Creating Healthier Places

Saint Louis University

2016 Progress Report

Year Committed: 2015

Length of Commitment: 3 years

Select a Progress Report:

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Committed to meet 23 guidelines—developed by PHA in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading nutrition, physical activity and campus wellness experts—around nutrition, physical activity, and programming on campus.

Verified Results

Implementation Date
September 2017
Reporting Date
November 2016

Commitment Element
Make free water available in all dining, recreational and educational facilities.
Progress To Date

Saint Louis University offers free drinking water in all dining, recreational and educational buildings, through an assortment of water stations, drinking fountains and bottle filling stations. In 2014, students began an initiative to increase the number of water bottle filling stations across campus in order to reduce the purchase and use of disposable water bottles. Nearly 70 stations have been installed and the initiative has prevented two million bottles from entering the landfill since implementation.
Implementation Date
September 2017
Reporting Date
November 2016

Commitment Element
Make available Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) for personal nutrition assessments and counseling to all students.
Progress To Date

Two registered dietitians are available to students to conduct nutrition assessments and help develop a nutrition plan of care that is tailored to each individual. DineSLU also offers a dietetic technician to help students navigate the residential dining facilities and address allergies and other food-related concerns. Over the past fiscal year, utilization of the registered dietitians has more than doubled, increasing from 55 consultations to 113.
Implementation Date
September 2017
Reporting Date
November 2016

Commitment Element
Offer a minimum of twenty (20) diverse recreation, physical activity/movement or competitive sports opportunities during each academic year.
Progress To Date

The Department of Campus Recreation at Saint Louis University offers both competitive and non-competitive recreational sport opportunities to students. This includes five sessions of intramural sports; more than 30 sport clubs; aquatics lessons and conditioning; group exercise offerings including aerobics, kickboxing, Pilates, spinning and yoga; and instructional programs comprising ballroom dancing, salsa, swing dance and Zumba.
Implementation Date
September 2017
Reporting Date
November 2016

Commitment Element
Offer, without a user fee, both: a. Fitness/recreation center orientation during the first semester for all incoming students and b. One (1) fitness assessment all students each academic year.
Progress To Date

Saint Louis University students have access to complimentary fitness center orientations during Fall Welcome activities and by request on an individual and small group basis throughout the year. The Wellness Suite, located in the Simon Recreation Center, is open to all students and members of the Simon Recreation Center and offers fitness center orientations, techniques for managing stress, flexibility assessment and instruction, nutrition education, blood pressure screenings and a body composition analysis.
Implementation Date
September 2017
Reporting Date
November 2016

Commitment Element
Implement a program/policy that supports and accommodates breastfeeding for individuals on campus.
Progress To Date

Saint Louis University supports female faculty and staff by providing paid and unpaid breaks for women who have chosen to breastfeed after they return to work. The University’s Lactation Accommodations policy applies to all full-time, part-time and temporary staff, faculty and residents. Twelve designated lactation areas are available throughout campus with a clean, private, comfortable space, an electrical outlet, a chair, a table for the breast pump and access to a sink with running water. In addition to designated lactation rooms, employees may work with their supervisors to identify a space in their department or in the building that can also meet their needs.

Partner Statement

“Saint Louis University remains committed to creating a healthier environment for our students and the entire SLU community. Over the first two years of our participation in the PHA Healthier Campus Initiative we have implemented more than half of our commitments through a collaborative approach led by our PHA Wellness Committee, which is made up of constituents from across the University. Participation in the program has helped us educate the whole person (mind, body, and spirit) and has supported student success. Whether completing a nutrition assessment with one of our registered dietitians or participating in an intramural sport with friends, there are plenty of opportunities for the SLU community to stay active and be healthy.

"We look forward to the challenge of completing our commitment elements and to creating an even healthier environment for our student to live, learn and play.”