Editorial

Better health services is more than a new building

By Editorial Staff

As we reported in our lead story, with the leadership gift of Joel and Beth Johnson, Hamilton will be constructing a new building to replace the outdated Thomas B. Rudd Health Center.

The Johnsons’ generous donation will have a positive impact on the student body. With more resources, Hamilton students will receive more efficient care; with a new design, students will have more privacy and comfort when attending appointments at the College Counseling Center.

However, one major student concern remains unresolved: the Health and Counseling Centers’ limited hours.

The services the Health Center provides are essential for students on the Hill, but we cannot take advantage of them or seek necessary medical help when the center is simply not accommodating student schedules. Currently, the Centers are closed from 11:45 am to 1 pm on weekdays—a prime open-hour for students. They then close at 4:30, right after students finish classes.  It’s entirely closed on the weekends, when students are completely free of classes and might need medical assistance, too.

That leaves students with few hours each day to make an appointment—hours that are devoted to other classes and often filled to capacity. In the middle of the year, when sickness plagues the campus, some students have had to wait a week or even longer before seeing a doctor. While there are other medical services available in the area on weekends, the cost to reach them can be prohibitive since transportation is only covered by the Health Center if referred by them.

Similarly, while students can seek counseling services elsewhere during off hours, students benefit from the relationships they are able to build with staff at the Counseling Center. Students should not always have to resort to an emergency contact during those times.

But this is not a piece simply to point out these concerns. Here’s the thing: this facility is partially about leapfrogging other similar schools. But let’s not just have something that looks better than theirs, even if that’s enough for tour groups. Let’s invest in something fundamentally better and, in a word, healthier.

All Editorial