By Matthew Foster

Whether it’s the flu or pre-exam stress, the newly renovated University Health and Counseling Services Center (UHCS) has taken steps to ensure the ails of students can be cured.

Now located in the Forsyth building, the center reopened its doors Aug. 30 after a summer of renovations. The new technologies in the facility will provide students with an excellent care system, according to Dr. Roberta Berrien, executive director of UHCS.

“We have some nice touches,” said Berrien, who has overseen the changes since January. “Everything was re-created, we took it all down and put it back together. The physical layout has changed and we now have excellent medical equipment.”

Changes include 21 new examination rooms, a wireless Internet system in the lobby, computer kiosks and extended hours. These changes will create an inviting atmosphere for the students who use the center, Berrien said.

“We at the Lane Health Center are trying to be professional and courteous,” Berrien said. “It is important to respect the students’ time and privacy.”

The new health center is focused on student comfort. Co-op students can seek care before or after work because the center is now open longer, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The wireless Internet and computer kiosks provide opportunities for students to check e-mail and complete assignments while waiting for assistance.

Perhaps the most notable change is the merger with the Center for Counseling and Student Development. Students can now benefit from having all health services under the same roof.

“Many physical problems are related to stress,” Berrien said. “Now, everything is located in the same building and students can walk down the hall to receive proper counseling instead of walking to the other side of campus.”

The center also addresses students wary of their insurance policy coverage. Insurance coordinators now work with students whose problems cannot be treated by the center.

“The program is for students who have different insurance carriers,” Berrien said. “We want our students to understand they are free to say where they want to go for service.”

Students who have already benefited from the additions gave the center high marks.

“The new center is awesome,” said James Cogen, a middler business major who recently used the new facility. “The nurses and staff were very courteous and the new devices are so high-tech. Even some of the nurses had a difficult time using them.”

The changes are the result of collaboration between Health Services and the Student Government Association. Using surveys from students, the center realigned itself according to what students wanted. The result is a new center that caters to the experience of the student.

“Every person’s interaction at the Lane Health Center should be a good one,” Berrien said. “There are very few complaints, but if someone has the time to e-mail then we would like to hear what they have to say.”