USG funds Fresh Check Days for the next three years
The funding will allow the program, focused on mental health and suicide prevention, to continue to reach out to college students at the UI.
Undergraduate Student Government President Regan Smock addresses those present during a joint meeting between the University of Iowa Undergraduate Student Government and Graduate and Professional Student Government on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. The meeting passed legislature on both the instating of Juneteenth as a University Holiday and the creation of a vaccination requirement in University of Iowa Buildings.
November 30, 2021
The University of Iowa’s Undergraduate Student Government will allocate $15,000 over the next three years to mental health event Fresh Check Day.
Fresh Check Day first took place at the UI five years ago and focuses on promoting mental health by providing college students with food, entertainment, and prizes.
USG Finance Committee Chair Emily Hagedorn introduced a resolution recommending that the organization utilizes the funds in three increments of $5,000 through fiscal year 2025.
USG has “historically contributed” $5,000 annually to help pay for the near-$9,000 cost of the day’s events, which includes funding equipment rental, labor, marketing, and space rental, according to the resolution.
The resolution passed unanimously. It also received support from the USG cabinet.
In a statement to The Daily Iowan USG President Regan Smock said the funding is split over three years because it’s coming from USG’s contingency fund and therefore, there is no guarantee that USG’s future would be able to provide this funding in future years.
The DI previously reported the contingency fund’s balance, which is funded by fees assessed to student, stood at over $300,000.
“Fresh Check Day is a mental health fair to connect University of Iowa students [to] resources and support,” Smock said. “The funding ensures that this fair can happen every year.”
Vice President Jack Lauer said in a statement to the DI that Fresh Check Days allow for increased accessibility to and prioritization of mental health resources.
“Mental health resources should be a priority for the University of Iowa, because students not only deal with academic pressures, but the stress of adulthood, finding one’s identity, and surviving social circles in which they may face marginalization,” Lauer said. “It’s important that equity and inclusion [are central] to mental health as all students need support in diverse environments.”