The Taylor Administration’s Department of Student Wellness and Safety prioritizes that students feel safe and secure on campus and addresses mental and physical health concerns relevant to the student body. Through various partnerships, events, and training series, the Department hopes to create an environment on campus where everyone feels healthy and safe and hopes to promote the administration’s mission of Our Home, Our Future, Our Carolina. 

The department’s priorities include:

1. Advocate for requirement of Naloxone distribution and training for all Greek organizations.  Due to recent events that occurred in our UNC community, we will work to ensure that all Greek organizations have Naloxone in their houses and have the proper knowledge to administer it in the case of emergency. This will increase safety and prevent drug overdose in and around campus.
2. Facilitate the transition of the mental health coalition into an independent organization. The mental health coalition is an effort to unite leaders from diverse organizations on campus, facilitating collaboration and dialogue to cultivate improved student mental health and well-being. As it began last year, we will solidify its establishment, increase visibility of mental health resources, improve comprehension of the multifaceted experiences of student groups on campus, and better advocate for policies that support mental health.
3. Develop a Free STI Program and Initiative for Students. To promote safety and health accessibility to students on campus, we will create a program to prevent sexually transmitted infections. This will give students the opportunity to individualize their health without cost, which prevents students from seeking care.
4. Promote Language Accessibility and continuation of annual audit for Alert Carolina System. The Alert Carolina system is integral to the UNC community’s safety. Therefore, we will initiate a program to include translations into the system. We will also continue audits to ensure mistakes are not made, and students can be sure about the alerts sent.
5. Partner with bars on Franklin Street to distribute drink covers and publicize Angel shots. To protect students, especially to prevent dangerous situations on undermined groups on nights, we will make sure to distribute free drink covers to bars on Franklin Street. Furthermore, we will publicize Angel shots, promote discreet methods for individuals to seek help.

Aditi Yerra (she/her) Co-Director of the Department of Student Wellness and Safety || ayerra@unc.edu Aditi Yerra is from Raleigh, North Carolina and is a junior majoring in Health, Policy, and Management with a minor in Statistics & Analytics. She is excited to serve as a Co-Director of the Student Wellness and Safety Department after serving as a staffer the previous year! Outside of USG, Aditi is involved in UNC’s Center for Health Equity Research and serves as the President of the Mental Health Coalition. Aditi also volunteers with the Student Health Action Coalition advocating for underserved populations in Orange County.

Aaron Stepp (he/him) Co-Director of the Department of Student Wellness and Safety || ahstepp@unc.edu Aaron Stepp is from High Point, North Carolina, and is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Hispanic Studies. Aaron is a medical interpreter at Duke University Hospital, and works as an undergraduate editor in the Health Humanities Journal in addition to being a member of TEDxUNC. Aaron has also previously served as a student representative in the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office. He has dedicated significant efforts into bioethics and the relationship between medicine and social factors.

Staff of the Department of Student Wellness and Safety

Coming Soon!