Every student has told and heard their fair share of Chico State health center horror stories.

As it turns out, it’s not the health center students should be pointing their fingers at, but instead the university.

When people get bad service, it’s natural to blame the the source. However, the center’s bad services come from the fact they are understaffed and underfunded and not given any financial aid by Chico State.

Chances are that students don’t realize that their university considers the center as an added benefit to their education and not a necessity—Chico State compares it to the WREC.

For real change to be made at the health center, they need the funding. This shouldn’t be fulfilled solely by student funds. Chico State needs to make student health a priority and offer aid to one of the most used resources on campus.

The first step to this would be raising awareness. Health center advocates and students who are aware of this issue need to be tabling, sending out flyers and explaining this situation to frustrated students and faculty who have no idea where the issue is originating and who actually holds the power.

As long as students and people are blaming the health center for the poor services, the university is getting a cop out and nothing can be accomplished. The health center is in a headlock.

Students have no problem utilizing social media and the web to voice their complaints and their frustrations so encouraging them to make online noise towards Chico State is a way that with enough voices, the university can’t ignore.

The Chico State health center is such an important aspect to Chico State. Even with all of the complaints, students still file in for blood tests, free contraceptives, low-cost medications and tons of other services. Imagine what it could be with proper funding.

The students that make up Chico State are supposed to have the ultimate voices on this campus and remaining educated and aware of what is going on behind the curtains and demanding those curtains to be pulled back and ripped is the only way they won’t get screwed in the end.
It’s no secret Chico State can be cheap but thinking of student health as a luxury that it shouldn’t be bothered with is low.