UWI Guild focuses on mental, financial health of students

3285296

With the new academic year at the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) St Augustine campus set to begin today, president of the Guild of Students Kobe Sandy yesterday said that the association will ensure that the mental health and economic stability of students are protected.

Sandy made the statement during a virtual address broadcast yesterday.

He said because of the COVID-19 pandemic the last five semesters at the St Augustine Campus was plunged into an unprecedented era of teaching and learning.

“Our lecture theatres were shut down and the very pulse that beats within the campus’ spirit was snatched away in a matter of seconds by this dreaded pandemic. We thought by now, we should have returned to meet and greet each other and the only solace we have is the memory of the last time we graced the presence of St Augustine,” he said.

This year the Guild celebrates its 60th anniversary and Sandy said despite the ongoing pandemic the “Guild Fest” will be launched in a few weeks.

“In times of darkness, light shall always appear, and the Guild of Students would be rolling out a comprehensive student welfare plan this academic year. Cognisant of the Economic Burnout resulting from COVID, we are resolute in our cause to not leave any student behind. This plan will involve addressing issues of food insecurity, the digital divide and economic stability. We will advance the need for entrepreneurship and innovation and provide a stimulus to create student-led businesses that will remove dependence into self-reliance. Our Student Welfare taskforce will be established to provide a working policy on how we can execute our welfare agenda for all our members,” he said.

Sandy said that the pandemic has taken a mental toll on students and the Guild has put the mental well-being of students on the top of its agenda.

“Our first mandate is to ensure your mental health is protected and secured, we will position ourselves to advocate that all policies coming out of the campus whether it be teaching and learning modality, student accommodation, labs and practicums, student financing and more are student-centric and reflective of our current circumstance,” he said.

“As I said before and I will say again, the Guild will not play Russian roulette with the lives and livelihood of our members, we will not sit lightly and witness the mental destruction of any student. We have already started to advance to the administration to provide more resources to the Counselling and Psychiatric Services Unit for expansive programmes to meet your mental need and provide safe spaces for all. We will retrofit our programmes within the Guild to provide meaningful coping mechanisms as you navigate online learning in a pandemic,” Sandy said.