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Since the beginning of the school year, there appears to have been a decrease in the number of ambulances driving up and down Cro Boulevard.
Hospital transports are an unfortunate part of any college party scene. At Connecticut College, Campus Safety officers are trained to assess situations that might require a hospital transport and determine whether an ambulance is necessary. “If there is any need for concern for the health and well-being of the student, we call for a transport,” said Stewart Smith, Director of Campus Safety.
Some students have reported that they feel the number of hospital transports has decreased in recent semesters. CC Curtiss, Director of Student Wellness, says that in the six semesters that she has been at Conn, 2008-2009 was the year with the most transports; the year after saw a 37% decrease in the number of transports, and this year has only seen a slight increase in the number of transports from the previous year. Conn experiences the most ambulance transports during the early fall. This could be for several reasons, including the excitement of a new school year and incoming freshmen testing their boundaries during their first semester away from home.
Curtiss believes that the student wellness education programs, such as the workshops provided during orientation or by Peer Educators, can spread a healthier attitude regarding alcohol. Curtiss says that when students understand the risks they are taking when they drink excessively, they are less likely to engage in this dangerous behavior. After students who are transported to the hospital return to campus, they meet with Curtiss individually to talk about the incident to ensure that it does not occur again.
Since last semester, President Higdon has adopted a policy to meet with students in his office after they return to campus from a hospital transport. “Students are an important part of our campus community and their actions impact us all. I believe these conversations have helped elevate the seriousness of the situation for the individuals I’ve met with and for the broader community,” said Higdon.
Although administrators would always like to see less hospital transports, all agree that if a student needs medical attention for excessive alcohol consumption, there should be no hesitation in calling for help. The medical amnesty policy is in place so that friends of sick students can worry about their friend’s well-being rather than their own disciplinary standing.
“While we still have a lot of progress to make, I believe that more and more students are realizing that their actions negatively impact the Conn community and surrounding New London area,” said SGA President Nate Cornell ’11. “That being said, we still need to take responsibility for our actions and the implications they have on our campus.”
Curtiss is optimistic about the way she believes the attitude towards alcohol is changing on campus. “We have seen an increase in students’ knowledge of the topic and the education and resources that are available to them, and that is a positive trend. We have an extensive education, prevention and intervention program in place because we care about our students’ safety and we know that our students care for the well-being of their peers and their community.”
Officer Smith’s perspective on the situation echoes many on campus: “ I think it’s a shame to see these few students—who are so smart and have so much potential—make such bad choices. I know they are capable of so much better.” •
