In their final meeting of the 2018-19 year, Student Government Association (SGA) Senate passed a new health initiative that previously failed back last November. The new resolution is a student health fee of $30 that would be added each semester when visiting the Wellness Center. The fee will be added to the university’s funding of the Wellness Center to provide better resources for students who need them.

Unlike the resolution proposed last November, Senators and SGA members will also have the power to negotiate better terms of the resolution every three years.

The resolution has been a four-month effort by both SGA members and Vice President for Health and Wellness Dr. David Rubenstein to create a better deal for students that doesn’t raise tuition and funds Rowan EMS’s aging fleet.

“When it came up to vote last time, there was a lot of secrecy and uncertainty about the resolution,” said Assistant Vice President of Facilities and Operations Rob Emmanuel. “This time we were able to go through the vetting process and make sure that everything the students wanted. Moreover, it funds Rowan EMS, while making it cheaper for students to go the Wellness Center.”

Expanding the Wellness Center as well as funding Rowan EMS was one of the main concerns for students and SGA Senators last time. Senators were concerned whether or not the $50 copay and expansion would directly affect student tuition as a whole, while barely addressing the waitlist and overpriced copay controversy last year.

Although the previous health initiatives faced harsh criticism in the past, Senators, including Senator for the Rowan Republicans Santino D’Agostino, feel that this new initiative not only fixes the copay problem, but the Wellness Center as a whole.

“This new initiative will definitely help students in the future,” D’Agostino said. “Money needed to be spent to address the problems at the Wellness Center and I’m just happy that it helps fund Rowan EMS, while helping students at a cost that doesn’t exceed $30. This was a better deal all around.”

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