Building an integrated health, well-being, and safety division to support student success at a public research university

Abstract The establishment of the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) Health, Well-being & Safety (HWS) division in July 2021 marked a strategic response to post-COVID-19 challenges, social justice movements, and rising student needs for mental health, basic-needs insecurity, and holistic support. Drawing on recommendations from campus committees such as the Black Student Experience Working Group and the Campus Safety Task Force, HWS consolidated nine units, previously scattered across Student Affairs and administrative offices, into a single, holistic structure that reports directly to the Chancellor. Guided by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the Collective Impact framework, the division was established with the stated aims of streamlining services, fostering interdepartmental collaboration, and supporting student retention and success. This manuscript is a descriptive, single-institution case study of that organizational innovation. Data sources were document review of institutional records, secondary analysis of existing administrative and programmatic data, a structured feedback survey of unit leaders, and participant observation across leadership meetings and division-wide retreats. Reported results are structural and procedural: a refined organizational structure with four functional areas (Holistic Health Operations, Student Support & Advocacy, Police & Campus Safety, and the Vice Chancellor’s Office), a divisional strategic plan with four goals (raising awareness, demonstrating impact, cultivating wellness, and strengthening infrastructure), and initiatives such as the Okanagan Charter adoption for R’Healthy Campus. Challenges such as fragmented communication and fiscal constraints were addressed through shared resources, the building and embedding of a research culture, and the establishment of advisory committees. Lessons learned emphasize flexibility, genuine collaboration, and data-driven adaptations.