UT Board Approves Millions For Student Health Resources

The University of Texas at Austin’s System Board of Regents oversees all 14 UT institutions. Their goal for the next three years is to promote more student well-being initiatives throughout its schools.

During a meeting earlier this week, the Board took action. At first, they approved $5.995 million of endowment funds for mental health, student safety and alcohol-related education, according to the university’s paper, The Daily Texan. The Board acquired $1.4 million more to further address sexual assault prevention through a program called the Cultivating Learning and Safe Environments, or CLASE.

UT-Austin will help kickstart the System-wide implementation. Its Moody College of Communication and Dell Medical School will build a $227,000 health communications campaign about alcohol and consent, and a $266,800 program, made from the University’s MasculinUT campaign, will engage male students in sexual assault prevention.

Approved funds will also help cover an intervention program for “high-risk drinking students and Centers for Students in Recovery at UT institutions.”

The one-year CLASE funding will permit the University’s Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault to gather more sexual assault research specifically focusing on the dangers minorities and LGBTQ students encounter, as well as create prevention curriculum for students, faculty and staff.

Future System-wide programs include a Thrive at UT app, televised counseling services, bystander intervention and mental health technology-centered initiative programs required of new students.

Proposals were approved unanimously by the Board.