Students who want to improve the benefits they can get from the Health Center now have the opportunity to voice their opinions for change by taking an online, confidential, survey until March 8.

Sharon Manakas, one of the registered nurses at Moorpark College, said that this survey is very important for the Health Center. They rely on student input in order to see where their services are most needed.

“It’s really impactful to talk about our community, which is Moorpark College, and bring that information forward,” said Manakas. “So it does matter what they have to say. This survey is done nationally and so we can compare our data to what’s on the national level and what’s going on that way and to see where are our differences.”

The Health Center started the survey in 2007, and continues to give it out every three years, this being the third year. They expect to see an increasing number of participants due to the new way of presenting the survey: online as opposed to on paper in classrooms.

In the previous years, the average amount of students that took the survey was approximately 850. This year, the Health Center sent the email out to 5,000 random Moorpark College students with hopes that at least 800 students would participate. This survey is made to help students accommodate their needs and make them feel comfortable with giving their real input.

As motivation for taking this survey, the Health Center has decided to reward six individuals with a $50 gas card. These students will be randomly selected from the group who complete the whole survey. Every student has an equal opportunity at winning the gas card..

Alejandra Vera, 20, biology major, thinks this is just an opportunity for people to utilize the Health Center more than it is being used now.

“I don’t know if it’s [going to] help because I don’t think people use the Health Center that much,” said Vera.

Jenna Nelson, 21-year-old theater major, had opposing opinions about how this survey could be beneficial to students.

“The student health survey helped calm my nerves and helped me see where I was at while remaining private and confidential” said Nelson.

For more information visit http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/services_for_students/health_center/index.shtml.