Student Health Advisory Committee

Meet our 2024-2025 Student Health Advisory Committee

Purpose:

The Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) provides an essential link between UCF Health Student Health Services (SHS) and the UCF student body. SHAC represents the student body in relaying student health concerns to SHS, helps to promote SHS services and initiatives, and participates in SHS-sponsored events.

SHAC Members:

Provide input to SHS Administrators with concerns, such as accessibility, on-call hours, the range of services, sensitivity to issues of culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, student fees, quality, and general satisfaction
Make suggestions to, and engage in discussion with, SHS administration and staff for enhancements to services and new program initiatives based on student input (which may include e-mail, forums, surveys, etc.) regarding their wants and needs
Receive input from clinicians and staff regarding how we can best educate students
Develop programs to educate students about SHS, its services, and important healthcare issues
Obtain knowledge from campus partners for personal/career growth
Gain volunteer hours through working at SHS-sponsored events

Participation:

SHAC is composed of up to 30 members and strives to be representative of a diverse student population.

Any UCF student is eligible to apply for membership (including graduate students!)
Members are selected based on the merits of their application and interest in the group. Prospective members will be voted upon by SHAC Faculty Advisors.
To remain in SHAC, members must not have more than one meeting absence per semester; additional absences will need to be approved by committee leadership.
Members must also complete a minimum of 8.0 volunteer hours at SHS-sponsored events per semester in order to remain active. NOTE: most volunteer opportunities are during business hours (M-F 9-5pm).
Once accepted into SHAC, students may remain a member until their graduation, as long as they meet membership requirements each semester.
Membership is withdrawn by alerting members of the group of the withdrawal, or by failing to meet attendance or volunteer requirements.

How to apply to be a SHAC member:

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year are now closed – please check back next year!

Leadership and Organization:

SHAC is led by two student positions who work together with two SHS Staff Advisors. The roles of the President and Vice President (elected by majority vote) include: presiding over all meetings of the main committee, implementing, and upholding of bylaws, the appointment of subcommittees, and providing the initial charge of responsibilities to all subcommittees.

Meetings:

SHAC meets once per month during the academic year at the Health Center. Additional meetings may be called for any SHAC subcommittees by leadership.

Evaluation:

A program review is completed at the end of the spring semester. Individual reviews will be given by Staff Advisors for active SHAC Members. Members in good/excellent standing may receive by request a letter of recommendation from SHS Associate Vice President and/or Associate Director for their future endeavors.

For more information contact:

Staff Advisors: crystal.zavallo@ucf.edu, mary.schmidt-owens@ucf.edu