Dear SUNY New Paltz,
As the number of mumps cases on campus is rapidly growing with little expectation of stopping, I can honestly say that I have never felt more repressed or belittled through lack of essential information. I was utterly shocked when I found out that there was a case of the mumps in my own building; not in an email from the school warning us to take extra precaution, and not from a hall meeting where we were brought together to discuss our questions and thoughts on the matter—unfortunately, neither of these events took place. Instead, I had to hear this news from the infected student's neighbor, a week after his initial confirmed case. The fact that our school isn't properly addressing the matter to those who are at greater risk is completely unnerving. Not to mention that soap dispensers in the bathrooms are frequently without soap.
In addition to specific cases being discussed with those who possess a higher risk of coming in contact with the mumps, our overall information on the matter has been scarily limited. We have been told, as a school, that the main technique for avoiding the disease is straying from contact with others' saliva: i.e. kissing, drinking from the same cup, etc. However, it has just been confirmed that a staff member has contracted the disease through using the university's gym, a scary factor that we, as a school, were told not to worry about. SUNY New Paltz has on one hand been keeping students up to date with the amount of confirmed cases at the school, a number which has now reached 11. However, our school has failed to notify us that once we reach 20 confirmed cases, the school will be shut down temporarily, forcing students into a shorter holiday break, obstructing plans for many students as well as faculty. It is as though our only incoming information as students is the number of confirmed cases.
Another point, 10 years after receiving your initial mumps vaccination, you are supposed to receive a booster shot. Many students are around the age of 20 and had received their initial vaccinations almost 10 years ago. Now I ask, is there any way that the health center could even attempt to get involved? Possibly offering booster shots or more methods of keeping healthy during these times? On top of that, are the coaches on the swim team–the team where the initial breakout of the disease started–instilling a curfew for swimmers? As many students know, swim team members have been going out and transferring the disease to close friends during parties, possibly through kissing or sharing drinks. And how about those infected who are eating at Hasbrouck Dining Hall? Are we making sure that dishes are being properly, thoroughly washed as to avoid the spread of this disease?
Personally, I don't want to get infected with such a painful, miserable disease on the hands of a school that didn't properly inform me or take the measures to prevent the spread of this academic in order to maintain stature, and I sure as hell don't want to be taking classes through the holidays. I'm asking, demanding, that you be honest with your students and faculty, take the extra step in prevention–even if it may induce minor hysteria–and get us healthy again.
Sincerely, A mump-less, yet fearful student
