Maryland Student Affairs Conference

Dear Colleagues –

Due to the unprecedented snowfalls this week, we have decided to cancel the Maryland Student Affairs Conference scheduled for this Friday, February 12, 2010. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Given the current conditions of the campus, driving conditions in the surrounding area, and the anticipation of another major snowstorm tonight and tomorrow, our first priority is to ensure the safety of all of our speakers, participants and presenters. We believe cancelling the conference is in everyone’s best interest.

Full refunds to all registrants will be provided. Please note that no decision has been made about whether the University of Maryland will be open for the remainder of the week. This message applies exclusively to the Maryland Student Affairs Conference.

Please stay safe as we head into the next phase of these significant winter storms. We look forward to seeing you at next year’s Maryland Student Affairs Conference.

Sincerely,

Amy Martin
Conference Chair

Linda Clement
Vice President

There has been a growing emphasis on wellness in our society and at our colleges and universities. Students and staff are not only redefining ways to balance mind, body and spirit in their daily lives, they are also finding healthier ways to meet the demands of challenging academic and social environments.

During the last decade, the American College Health Association created Healthy Campus 2010; this document outlines 200 health objectives in areas such social and emotional health, coping with stress in competitive educational environments and creating links between campus health services and other academic and service departments. Campuses around the world have responded to similar promising research and practices by developing and implementing a variety of health and wellness initiatives. These efforts illustrate the importance and scope of this emerging topic.

The breadth of what wellness encompasses raises many questions and provides us an opportunity to rethink, redesign, and rework the ways in which live, work, teach and engage on campus. As student affairs professionals, educators and mentors, what does wellness mean to us and our work in 2010? How have our definitions about wellness changed? Join us as we reconsider wellness for ourselves, our campuses and our diverse campus communities.

Featuring
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Pamela Peeke
Internationally recognized
physician, scientist and expert
in the fields of nutrition, stress,
fitness and public health.

Registration is now closed.

The 36th Annual Maryland Student Affairs Conference offers a case study competition and programs that explore promising practices related to developing balanced students and staff, flourishing campuses, and robust communities. We will offer presentations that promote conversation about the meaning of "Wellness" in 2010, investigate the opportunities presented through a campus focus on wellness, and examine health disparities that emerge within different campus communities. Additionally, programs explore or address the relationship between wellness and:

• academic achievement
• service learning
• counseling techniques
• mental health
• activity and nutrition
• health insurance
• technology

• work/life balance
• learning outcomes
• campus partnerships
• safety
• spirituality
• environmental efforts

A complete list of programs will be posted along with a detailed conference schedule in a few weeks. So watch for updates to our website! We look forward to seeing you in February!