NIRSA Promising Practices: Butler University’s data-informed, collaborative model for student wellbeing

On behalf of NIRSA’s Health & Wellbeing Task Force , the Association is proud to share its ninth Promising Practice— Butler University. Promising Practices are collaborative or integrated wellbeing initiatives and campus-wide efforts that—driven and realized by the efforts of campus recreation staff and leaders—support the campus community.

Butler University’s BU|BeWell is a framework that supports students holistically by integrating research, best practices, and thought leadership in the field of wellbeing. This initiative is designed to not just meet the needs of the current student population but to offer scalable, sustainable solutions for institutions of all sizes. “Our goal was to embed well-being throughout the entire student journey and measure its impact every step of the way,” says Dr. Frank Ross, Butler University Vice President of Student Affairs.

At the heart of BU|BeWell’s success is a culture of collaboration and strategic leadership, which has enabled Butler University to create a sustainable, campus-wide framework for holistic wellbeing. More than just a collection of good ideas, BU|BeWell embeds wellbeing throughout every phase of the student experience—from recruitment to alumni engagement—empowering departments across the university to contribute to student success.

Click on the video below to learn more about Butler University’s BU|BeWell framework and its impact.

Download the publication

The Promising Practices concept is intended to be a three-part, multimodal learning experience that supports the pursuit of collaborative and integrated approaches towards holistic wellbeing. “By providing an example of how one school built its framework and how their campus came together on their initiative, we’re hoping to encourage other schools to lean into this work, because we believe it has the power to transform a campus community,” says Josh Downing, Associate Director of Programming at Indiana University and co-chair of the NIRSA Health & Wellbeing Task Force.

NIRSA is proud to offer this publication for free so that members—and their colleagues across campus—can learn from Butler’s commitment to continuous improvement and shared responsibility, ensuring that every student is seen, supported, and equipped to succeed.

Register for the February 19 webinar

After downloading the publication, register to join the webinar taking place on Wednesday, February 19 at 1:00pm Eastern/10:00am Pacific. Join representatives from Butler University to learn more about BU|BeWell and their scalable, data-driven approach to wellbeing.

NIRSA members can register for the February 19 webinar for as low as $24. Nonmember individuals are able to register for $60. Join NIRSA today and save big on all the webinars, publications, and online learning opportunities available through NIRSA Learning.