Stories & News

The University of Michigan will use the 2026-27 academic year to address another core impact area of its Look to Michigan vision: to serve as a model of excellence in fostering healthy and thriving communities at the university, across the state, and beyond. Human Health and Well-Being has been announced as the next Look to Michigan theme year and will offer the U-M community programming, events, and learning opportunities.

The University of Michigan has officially launched two initiatives on social prescribing: Experience Rx and the Institute for Social Prescribing. Social prescribing connects people with non-clinical experiences — such as the arts, movement, nature, and service — to support their health and wellness. These personalized “prescriptions” foster meaningful social connections, reduce isolation and enhance both individual and community well-being.

The University of Michigan is committed to equitable access to education through supportive, inclusive academic practices that enable students to fulfill their academic requirements and honor their religious obligations. The university affirms each student’s right to observe their faith traditions and spiritual practices without academic penalty and is dedicated to supporting them through reasonable accommodation.

The Well-being Collective has reached the next milestone in the University of Michigan’s commitment to become a health-promoting campus. On Nov. 12, campus health and wellness leaders and advocates gathered for a summit that officially launched action teams charged with enacting the university’s Common Agenda for Well-being.

For the third year in a row, college students are reporting lower rates of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and suicidal thoughts, according to new findings from the nation's largest study of student mental health.

U-M provides a wide range of resources and programs to support the well-being of every member of the community, including faculty and staff. Highlights this year include a self-paced course for instructors on student mental health; a revamped toolkit for well-being; and movement consultations through MHealthy.

A broad coalition of University of Michigan arts and health units is launching Michigan ArtsRx, a new campus-wide program designed to support mental health and well-being through active engagement with the arts.

University of Michigan employees who welcome a child to their family within the first six months of being hired are now eligible for three weeks of paid parental leave under an expansion of the university’s policy on maternity (childbirth) and parental leaves.

Instructors at the University of Michigan now have access to a self-paced course on role-appropriate ways they can support student mental health. The course content was developed by the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching’s CRLT Players in consultation with campus mental health experts and the Center for Academic Innovation.

The new year will bring an added perk for faculty and staff. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, employees will enjoy one day each calendar year as a paid floating holiday. The new benefit allows faculty and staff to designate a floating holiday day, with approval from their supervisor or department, to celebrate the holiday or special occasion of their choice each year.

Mary Jo Desprez is no stranger to times of stress. As the long-time director of health promotion and Wolverine Wellness at U-M, she and her team support both students and staff through personal and campus-wide challenges as well as national and international events that impact the well-being of our community.

President Santa J. Ono's July video message discusses the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games and the importance of disability and accessibility at U-M with this month's Portrait of a Wolverine. Dr. O is the director of Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services, an accomplished physician, and a nationally recognized expert on disability.

The University of Michigan has engaged in a strategic visioning process to sharpen our impact an determine where we will go, and what we will dare to achieve. The Vision 2034 will inspire us to show the world the excellence that U-M offers. One of the four impact areas of Vision 2034 is human health and well-being. U-M aspires to become a model of excellence for meeting the public health challenges facing our society, as well as addressing the needs within our U-M campus communities.

President Santa J. Ono's May video message is, “Let's talk about mental health.” He also highlighted Kelcey Stratton, chief behavioral health strategist, as this month’s Portrait of a Wolverine.

The Common Agenda is a vision for change that includes a common understanding of the current state of well-being and a community-created approach for the future of the Ann Arbor campus and Michigan Medicine.

The University of Michigan is collaborating with national mental health program JED Campus to improve student well-being on campus, as announced in an Oct. 12 statement from the U-M Well-being Collective.

The University of Michigan has joined JED Campus, a four-year initiative to assess and strengthen student well-being and mental health work currently underway across the Ann Arbor campus.

President Santa J. Ono's August video message encourages U-M community members to avail themselves of the benefits of vacation. He also highlighted Lindsey Mortenson, chief mental health officer in Student Life, as this month’s Portrait of a Wolverine.

In this Q&A, Lindsey Mortenson, chief mental health officer, discusses mental health resources on campus, how expanded mental health services enhance communities, and ways to advocate for additional mental health support.

Students on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus now have access to up to six free counseling sessions per year, including same-day appointments, thanks to an expanded partnership with the student teletherapy provider Uwill. And in an effort to promote mental health and well-being for U-M faculty and staff, University Human Resources has recently created and filled a new position of chief behavioral health strategist.

In an effort to better support the mental well-being of University of Michigan students and faculty, university leaders have proposed extending the break between fall and winter terms for the 2023-24 academic year by an additional week.

The University of Michigan has created a holistic, strategic and comprehensive infrastructure to address the complex health and wellness needs of faculty, staff and students by launching a campus Well-being Collective.

Student Life has appointed Lindsey Mortenson, currently the acting executive director and medical director for University Health Service, as the campus’ inaugural chief mental health officer.

U-M is adopting new and innovative approaches to continue its focus on student mental health and well-being with resources targeting the holistic needs of students using a multi-dimensional approach and increased compassion.

Counseling and Psychological Services is piloting a new mental health and well-being resource that allows students to receive and provide support anonymously through an online peer-to-peer community

In an effort to become a “health promoting” university, the University of Michigan and seven other institutions have adopted the Okanagan Charter. The charter’s mission is to call on colleges and universities to “embed health into all aspects of campus culture and to lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally.

As part of a comprehensive plan to improve student well-being on campus, the University of Michigan has adopted the Okanagan Charter (PDF) and joined the United States Health Promoting Campuses Network, a cohort of seven U.S. universities committed to becoming health-promoting institutions.

U-M is launching comprehensive action to transform how the health and well-being needs of students can be holistically addressed. The approach is outlined in a new report.

A committee of deans, faculty, and staff across U-M Academic Affairs and Student Life areas released a new report that outlines a comprehensive approach for transforming how the health and well-being needs of students can be holistically addressed on the Ann Arbor campus. The recommendations, which span four broad themes of strategic and innovative change — each with its own series of supporting recommendations.

A 12-member committee examining how to improve student mental health and well-being is seeking feedback from the university community through a series of upcoming virtual town halls.

College students last fall reported their highest levels of depression and anxiety of any prior semester, according to U-M’s Healthy Minds Study, an annual web-based survey looking at mental health.