Rothenberger Institute launches

Jim Rothenberger

The SPH announces the launch of the Rothenberger Institute, an organization dedicated to improving the health of students through online courses developed by top public health experts.

The Rothenberger Institute will build on successful existing courses— Alcohol and College Life and Sleep, Eat, and Exercise—conceived by its namesake, the late James Rothenberger, who was a national health expert and an early champion of web-based education. Rothenberger, a beloved SPH instructor, taught some 100,000 students during his 35 years at the University of Minnesota.

“The strength of the curriculum that Jim began is that it offers flexible content students can learn through various media,” says institute director Jolynn Gardner. “Students can listen to or read content at their computer, print lessons, or download audio files to an iPod.”

Research has shown that students who successfully manage health issues—avoid exces sive drinking, get adequate sleep, exercise—perform better academically, build positive peer relationships, and more smoothly transition into adulthood. The institute will soon launch a new course, SOS: Success Over Stress, to meet the great demand for stress-management skills among students.

Last year, 4,500 students took Rothenberger Institute courses. Some 2,900 of those students were on University of Minnesota campuses. The remainder were at other colleges. Soon, college-bound high school students will be able to take the courses for college credit.

“In this economy, sharing resources is more important than ever,” says Gardner. “I hope that University instructors and colleagues beyond the U will seek us out if they are in need of health curriculum.”