SHS Anticipates OK to Proposal For Fewer Hours

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Sue Kitchen will meet with Chancellor James Moeser and his Cabinet on Tuesday, at which time they are expected to give the potential changes the green light.

The proposed hours of service for fall and spring semesters are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday. The proposed weekend hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Summer session hours are proposed to be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The after-hours service charge of $40 will not change.

Now SHS is open year-round, 24 hours a day.

A committee of SHS employees and student representatives recommended last year that SHS reallocate funds used for low-demand, late-night hours to daytime hours, when demand is higher.

SHS Director Bob Wirag said he changed the committee's recommendations by more than doubling the proposed weekend hours. The original proposal called for Saturday hours from 8 a.m. to noon and Sunday hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"We (made the changes) because I didn't feel comfortable with four hours for those days," he said.

But Wirag said students shouldn't be concerned that medical services will suffer because of decreased hours. Arrangements have been made so that students can call HealthLink at 966-7890, a free 24-hour service in which nurses from UNC Hospitals are available to answer callers' medical questions.

Wirag said the service will offer an adequate alternative, adding that a nurse could advise a student to go immediately to the emergency room or offer self-help skills and have the student wait until SHS is open.

SHS will financially aid students who must go to the emergency room. Students enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan can waive the $100 deductible for care at the UNC Hospitals emergency room.

Students also will be able to apply for reimbursement of up to $500 in out-of-pocket charges for emergency services not covered by a health insurance plan.

Committee members agree that changes in SHS will benefit students. "The reason being that the reallocation of hours will create more appointment slots," said former Student Body President Brad Matthews, who served on the committee of employees and students.

And Wirag said the changes will be a more effective use of student fees. "It's going to provide them better usage of the student monies for the program."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.