News at 4Cs

Cape Cod CC Becomes First Community College to Adopt the Okanagan Charter for Campus Health and Wellbeing

Cape Cod Community College (“4Cs”) in Massachusetts has become the first community college in the United States to officially adopt the “Okanagan Charter,” an international statement of commitment to promote health and wellbeing in all aspects of the College community. Created in 2015, the Charter provides institutions of higher education worldwide with common language, principles, and framework to become “health and wellbeing” promoting campuses. Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Maura Weir, Chief Wellness Officer for Cape Cod Community College, the Charter was adopted officially on Tuesday, January 10 as the College kicked off “Mental Wellness Month.”

“We are proud to sign the Okanagan Charter, continuing our commitment in making wellness for our entire College community a fundamental focus of our work,” said Dr. John Cox, President of Cape Cod Community College. “As we have seen over the past decade, it is critical for the success of our students, faculty, staff, and community to have wellness support services in place. To be a part of our community is to know that we are here for you, not just in the classroom, but in the many ways that help you thrive and ensure you have your basic human needs met. From food and housing to emotional and physical health, it all matters.”

Located in West Barnstable, MA with satellite locations in Plymouth and Bridgewater, MA, 4Cs has become a State and National leader in community college wellness over the past several years. They were previously the first community college to become a JED Campus, hire a Chief Wellness Officer, and launch an Institute for Suicide Prevention. In 2023, President Cox was recognized by the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention for his work in leading these efforts.

“When we say we’re a community here, we really mean it,” said Dr. Weir. “You must be well to succeed and become the best version of yourself. A student facing hunger or housing insecurity or mental health crisis can’t perform well in the classroom. Similarly, a faculty member teaching that class can’t be at their best if their own wellness isn’t being prioritized. Follow that down even further to the support staff that make sure the College functions and students have support services. Everyone plays a role in wellness, which is why it is so fantastic we have adopted the Okanagan Charter to codify this work.”

Through the Charter, 4Cs has identified five areas of action to meet community wellness goals: embedding health into all College policies, creating supportive campus environments, generating thriving communities and a culture of wellbeing, supporting personal development, and creating and/or re-orienting campus services with wellness in-mind. This framework will be leveraged to increase dialogue between students, faculty, staff, and College leadership and undertake research that will inform health, equity, sustainability, and wellbeing initiatives moving forward.

Registration is open now at Cape Cod Community College with 7-week “Quick Term” classes starting on March 25. Through the new MassReconnect program, students can enroll for free at 4Cs if they are over the age of 25 and don’t already have a college degree.