Employee Wellness Program Participant Letter

To Employee Wellness Program Participants:

The Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE) started the Employee Wellness Program in the early 1990's as a way to provide exercise opportunities for faculty and staff, while providing learning opportunities for students in the Kinesiology program. In consultation with Human Resources and the Office of Academic Affairs, the program was approved with two important constraints: that it be financially self-supporting, and that it not affect student participation in classes or student use of the facilities. The original course and weight room schedule reflected that agreement. Over time the program evolved, facility usage patterns and program costs changed.

With the opening of the Student Recreation Center (SRC), the EWP is experiencing transitional effects. The "fitness center" portion of the EWP experienced changes both in availability and cost. In addition, the rising costs of providing EWP-only classes, affected our financial self-support constraint given the existing class fee structure. While the Department remains committed to providing the Employee Wellness Program (EWP) during this transition, it is important that we re-evaluate the program. We would appreciate your assistance in two ways. First, please complete the on-line survey (coming February 1, 2006) to help us evaluate and modify the program. Second, please be patient. This semester, there are no EWP-only classes. However, there will be several physical education classes open to EWP at times conducive to faculty and staff participation.

We appreciate your feedback, and look forward to making the EWP a program that continues to benefit both the faculty and staff, and our Kinesiology students as they prepare for careers in health and fitness.