If students are unhappy with the Student Health Center or have suggestions for better health services on campus, their voices can be heard.

Students have the opportunity to speak out about the services that are provided by the Health Center and any concerns they have through the Student Health Advisory Committee.

SH AC is a group designed to give students a say in the health services on campus. The committee advises the vice president for student affairs and the director of the Health Center.

SHAC held their monthly meeting Oct. 8 in the Capital Room of the University Union. They discussed the progress of the committee and drew up questions for a survey they plan to do on campus next month.

The committee was concerned about the lack of publicity and discussed ways to get students more involved.

Fallon Hookailo, a pre-physical therapy junior, has been working with SHAC for the past two years and is now the committee’s chairperson.

She said she hopes more students will get involved, since SHAC’s goal is to fully represent the student body at Sacramento State.

“It’s supposed to be representative but we’re still working on that,” Hookailo said. “The surveys we will carry out will hopefully represent views from most of the students.”

Students who attended the meeting were given free pizza and soda. They discussed the benefits of the Health Center and how it can be improved. Joshua Hudson, a health science senior, said that he was unhappy with the fact that everyone had to pay for the Health Center in fees when 40 percent of students do not use it.

“It’s a waste of my money because I can’t use it,” Hudson said. “It is impossible to go to the Health Center because of scheduling conflicts.” The committee agreed they should recommend that the Health Center extend their opening hours to later in the evening.

Senior Erin Hux, a health science major, disagreed with Hudson and praised the Health Center.

“I broke my foot on campus and it was so convenient to go to the Health Center,” Hux said. “I got a cast long before I could have seen my own doctor.”Darlene Spencer, a registered nurse at the Student Health Connection, said students with private health insurance may not see the benefit of the Health Center, but they can buy products they are not covered for in the pharmacy for a much lower price.

SHAC will elect a new secretary at their next meeting. Junior Rowena Nolasco is a nursing major and will be applying for the position. She has two children also studying at Sac state.

“I’m really interested in getting involved in promoting health,” Nolasco said. “I think people should be aware of what’s available in the Health Center.”

Cyndra Krogan is staff advisor for SHAC. She said that SHAC is very important to the Health Center because they are accredited every three years, and the accreditation body is concerned with how the Health Center deals with student requests.