Health and Wellness

I. Health Requirements

• A. Health Insurance: All full-time students are required to have health insurance. Information about the student health insurance plan offered at Siena is available through the Office of Health Services on their website. Students who are already enrolled in a health insurance and/or prescription plan must complete the waiver process on-line.
• B. Statement of Intent: The Siena University Health Services will comply with, uphold and enforce relevant provisions of the New York State Public Health law, Article 21, Title VI, and Section 2165 and 2167, as it pertains to this University. Siena University is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for its students with regard to communicable diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella, tuberculosis, pertussis (whooping cough), and meningitis.
  The University recognizes and accepts its responsibility under applicable state law and considers recommendations from the American University Health Association and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• C. Health Services Definition of Full/Part-Time Students:
  1. A part-time student is any person enrolled in a minimum of six but fewer than 12 credit hours per semester.
  2. A full-time student is any person enrolled in 12 or more credit hours per semester and a graduate student enrolled in 9 or more credit hours.
• D. Specific Requirements:
  • Students seeking religious or medical exemption 
• E. Enforcement of Policy:
  1. Students who fail to comply with this policy, including but not limited to any failure to supply complete health or immunization records to the University by the established dates are subject to fines, cancellation of registration and/or a “health hold” for future registrations.
  2. Students who fail to comply with this policy within 30 days of the beginning of the first term for which they register will not be permitted to attend class and will have their registration put on hold for subsequent semesters. Students living in the residence halls will be removed from housing until all required health record requirements are met. They may be reinstated upon full compliance and taken off registration “hold”.
  3. Students with positive tuberculin tests, including those who have had BCG vaccination, are required to report to the Albany County Health Department Chest Clinic or the Health Department in their county of residence. Failure to comply with health department directives will result in the penalties listed in the preceding paragraph.
• F. Compliance and Reporting: 
  1. Siena University complies with the requirement to submit yearly reports of immunization statistics including reports of diagnosis of communicable disease, as they occur, as required by NYS Department of Health regulations.
  2. Student immunization records contain medical information and will be maintained in a confidential manner. Access to these records will be limited to personnel whose job duties require information from these records. No records can be released without the student’s written consent or for a student under the age of eighteen, the consent of a parent or guardian. All medical records will be stored for seven years.

II. Counseling Center: Scope of Care

• A. Overview of Services:
  Siena University Counseling Center services are free and confidential.* The Counseling Center also provides consultations for students to faculty, staff, and families regarding the mental health of Siena students.
  *The information shared in a psychotherapy relationship is treated with the deepest respect. The Counseling Center is committed to keeping records and information that is shared confidential. Only in situations where safety is a concern and there is imminent risk of harm can information be shared, and in these situations only for the purpose of insuring safety; or in situations where the University must comply with a judicial order, or lawfully issued subpoena or is related to legal action involving the University and the student.
• B. Reasons Students Visit the Counseling Center:
  The most common reasons for visiting the Counseling Center include:
  • a. Anxiety
  • b. Depressed mood
  • c. Grief
  • d. Relationship problems with family, peers, or romantic partners
  • e. Substance Abuse
  • f. Suicidal thoughts
  • g. Traumatic experiences
• C. Goals for Visiting the Counseling Center:
  Common goals include:
  • a. Symptom reduction
  • b. Learning coping strategies or developing healthy habits
  • c. Changing problematic behaviors
  • d. Receive support
  • e. Assessment
• D. Short-term Counseling:
  The Siena University Counseling Center offers short-term, solution-focused counseling to matriculated full-time and part-time students to reduce emotional distress, learn coping skills, foster resilience, and receive support. Students who visit the Counseling Center average six visits. The annual maximum for visits to the Counseling Center is ten sessions. Beginning at the first session, the clinician and student will work together to determine if the student’s needs can be met in our model. For example, students with a history of multiple hospitalizations, severe eating disorders, or active psychoses will likely be referred to the community, given the need for more than 10 sessions of counseling. For students who require or wish to have more than 10 sessions annually, we can assist you in finding a community provider. Attending a group counseling session or a skills group offered by the Counseling Center does not count toward the 10 session limit.
• E. Frequency and Length of Appointments:
  The intake appointment (i.e., first appointment) will be approximately 60 minutes in length, excluding time for paperwork. The follow-up biweekly sessions will be approximately 45 minutes in length. Missed appointments without 24 hour notice are counted toward the annual 10 session limit. Students with repeated missed appointments without 24-hours-notice may be referred to the community.
• F. Assessment of Treatment Progress:
  Students will be asked to complete a brief computerized system-tracking assessment before each appointment. This assessment will track how you are doing on your most pressing concerns on an appointment by appointment basis. Your therapist will review this assessment with you at every meeting and will also ask you how you feel you are doing in counseling.
• G. Psychiatric Services:
  Siena University contracts with external providers to provide medication management. These providers are available free of charge. The cost to purchase medications will vary depending on the student’s insurance plan. Stipulations for seeing the psychiatry providers include:
  • a. No prescriptions for ADHD / ADD medications or benzodiazepines.
  • b. Student must be engaged in concurrent counseling at the Counseling Center to be eligible for psychiatric services.
  • c. Students with repeated missed psychiatric appointments may be referred to the community.
• H. Services Not Provided:
  The Counseling Center is not able to provide some services. We can refer students to community providers for these services, if requested. These services include:
  • a ADD / ADHD Evaluations
  • b. Autism spectrum evaluations
  • c. Learning disability assessments
  • d. Disability evaluations for housing
• I. Other Beneficial Resources:
  Please refer to the resources below at the university for questions on any of the following questions:
  • a. Housing Accommodations 
  • b. Lab / Bloodwork 
  • c. Learning or other disability accommodations 
  • d Meal Plan 

III. Refusing Medical Treatment

Should a student refuse care or present a plan of care/treatment, and such refusal or plan may, as determined by the University, constitute a threat of harm to self, to others, to property or to the orderly operation of the University, Siena reserves the right to place the student on medical leave, or to take other action(s) as deemed necessary including, but not limited to, relocation, restriction(s) and/or suspension from housing. This includes following isolation and quarantine requirements and/or University required COVID 19 related testing and/or other public health directives. The University may reconsider the medical leave or other action taken, if in the opinion of the University, the student has adequately and appropriately demonstrated to the University that such refusal or plan may no longer constitute a threat to self, to others, to property or to the orderly operation of the University.

IV. Medical Leave of Absence Policy

 

V. Death in the Family

Students or parents reporting a death in a student’s family should be referred to the Office of Provost and Academic Affairs (academicaffairs@siena.edu) who will notify the student’s faculty of the dates of the absences(s).
The Office of Provost and Academic Affairs will also copy Community Living, Academic Success Center, Counseling Center, and SKIPs plus the student on the email.

VI. Reasonable Accommodations Due to a Disability

• A. The Office of Accessibility is devoted to ensuring equal educational opportunities and a responsive campus environment. The office ensures that students with disabilities receive reasonable accommodations that allow them equal access to all Siena University programs and the opportunity to realize and develop self-advocacy skills.
• B. Academic accommodations will be granted to students who have registered and provided documentation of their disability to the Office of Accessibility. Each student is met with an interactive individualized registration process. Although we encourage students to register early, they may register at any time. Accommodations, however, are not retroactive. To register, students must complete registration and release forms and submit proper documentation of their disability. To ensure appropriate accommodations, documentation should be current (normally within three years) and demonstrate how the disability limits participation in courses, programs, services and activities. Documentation, forwarded from the student’s high school, certified psychologist, licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional, should provide information for both establishing a disability and identifying possible accommodations. Students will meet with the Director to discuss an individualized accommodation plan. Students will receive an accommodation letter to provide to their faculty. All documentation and personal information are held in strict confidence unless authorized for release by the student in writing.
• C. Accommodations are determined by an individual interactive process so that each student can participate in and benefit from the University's programs, services, and activities, provided that such accommodations would not:
  1. Fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the University’s academic programs, services, or activities
  2. Cause undue burden to the University
  3. Pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others
• D. Students may contact the Title IX Coordinator/Equal Opportunity if they wish to discuss or file a complaint about any aspect of Siena’s operations/policies/procedures or about the actions of any student, visitor or employee of the University. The Title IX Coordinator/EOS also serves as the individual to contact should a student wish to appeal a decision by Health Services, the Counseling Center or the Office of Accessibility related to an accommodation.
• E. Special Accommodations Request:

VII. Food Allergy Policy and Accommodations for Students

 

VIII. Service and Emotional Support Animal Policy

A. Siena University is committed to compliance with applicable state and federal laws relating to individuals with disabilities. With respect to a request for a service or Emotional Support Animal (ESA) animal, the University will determine, on a case-by-case basis, and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, whether such an animal is a reasonable accommodation on campus. In doing so, the University must balance the needs of the individual with the impact of animals on other campus community members. The rules governing service or ESA animals in the campus facilities, including classrooms and offices, and in the residence halls, are different. Only service animals, defined below and generally restricted to dogs, are allowed in the general campus facilities. Emotional support animals will not be allowed in non-residence campus facilities.
Requests for Emotional support animals, which are not restricted to dogs, will be considered only in the residence hall rooms and will be subject to the applicable law and University policy relating to reasonable accommodation of persons with documented disability. Further information regarding assistance animals may be obtained from the Office of Accessibility.
Definitions:
Accommodation: A modification or adjustment in policies, procedures, or work/housing/school environment to enable a student to partake in equal opportunities and access to University benefits and services based on a documented disability.
Assistance Animal: This is the umbrella term that encompasses service animals and emotional support animals. Service animals and emotional support animals are not pets; they are animals that provide assistance, perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provide emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptom or effects of a person’s disability.
Service Animal: An animal that is individually trained (or in the process of being trained) to do work or perform specific tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. The work or tasks performed by the service animal must be directly related to the person’s disability.
Emotional Support Animal (ESA): An animal that provides emotional support to alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. Some, but not all, animals that assist persons with disabilities are professionally trained.
Individual with a Disability: For the purpose of this policy, an individual with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

IX. Service Animal Policy

 

X. Emotional Support Animal Policy

 

XI. Philosophy on Sexual Intimacy

A. Introduction:
As a community guided by our Franciscan and Catholic teachings, the University seeks to encourage and support a diverse community of belonging that is characterized by respectful relationships. Our traditions hold that sexual intimacy is most properly expressed as part of an all-encompassing union of life and love within the covenant of marriage. The University’s philosophy is guided by reverence for human dignity, understanding that sexual activity profoundly impacts an individual on a biological, psychological and spiritual level and the value of the fundamental goodness and sanctity of human sexuality. Acts of sexual intimacy outside of marriage are an incomplete expression of love and are contrary to the values and mission of the University.
Because of the values of the University as a Franciscan and Catholic institution, the University does not provide materials, dispense or distribute contraceptive methods or items that encourage termination of pregnancy. The University maintains programming and services related to healthy relationships, sexual health and education. We are committed to educating students and facilitating discussions around these issues to promote health and safety.
B. Centers and Service:
The following centers and services are available on campus for further information and support regarding healthy relationships, sexual activity and the University’s philosophy on sexual intimacy:

1. Siena University Health Services (an affiliate of St. Peter's Health Partners) – Our staff of nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants and a physician provide confidential conversations and services related to a broad range of health related concerns. These services include gynecologic exams, evaluation and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy testing. Referral services are available to a variety of physician specialists on an as needed basis.
2. Counseling Center – the center provides confidential counseling services free of charge to support the personal, emotional and physiological management of relationships, sexual health and sexual intimacy. Health Promotion, a part of the Counseling Center, provides education, outreach, and support for students to promote holistic health and well-being. Services include providing education and outreach around substance use behaviors, promoting physical and mental health, and advancing suicide prevention.
3. Campus Ministry – the Office of the University Chaplain and Friars-in-Residence are available for confidential discussions related to matters such as sexual health, healthy relationships and sexual intimacy.
4. Office of the Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students – available for conversations about policy, education or other concerns related to the University’s approach to promoting healthy choices, self-respect, and respect for others.
5. Sr. Thea Bowman Women's Center- provides women’s empowerment programming, peer education and trainings related to health and wellness, including healthy relationship and 
   sexual violence.