September 20, 2012
With flu season imminently upon us and the first round of tests and papers in full swing, it is more worrisome than ever that the Thomas B. Rudd Health Center still operates with such limited hours in such a small space. Although hand sanitizer dispensers are strewn throughout the campus and most students keep a steady supply of over-the-counter cold remedies in their dorm rooms, these basic efforts are far from sufficient in warding off the inevitable ailments that come with communal living and frigid winters. Especially since college campuses are known as breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria, our Health Center’s hours and facilities should reflect that need for frequent attention.
The limited staff and hours at the Health Center have long been a problem for our community. Currently, the Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with an hour closure at noon for lunch. The student health facilities at comparable colleges and universities, like Bates, Colgate, Wesleyan and Williams, have more extensive hours during the week and remain open on Saturdays and Sundays. Even during the Center’s limited hours, physicians are only available twice weekly, by appointment. Though the Health Center staff is certainly knowledgeable and prepared, doctors should be more readily available to students in need. Hamilton’s small size should not prevent it from providing its students with sufficient health care.
If a student requires medical attention during the Center’s off hours (4:30 p.m to 8:30 a.m. on weekdays and at all times throughout weekends), he or she has no option other than visiting emergency rooms at local hospitals. Students suffering from the common campus ailments, like a sore throat or mild fever, should neither have to overwhelm busy local emergency rooms with their non-emergencies nor have to wait for the office to open. In addition to the inconvenience factor of seeking medical attention off-campus, emergency rooms are quite costly. The College’s Health Center does not charge students for office visits. Students who cannot afford the hefty price tag of a visit to the emergency room suffer through the Center’s off hours instead of receiving the on-campus medical attention that they deserve. We hope that the new Hamilton Student Emergency Aid Society (SEAS) will take into consideration students who acquire unexpected medical bills while at Hamilton.
Our Health Center does not offer proper accommodations, such as alternative housing, to sick students during their illnesses. This means that more students, especially roommates and suitemates, are more likely to get sick and spread the disease further. While our current facilities do not have this type of space, such investments are necessary improvements to our College that certainly outweigh the timeliness of many of current campus development projects.
Though the Health Center might not be the first stop on a campus tour, it is an extremely important aspect of campus life that must not face further disregard. While some students might not take a science class or have a chance to visit the new arts facility, practically every student will require a visit to the Health Center at some point during their time on the Hill, despite their best efforts to avoid those miserable sniffles.