In the spring term, Dartmouth Student Health Service will participate in a nationwide kindness initiative that will encourage students to complete one intentional kind act every day for 30 days.
DSHS director Mark Reed and senators discussed plans to participate in the KIND30 project and other health initiatives at the sixth weekly DSG meeting of the winter term on Feb. 15.
According to Reed, this will be the first time Dartmouth is implementing the KIND30 project, which he said “took off” at K-12 schools, churches and big corporations but has not yet reached the “college scene.” Reed added that he hopes the initiative will help students, faculty and staff do “something for someone else in our community.”
“In this day and age where everything is so politicized and polarized, it is nice to have an opportunity to step outside ourselves,” Reed said.
Reed also suggested a “student steering committee” made up of senators to help provide student input and suggestions on the event. School House senator Hanna Bilgin ’28 suggested working with the House Council and Interhouse Council for funding and incentivizing students to participate in the event.
Past DSG health initiatives include adding gym equipment to common rooms in West House and purchasing walking treadmills for the library.
Reed also discussed common myths surrounding healthcare at Dartmouth. The most common myth, he said, is that students who do not have Dartmouth health insurance cannot be seen at Dick’s House. Reed shared that all students have access to medical care, with most services free of charge.
“Embedded in every student’s tuition — regardless of the insurance that they have — is a health fee, and so every active student is entitled to care, and almost everything is free of charge,” Reed said.
North Park senator Issa Allison ’29 shared that Dick’s House also has a $2,000 fund to help reduce the price of medications for students on financial aid, which he worked with Reed to help establish.
DSG Senate meetings occur weekly on Sundays at 7 p.m. in Collis 101 and are open to all students.
