map, and funding sustainable menstrual products -- more needs to be done. We will continue the conversations with administrators to make sure existing dispensers are restocked. We will also push for having period product dispensers in more academic buildings and in residence halls.

Sexual Violence Prevention Week

Focus on sexual violence prevention is especially needed at the start of the school year. We are committed to hosting a sexual violence prevention week in September by working with SYK and the Office of Health Promotion. During this week, we will table with revamped resource cards and bring awareness to the need for sexual violence prevention. We will continue this focus by working with SYK and the Office of Health Promotion during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.

Free Covid and Flu Shots

Flu shots should not be the only free immunization clinc that the Student Health Center hosts. If we get elected, one of our first action items will be to start working with the Office of Health Promotion to host COVID booster clinics in addition to flu shot clinics.

Continue Funding Plan B, Ella, STI Tests, Crutches, and Pregnancy Tests

We believe these resources are some of the most important and appreciated projects that Student Assembly is responsible for. Student Assembly will step in when basic needs aren't met. But we also recognize Administration's obligation to provide more resources themselves without putting the burden on students. We will work to make sure these resources have a permanent status at William & Mary.

Expand Mental Health Programs

Supporting student mental health means making resources more accessible and easier to navigate. We will focus on increasing the visibility of the Counseling Center, providing clear information on how to schedule an appointment, and addressing common misconceptions. Other initiatives will include funding self-care items, partnering with student groups to promote wellness, and collaborating with the Center for Student Diversity on their Mental Health Mondays initiative. Advocating for a more inclusive approach to mental health will ensure that all students feel supported in their well-being.

Rebrand Student Assembly's Acronym to "WMSA"

Many students understand that this acronym, included on the Student Assembly logo that appears across campus, stirs up uncomfortable feelings for students, especially survivors of sexual assault. All future appearances of the Student Assembly logo should bear a different acronym like WMSA.