Elon University officially signed the Okanagan Charter on Oct. 29 in a ceremony held in the Koury Gym. Remarks were given by University President Connie Book, President of Student Government Association Anya Bratić and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Rebecca Kohn.
The adoption marks the next step in Elon’s HealthEU initiative, launched in 2022 to promote well-being across campus. The Okanagan Charter, originally created at an international health promotion conference in 2015, calls on universities to embed health into all aspects of campus culture and to lead health promotion locally and globally.
Anu Räisänen, director of HealthEU and the one to originally introduce the idea of adopting the charter, said she is looking ahead.
“Yes, it's the end of the journey to make the adoption happen,” Räisänen said. “But it really is the beginning of the journey of like, how do we then actually do the important part, which is like, putting all these calls to action, to really what happens at Elon day to day, and really starting to incorporate health and well being to all those things that happen on campus with students and faculty.”
According to Book, implementation has already begun.
“I was visiting with the School of Education's advisory board talking about the HealthEU classes that were piloting this winter term for students, and Dean Bullock was talking about how more and more faculty are bringing ideas around health and well being forward,” Book said in her remarks.
In her own speech, Kohn spoke about the importance of wellness and health on campus for both students and faculty.
“Students don't leave their wellness at the classroom door,” said Kohn. “Our faculty and staff members don't separate their well-being with their work and the most transformative education development happens when we attend the whole person.”
Bratić, who also signed the charter, spoke about Elon’s goals to strive for wellness.
“I'm proud to represent an institution that doesn't just talk about wellbeing, but actively works to infuse it into our daily lives, whether it's through the new initiative, simple moments of connection with faculty, staff and friends and college coffee or even the massage chair in the mind body connection suite, which I know I've been missing quite often recently,” Bratić said. “Elon encourages us to take care of ourselves and one another. These experiences remind us that when we are well, we learn better, we lead better.”
As the university looks ahead, Kohn said the Elon community should see the charter as a shared responsibility to foster a healthier campus environment.
“You have the opportunity and the responsibility to help build a culture of health and well being,” Kohn said. “This is collaborative, it's ongoing and it's some of the most important work that we'll do to support the success and thriving of our students and our colleagues. Thank you for your commitment to making Elon a place where everyone can thrive in mind, body, and atmosphere.”
Bratić ended her remarks with a renewed commitment to health, before signing and officially joining the charter with President Book, Kohn and Vice President of Student Life Jon Dooley.
“The adoption of the Okanagan charter moves Elon forward in its mission to build a healthier, more diverse and more inclusive university for every individual in our community,” Bratić said. "By embracing this charter, we commit to a future where health promotion sits at the heart of everybody that we do.”