Save the Overnight Infirmary

It is not by accident that the brightest women in the country attend Wellesley College. We choose Wellesley for the individual attention and care that the school guarantees each student and because it has the resources to follow through. Up until now, it seemed that Wellesley strove to create an atmosphere in which academic achievement and general welfare were inextricably linked. This is no longer the case. When the administration proposed to shut down the overnight infirmary on campus, it threatened one of our most critical needs: access to quality health care. Perhaps, if this change is enacted, the brightest women in the country will find another institution that will support them in their studies and in their well-being.

We, the undersigned members of the Wellesley community, demand a role in shaping the decisions that affect us. Wellesley must be a college first and a business second. We oppose the effort to shut down the on-campus overnight infirmary for the following reasons:

1. The plan that the administration has put forth does not address questions of insurance policies and payment, which then brings up issues of confidentiality and parental involvement.

2. The plan does not address how it will approach the sensitive issue of sexual assault without causing undue trauma and further emotional distress to the victim. This is especially distressing because it forces victims to be transported by a stranger to an unfamiliar hospital, miles away, where they face a long wait.

3. We are also concerned about the extent to which this action will limit students ability to access emergency contraception in a timely and sensitive fashion.

4. Although expanding health education is an admirable goal, doing so at the expense of round-the-clock care on campus is detrimental to the general welfare. Health education cannot preempt all emergencies.

5. Many students at the college who suffer from time-sensitive ailments, both physical and mental, chose to come to Wellesley partially because of the security of twenty-four hour on-campus medical care. Students, who once could be quickly transported to the health center for emergency treatment at no charge, might have to resort to an expensive ambulance ride that might increase their anxiety about being treated in time.

6. As one of the premier colleges in the United States, Wellesley is expected to provide exemplary services that are designed with the students best interests in mind. If the administration eliminates the on-campus overnight infirmary, it is quite possible that the colleges strong reputation and positive image will be tarnished. Many parents will not feel comfortable sending their daughters to a college that is in the process of making it more difficult to get immediate and personalized medical attention.

In light of these concerns, we are convinced that Wellesley College must reevaluate this proposal for the sake of the students and the college in general.