During Allegheny Student Government’s weekly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19, nurse practioner Sandra Livingston explained the recent changes to the Winslow.

After three staff members retired over the summer, she was left as the only full-time health care provider, according to Livingston. However, Livingston announced the addition of Meadville resident Dr. Martin J. Decker, doctor of osteopathic medicine, as the health center’s new physician.

“He’s very young, upbeat. He’s pretty cool. We’re enjoying getting to know him,” Livingston said. “He’s a nice asset for the health center.”

Along with a new staff member, Winslow has also added online services, including the ability to bill students’ accounts directly. The bill will be listed as Winslow Health Center and will not identify what the student purchased. The service is already popular amongst students, according to Livingston.

Livingston also revealed the launch of Student Health 101, an online magazine designed to teach students about self-care. Articles will include ways to improve sleep patterns and ways students can care for themselves if they have a cold, according to Livingston. The magazine will be emailed to every student.

Other services now advertised through email are the STI and flu clinics. Information regarding the clinics was sent to students through email for a few years before clinic announcements and information was removed from the email list last year, according to Livingston. Now that the clinic information emails are being sent out again, Livingston said the spots have filled quickly.

“We have the option of adding more clinics if we feel the need to,” Livingston said.

Along with STI and flu clinics, allergy shots have been reestablished this year. The Winslow staff encountered a few difficulties in reestablishing allergy shots without having a physician when the year started, according to Livingston.

There have been a few changes made to the acquisition of pharmaceutical drugs from Winslow. Before this year, male students were not allowed to purchase Plan B One-Step Emergency Contraceptive in place of female students. Furthermore, females had to make an appointment to speak with Winslow staff before purchasing the drug, according to Livingston. This year, male students are allowed to purchase the emergency contraceptive and female students are not required to have a meeting with Winslow staff, although Livingston explained it is still strongly suggested. Plan B One-Step is $15 from Winslow.

Another change from last year includes free condoms. Last year, resident assistants were given free condoms but individual students were not, according to Livingston. The RA who received the free condoms then gave them to his or her residents. Livingston explained Winslow decided refusing individual students free condoms was pointless. This year, anyone can enter Winslow and receive condoms upon request.

A change that benefits both students and staff is the new educational resource called Up to Date to which the staff has access. If a student enters Winslow with a question or request for medical assistance, a staff member can look up the problem on Up to Date to receive all recorded information regarding the medical problem, according to Livingston.

Two goals Livingston has set for the staff for this coming year are setting up sound policies, though she did not specify what the policies would be regarding, and helping  students who are on medication such as anti-depressants.

“It’s so commonplace now,” Livingston said. “Before, it was kind of like you have to organize it through [your primary care physician], which is ideal, but we’re going to [have] more facilitators working through the counseling center to make sure there’s not a gap in treatment.”

Following Livingston’s presentation, ASG moved into class and cabinet reports. Co-Director of Student Affairs Travis Court, ’18, explained his committee has been brainstorming ways to use the Student Action Fund in both ASG’s cabinet and with the Campus Life and Community Standards Committee.

“For an example of what we’ve been thinking about is emergency numbers on the back of our all-cards,” Court said. “Another one is the possibility of getting more seating areas on the quad.”

ASG is also considering conducting another Know Your Rights event to talk about free speech in and around campus, according to Court.

During class reports, Class of 2020 President Jason Ferrante explained that Class of 2020 senators were considering holding a Meet your Senator event.

“Our election was delayed until the beginning of this year,” Ferrante said. “So people don’t know who their senators are.”

The Class of 2020 Senators are also thinking of bringing back popular events from last year, such as a bubble wrap and Starbucks event and therapy dogs, according to Ferrante.

Following the class of 2021 elections, the five first-year senators, David Roach, Emma Godel, Benjamin Blackburn, Osbaldo Meza and Trevor Mahan, were sworn in during the meeting.