Recent events in the College of Engineering have me worried. As The Lantern has covered the histoplasmosis cases, we’ve discovered the people who run the College of Engineering have not handled the situation particularly well.
The Lantern has been covering the recent series of histoplasmosis cases in employees in Hitchcock Hall quite extensively in the last couple of weeks. So far we have two employees who are severely ill with histoplasmosis and eight others showing possible symptoms. The culprit seems to be the bungled cleanup after a flood in Hitchcock Hall in March. Fans placed to dry out the ceilings appear to have stirred up previously dormant fungus spores from above the ceiling.
Our recent findings via public information requests show that our rightly concerned employees have been denied proper information, testing and courteous treatment. I think the current tension in Hitchcock, because of the university administration’s nonchalant attitude toward employees’ concerns, is one that is unforgivable and worrisome.
The university employees, students and faculty should be more important than the bureaucracy. There should be a point when the university stops caring about paperwork and publicity so it can properly care for employees. I have personally experienced the irritation of being unable to get what I need or not getting information because there needs to be 10.3 approvals from two-and-a-half deans.
For the past two weeks, university media relations has assured us that anyone who asks for histoplasmosis testing will receive it. Testimony from university employees shows that this is not true. A friend of mine who works in the office most affected has been experiencing horrible migraines and other symptoms since the flood and was denied testing by the university when she asked for it. How is this right? Even if the test is negative, I’m sure my friend would feel much better knowing she is not suffering from this fungal infection.
We’ve also read documents about a meeting the dean of the College of Engineering held to “inform” employees about the recent developments. According to a memo from Rosemary Hill, the director of College of Engineering Career Services, the dean was condescending and angry, didn’t have his facts straight, and many employees left the meeting feeling worse about the situation than they did coming in.
Luckily the college has people like Rosemary Hill. After looking at the documents we’ve received, it appears Hill has done her best to inform her colleagues about information regarding histoplasmosis and has communicated with others to express the concerns and questions of employees. It’s commendable that she has taken it upon herself to help her colleagues and try to find a solution to this fungus mess, especially when she doesn’t have to.
This is someone university administration should look to emulate, especially as we begin the conversion to semesters. With changes in curriculums, classes, and teaching and research hours, there are bound to be some frustrated and confused people in the next year or so. We also have a brand new dean in the College of Arts and Sciences trying to learn and change the system simultaneously. It could be rocky for this bureaucracy. That’s why it’s so important that those in charge of disseminating information show a caring and helpful attitude and cater more to the people than the institution.
Hill wrote in her memo about the engineering dean’s behavior that a colleague asked him, “Where is the compassion?” That’s something university administration should ask themselves as they try to help navigate the university and its employees through tumultuous times. Part of being a leader is being relatable and showing compassion and humanity. I expect members of my university administration to show those characteristics.
