The campus of Pittsburg State University is dedicated to keeping staff and students safe amid health concerns this fall semester.
Pittsburg State University offers a variety of services and has put in place many precautions to make sure that students remain safe and healthy this fall amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, initially predicted by health experts earlier this year. Requirements and recommendations may change according to county, state, or federal mandates and students should be prepared to adjust, according to the Pittsburg State office of marketing.
The Bryant Student Health Center, located on the corner of Broadway and Ford, offers many health and medical services to current students enrolled in as little one credit hour. The Health Center staff are certified professionals in their fields whether they be nurses or psychiatric counselors. They offer services related to physical examinations, general check-ups, minor surgeries and laceration treatment, and pharmaceutical services at a small cost. The majority of services offered by the Health Center are covered by the Student Health fee included in tuition costs.
“(The) Bryant Student Health Center provides Pittsburg State University students with high quality evidenced based medical and psychological care to support individual success and sustained wellness..,” the Health Center’s website says. “Bryant Student Health Center at Pittsburg State University will be the student’s first choice for accessible, quality healthcare, education, and advocacy delivered by competent and compassionate professionals.”
According to their website, most college students will “encounter personal, social, and academic stressors during their educational experience and often discover ways to cope with these stressors.” The Health Center offers mental health services to students in addition to their physical health services. The Health Center offers services related to individual therapy, couples’ therapy, psychological testing, nutrition, and training, specifically in educating others on mental health, outreach, and consultation, and graduate students from the department of psychology with professional experience.
Students who are seeking medical attention, either physical or mental, are encouraged to schedule an appointment through their GUSPortal, although walk-ins are accepted but less likely to be seen in a timely manner due to other scheduling requirements. The Health Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In addition to these health services, the university is taking several precautions related to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in the Pittsburg community. Masks are required in all campus buildings with few exceptions. These exceptions include persons in a single-occupancy space, while eating or drinking, or while moving between buildings and being outside. Social distancing protocols are also being strongly recommended and utilized by departments on campus where possible.
The university also has its own police department to help keep university students, staff, and faculty safe from criminal threats. The department also offers safety seminars and emergency preparedness training. Additionally, students, staff, and faculty should request their parking permits from the office of police and parking services. The telephone number for University Police is (620) 235-4624. Students should be aware that dialing 911 from one of the red telephone stations around campus will dial university police but dialing from a mobile phone will direct them to Pittsburg Police Department dispatch.