Well-being
Be Well at UWL
Wellness & Health Advocacy believes that health looks different for different people. Which means we recognize the importance of health equity, or "the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health" (CDC, 2022).
The Wellness Wheel helps us understand each dimension of wellness before we start creating lifelong habits for health and well-being. Select each puzzle piece to explore our definitions and select the center for campus resources.
Emotional
Emotional expanders
Benefits
- Human Resources
- Retirement and savings plans
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life and accident insurance
- Leave benefits
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The employee assistance program is a free, confidential service to UWL employees, their dependents, and anyone living in their household.
Physical
Expanders
Benefits
- Human Resources
- Retirement and savings plans
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life and accident insurance
- Leave benefits
Dining & Catering
- Dining and catering information
- What’s on the menu?
- Mealplans for staff and faculty
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The employee assistance program is a free, confidential service to UWL employees, their dependents, and anyone living in their household.
Outdoor Equipment
- Outdoor Equipment Rental; Outdoor Resource Library: maps, guide books, instruction and periodicals; Outdoor Equipment purchasing advice; Outdoor Trips and Clinics; Outdoor skills training; Lectures and Seminars; Green Bike Rental Program
Rec Sports Memberships
- Membership includes: access to the REC Strength Center, track-side cardiovascular and strength equipment, 200 meter track, courts, climbing wall, racquetball courts, multipurpose room, and conditioning room; access to the Mitchell Hall pool; reduced rental and trip rates at the Outdoor Connection; ability to sponsor guests (up to 3 per visit) for appropriate guest fee; eligibility to play intramural sports; eligibility to utilize personal training services; ability to participate in family weekends
- Avoid ‘busy times’ by following the live counts for the fitness center
StayWell Wellness Wisconsin
- StayWell is an independent provider of health promotion programs and services. StayWell specializes in helping organizations improve the health and well-being of their participants. Since 1978 StayWell has designed and managed programs for employers throughout the United States.
The StayWell wellness portal is available to employees, retirees and their spouses enrolled in the State of Wisconsin or Wisconsin Public Employers Group Health Insurance Programs. Access is based on the effective dates of your health insurance coverage. The StayWell wellness portal is not available to children or other dependents of the employee enrolled in State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program. The services available to you through StayWell, including individual confidential health coaching and all of the tools in the portal, are provided at no cost to you
To access your StayWell Portal, click here.
Well Wisconsin Incentive
- The $150 Well Wisconsin Incentive is the uniform wellness incentive available to employees, retirees and their spouses currently enrolled in the State of Wisconsin or Wisconsin Public Employers Group Health Insurance Programs.
Complete a health screening, the StayWell health assessment, and a StayWell well-being activity to earn the $150 gift card. You can complete these steps via your StayWell wellness portal account
Click here to be redirected to the StayWell portal
Financial
Expanders
Benefits
- Human Resources
- Retirement and savings plans
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life and accident insurance
- Leave benefits
Educational Assistance
- Tuition reimbursement is available to all Academic Staff and Faculty who hold budgeted appointments of half time or greater and University Staff employees who hold project appointments or appointments with an expectation of continued employment. See full information here: Employee education assistance policy
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The employee assistance program is a free, confidential service to UWL employees, their dependents, and anyone living in their household.
Financial Planning
- In addition to retirement & savings plans benefits, UWL employees have access to financial planning vendors associated with the UW Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA), i.e., 403(b) program: TIAA, Fidelity Investments , and Rowe Price
- UWL employees can also utilize direct deposit from their payroll to contribute to Edvest (Wisconsin’s 529 College Savings Plan).
- Additional resources for financial wellness are available through ETF
Spiritual
Spiritual expanders
Dining & Catering
- Dining and catering information
- What’s on the menu?
- Mealplans for staff and faculty
Benefits
- Human Resources
- Retirement and savings plans
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life and accident insurance
- Leave benefits
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The employee assistance program is a free, confidential service to UWL employees, their dependents, and anyone living in their household.
Social & cultural
Expanders
Athletic Events
Ticket information with faculty/staff discounts: https://uwlathletics.com/documents/2018/8/10/Ticket_Information_2018_19.pdf
Campus Bookstore
Campus Activities Board
- CAB provides cultural, educational and entertaining events for UW - La Crosse students, community, faculty and staff.
- CAB Events- free movies, performances and speakers
Murphy Library
- Books and media borrowing privileges for staff and faculty.
- Equipment borrowing privileges for staff and faculty.
Outdoor Equipment
- Outdoor Equipment Rental; Outdoor Resource Library: maps, guide books, instruction and periodicals; Outdoor Equipment purchasing advice; Outdoor Trips and Clinics; Outdoor skills training; Lectures and Seminars; Green Bike Rental Program
Visual & Performing Arts
Environmental
Expanders
Environmental Health & Safety
- UWL has a legal and financial obligation to provide and maintain a safe and healthful environment for our employees, students, guests, and residents of the community. Implementation of the Environmental Health and Safety Program is intended to achieve this goal.
Environmental Sustainability
Career & academic
Expanders
Educational Assistance
- Tuition reimbursement is available to all Academic Staff and Faculty who hold budgeted appointments of half time or greater and University Staff employees who hold project appointments or appointments with an expectation of continued employment. See full information here: Employee education assistance policy
Professional Development
- Graduate & Extended Learning can work with you to develop educational programs (both credit and non-credit) that enable individuals to earn degrees and certificates, meet licensure requirements, accomplish professional goals, participate in conferences, and pursue leisure and academic interests.
- Financial support for University Staff professional development through the University Staff Professional Development Grant
- Financial support for Academic Staff professional development through the Academic Staff Professional Development Program
- Professional development opportunities related to Equity & Affirmative Action
- Professional development opportunities within Campus Climate including cultural humility trainings, teach-ins, and RISE UP (click ‘Educational Outreach’)
- Faculty development grants for faculty and instructional academic staff and projects intended to improve teaching and learning
- Employee training and supervisor training through human resources
Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness is a component of mental health along with psychological and social well-being. Mental health is how we think, feel, and act. Emotional wellness involves the ability to understand and share your feelings. This includes feelings of fear, anger, sadness, stress, disgust, hope, love, joy, happiness, and much more. Three important components of emotional wellness are awareness, acceptance, and management. This means:
- Recognizing your feelings and the feelings of others,
- Understanding the normality of human emotion and realistically assessing personal limitations,
- And managing or coping with personal feelings and knowing how to seek support when necessary
Community Resources:
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
- Call or text for 24/7 free and confidential support
- La Crosse County Crisis Services: 608.784.4357
- Local mental health support and evaluation of risk via phone and/or in person
- Great Rivers 211 Helpline: 211 or 800.362.8255
- Local support and connection to resources for meeting basic needs
Physical Wellness
Physical wellness is multidimensional and looks different for different people. Optimal physical wellness is a complex state of health and well-being that includes, but is not limited to, a properly functioning body. Taking care of your physical well-being requires physical activity, proper nutrition, avoiding misuse of alcohol and other substances, safe sexual health practices, proper sleep, professional medical attention when needed, and taking steps to prevent injury.
Components of Physical Wellness
Exercise & Fitness
Physical activity is vital for maintaining health. In addition to building muscle, improving endurance, strengthening bones, and improving one's ability to do everyday activities, regular exercise has been shown to decrease anxiety and stress, increase self-esteem, and improve academic performance.
It is recommended that adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week and resistance training for muscular fitness on 2-3 days each week.
Nutrition
Combining physical activity with quality food intake will maximize the benefits for physical well-being. While nutrition practices can look different, a healthy diet generally includes a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, lean meat, and other sources of protein. Carbohydrates, fat, and protein are the essential macronutrients we need for energy and to maintain the body's systems.
Along with a well-rounded diet, intuitive and mindful eating can be important components of nutrition. Intuitive eating is an approach to fueling, nourishing, and loving your body; mindful eating is a specific tool used to intentionally and purposefully engage in the eating process without judgement.
Alcohol and Other Drugs
Substance use can be a significant barrier to student success. We recognize that students may choose to participate in the consumption of alcohol and other drugs, so Wellness & Health Advocacy provides education and prevention strategies that promote safety and bystander intervention. Risk reduction is essential for fostering safer consumption and a community of responsible individuals.
Sexual Health
Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being connected to sexuality. While sexual and reproductive health can be difficult to talk about, having informed conversations and practicing safer sexual habits can positively support overall well-being.
Pregnancy and STI Prevention
If you choose to participate in sexual activity, it is important to protect and respect yourself and your partners. For example, barrier methods are recommended for protection from sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies can be avoided with proper use of contraception.
Consent and Healthy Relationships
Consent is freely given words or overt actions that clearly communicate an individual’s agreement to engage in sexual activity. It should be specific and enthusiastic from all partners. Consent cannot be legally obtained if an individual is incapacitated due to alcohol or other drugs, is unconscious or asleep, or has impaired mental capacity.
Relationships should consist of mutual respect, open communication, honesty, and support for one another. Learn more about healthy relationships, consent, and sexual violence from Violence Prevention.
Sexuality and Gender Identity
How we identify and express our gender and sexuality are important components of sexual, reproductive, and relationship health.
Sleep
Sleep is a necessary and vital biological function that is essential to a person's physical and emotional well-being. Sleep benefits your immune system, helps repair your nervous system, and aids in hormone release. And proper sleep can help you stay healthy and can improve academic performance. It is recommended that adults sleep for 7 to 9 hours every night.
Medical Self-Care
Participating in medical self-care it vital for physical well-being. Attending regular physical exams, recognizing and responding to signs of disease, and utilizing professional medical services when needed are important components of taking care of one's health.
Financial Wellness
Money plays a critical role in our lives and financial stress is a common source of anxiety for college students. Financial wellness focuses on learning how to successfully manage the financial factors that impact well-being. This might mean budgeting, saving, investing, and exploring new financial concepts.
Spiritual Wellness
At its foundation, spiritual wellness is rooted in discovering a sense of meaningfulness in your life. It provides the capacity to love, have compassion for others, practice forgiveness, and feel joy. For some individuals, spiritual wellness might be connected to religious faith. For others, it might be tied to personal beliefs, values, ethics, morals, and/or a relationship with nature. Signs of a positive relationship with spiritual well-being include:
- Having a sense of purpose in life
- The ability to spend reflective time alone
- Having a clear sense of right and wrong
- Caring for and acting in the welfare of others
- Practicing forgiveness and compassion
Social & Cultural Wellness
Social and cultural wellness is the ability to establish relationships, relate to others, and connect positively with other people. The social dimension of well-being encourages us to contribute to our community, foster healthy relationships and build a supportive social network, value cultural diversity, and preserve safe cultural spaces.
Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness focuses on our ability to positively impact the land, air, and water that supports human and animal life. Elements of a sustainable lifestyle can support your health, the planet, ecological well-being, and your economic health.
Career & Academic Wellness
Career and academic well-being allows us to focus on our academic and professional work while still maintaining balance in our lives.
Academic Wellness
Components of academic wellness include the desire to learn new concepts and improve skills, the seeking of challenges as a lifelong learner, and the ability to effectively use information. The intellectual dimension of well-being highlights:
- Getting the most out of education by asking questions and studying effectively
- Creative and mentally stimulating activities
- The importance of problem solving and critical thinking
Career Wellness
At the center of career and occupational wellness is the belief that occupational development is related to one's attitude about one's work. Important components of career wellness include personal satisfaction and enrichment at work, occupational skills and knowledge, and career ambitions, along with:
- A career that is consistent with personal values
- Rewarding work
- Functional, transferable skills
- Occupational safety and well-being