Wellbeing

UMass Amherst is a health promoting university.

  • As a Health Promoting University, UMass Amherst is committed to creating, cultivating, and sustaining healthy people, places, and planet. Our approach centers on principles of human rights, social and environmental justice, solidarity, equity, and peace.
  • UMass Amherst is part of a network of partners who have adopted the Okanagan Charter, an International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges. The Okanagan Charter calls for colleges and universities to embed health into all aspects of campus culture. 

What resources does UMass Amherst offer for health and wellbeing?

  • WorkWell@UMass is HR’s centralized website for resources and programs in support of the wellbeing of faculty and staff.  
  • The Employee Counseling and Consultation Office (ECCO) is a free and confidential counseling, consultation, and referral service that assists employees in resolving personal, work- related, and family problems.
  • Staffed by licensed mental health providers, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health provides short-term individual, couple’s, and group psychotherapy; psychiatric medication consultation and treatment; psychological assessment (testing); behavioral medicine; and crisis intervention services.
  • There is a dedicated contemplative room on the 3rd floor of Worcester Commons. Open 9am-9pm Mon-Fri during the semester.
  • Campus Recreation offers a variety of fitness programs (personal and group fitness classes). Take a look at all the Community Arts, Leisure and Recreation opportunities.
  • Religious and Spiritual Life provides resources for the campus community.
  • University Health Services houses a full-service pharmacy that offers prescription medications and great prices on over-the-counter health and wellness products. The pharmacy is open to UMass students, faculty, staff, and their dependents.
  • The University of Massachusetts Outing Club is a Registered Student Organization (RSO) of long standing. Its active membership includes undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and alumni. Activities go on throughout the school year, and to a lesser extent during the summer. The club owns an impressive array of equipment available for club trips, including canoes, kayaks, skis, sleeping bags, portable stoves, ice-climbing gear, rock climbing gear, caving gear, and wet suits for canoeing. It also owns a cabin in the White Mountains of New Hampshire which is a great jumping-off point for outdoor activities up there including hiking and skiing.

What tips can help me to manage my time during the semester?

What support is available for faculty caregivers?

Where can I grab a coffee or quick meal?

  • The UMass Dining app makes it easy to access campus dining locations with daily menus, operating hours, and real-time traffic reports. Faculty can buy a meal plan or pay with cash or credit and eat in any of the dining locations. Marriott Meals is a student-run restaurant in the Campus Center, managed by students who are studying hospitality management through the Isenberg School of Management.
  • The Procrastination Station in the ground floor of the library is a great place for coffee and a treat (lunch too!).

Where can I go to refresh and reset?

  • The Durfee Conservatory is a greenhouse complex that features a bonsai collection, orchid collection, succulents, and tropical plants that surround a 4,000 gallon fish pond! 
  • You can visit the Fine Arts Center, which offers arts programming and is home to the University Museum of Contemporary Art.
  • The W.E.B. Du Bois Library houses the Faculty and Librarian Commons, a space dedicated solely to faculty and librarians for scholarly work. Located on the 26th floor along with the Office of Faculty Development, the Faculty and Librarian Commons offers ample space in a collaborative workroom with large tables and a great view of the Pioneer Valley. The Commons is open and accessible to faculty and librarians all hours that the W.E.B. Du Bois Library is open. Entry requires a valid UMass Amherst faculty or librarian UCard. Faculty who wish to access the space must submit a request through the Library's website.