Laney considers health initiative

By: Mehnaaz Khan

Posted: 5/8/08

"We want our students to live healthy, productive lives. Without intervention, this will not happen."

These are the first lines under "Reason for Initiative" of the proposed Physical Education/Health Initiative being promoted by several members of Laney's health community including the faculty Wellness Committee.

The currently in-debate initiative was authored by Laney Water-Polo Coach, Kim Brett, and Laney Nurse and Health Service Coordinator, Indra Thadani.

The idea was introduced by Peralta Chancellor Elihu Harris who asked Laney President Frank Chong to spearhead the initiative due to a growing concern for student health and an expanding obesity epidemic. Obesity has risen "10% in African Americans and 11.8% for Hispanics from 1991 to 2001," according to the initiative.

Since first being presented to the Laney Faculty Senate in February, the initiative has been tabled three times for voting and is yet to be approved or rejected.

The PE/Health Initiative would "require students to take one mandatory unit in Physical Education, Health, or Dance to complete their AA/AS degree within the Peralta Community College District." Although this unit would be added to students' general education requirements for graduation, it would not increase the quota of 60 units that must be completed in order to earn a degree.

The Associated Students of Laney College (ASLC)is scheduled to vote on a resolution supporting the initiative May 21. Students are being encouraged to voice their opinions on the Initiative for an accurate representation of the Laney Student Body on this topic.

The meeting will be on the fourth floor of the Student Center in the Irma P. Walker conference room (SC 401) at noon.

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Currently 10% of the 60 required units are elective. The initiative would transpose one of the six elective units to become a required unit composed of any combination of PE, Health, or Dance classes of the student's choosing. Included in the choices are online health and nutrition classes for the physically uninclined.

Criticisms of the initiative have come from faculty members who feel that "students already are being bombarded with new math and English requirements and [they] do not want students to be turned off from getting a degree," says Thadani.

In response to this point, supporters of the initiative continually affirm that there are exemptions to students who have served in the Armed Forces and those who are granted hardship petitions by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Other backers cite that the unit "may also be fulfilled by a transferable PE, Kinesiology, Dance, or Health unit from another college upon transfer to Peralta Community College District."

Several surrounding colleges have already adopted policies that add such requisites to their curriculum such as Contra Costa, Los Angeles City, Chabot, and San Francisco City College; which requires its students to take 3 units of health education.

The Associated Students of Laney College are scheduled to vote on a resolution in support of the initiative at their last voting meeting on May 21. Students are being encouraged to voice their opinions on the Initiative for an accurate representation of the Laney Student Body on this topic. The meeting will be on the fourth floor of the Student Center in the Irma P. Walker conference room at noon.