With the flu, mono, and fuzzy memories of the Saturday night before abounding at Bowdoin, some students are questioning why the health center is closed during the weekends. Dudley Coe Health Center is currently closed from 5 p.m. on Friday until the following Monday morning.
"Health problems don't stop just because the Dudley Coe Health Center is closed," Lindsay Bruett '09 said.
"I think it's a legitimate issue that women don't have access to Plan B [on the weekends]," said Maine Hall Head Proctor Joel Presti '06. Plan B is emergency contraception available to female students through the health center.
Many students have been asking officials why the health center is closed during what may be the most active time of the week.
"Lately there has been a lot of interest expressed by students," said Associate Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster.
In the past, student health care was more readily available. Dudley Coe Health Center used to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In 1990, it was decided that with the Midcoast and Parkview health centers in close proximity, the money used to keep the Health Center open could be better employed elsewhere. However, the health center remained open during the day until weekend hours were eliminated completely in 1996.
"The time it was being used on the weekends was so limited that it was eliminated," Foster said. "At some point, one has to see that there is not high demand for [certain services] and make changes [accordingly]."
A number of students feel that the demand for weekend hours has returned. "The student population has steadily risen, and I think it's important to have the option no matter what," said Kate Ambash '08. Ambash is currently working to overcome mononucleosis. "It's an outrage that they can close at 5 p.m. on Friday when illnesses don't stop."
For students that get sick on weekends, the administration has pointed to both Parkview and Midcoast as viable alternatives.
"We have two really fine hospitals nearby, unlike some of our peer schools," Foster said. "If a student ever needs to go to the hospital, and security can't drive them, security can call Brunswick Taxi and it will be paid for by the health center."
However, transportation isn't the only issue with going to Midcoast or Parkview, according to Ambash, since hospitals charge a $25 to $50 co-pay with each visit.
"I'm lucky to be able to pay that when I need to go, but I'm sure that isn't an option for every student on campus," she said.
A few students feel strongly enough about the subject to take action. For Bowdoin Women's Association (BWA) President Allison Driver '08, the weekend health issue is nothing new.
"Last year we decided that there were two big reasons we needed to get behind this issue?emergency contraception should be available on weekends, and women's health is everyone's health, it doesn't stop over the weekend," she said.
Driver took her complaints before the administration. "We were told it was a budget issue, and that we had to have really good evidence," she said. The BWA decided not to give up and held a large survey in the spring.
This year, the BWA has appealed to Vice President of Facilities Will Donahoe '08. Donahoe talked to Foster and College Physician and Director of Health Services Dr. Jeff Benson.
"Apparently it has been an ongoing discussion for years, but never really went through," Donahoe said. "Everyone there decided that it would be good to have a couple hours on Saturday and Sunday."
At this point, advocates are just waiting for a decision. "There hasn't been a decision made yet either way," Foster said. "We don't want to say yes right away."
Having the health center open on weekends would require at least two providers: a clinical provider and an administrative provider, not to mention an increased budget. It would cost about $300 a weekend to be open for three hours on both Saturday and Sunday?totaling some $9,000-$10,000 per academic year," said Benson.
With these costs in mind, the Bowdoin administration has been discussing the idea of having Dudley Coe open for a set amount of time?the eight weeks following Thanksgiving break?to assess the demand and benefits.
"What are the students' needs? That is the key question," Foster said. "We don't have any real concrete data, precisely because we aren't open on weekends."
Donahoe emphasized the tentativeness of the plan.
"This is a prototype, a pilot program," he said. "We need to see if it's worthwhile first."
If the plan goes through, it will only be active for that eight weeks. There will then be discussion of the viability of having it open year-round.
"It's tricky to do something and take it away. We don't want to create a false expectation," Foster said.