A Hamilton College Student Publication, Clinton, NY November 5, 2009 Volume L Number 9 THE SPECTATOR Hamilton Hit by H1N1 Outbreak by Eloise Walter ’11 in terms of housing, food and NEWS WRITER classes, and how to best keep and Thomas Yarnell ’10 the student body informed and NEWS EDITOR updated. In September, the College The swine flu hit Hamilton saw its first case of flu-like symp- on Monday, Oct. 26, when an in- toms and quickly quarantined flux of students showing flu-like and tested the individual. Since symptoms filled every available then, because of the prevalence PHOTO BY JULIO MONTERROSO ’10 time slot at the Thomas Brown of the virus and its relatively Students staged a demonstration at the faculty meeting this past Tuesday, Nov. 3. Rudd Health Center. Every day mild symptoms, the CDC no since then, the Health Center has longer advises isolation and received calls from between 100 testing for every case. and 200 students experiencing According to Director of Faculty Meeting Serves as flu-like symptoms. Student Health Services Chris- Due to time and staffing tine Merritt, the CDC must eval- constraints, the Health Center uate all H1N1 tests. The CDC is Forum for Student Activists could only see up to 60 students currently taking two specimens per day. By Thursday, Oct. 29, per county per month, most of by Daniel Steinman ’12 accounts of times that students “feel they have no support” on about 10 to 20 percent of the them from already hospitalized NEWS WRITER and alumni felt unsafe or dis- campus. student body was experiencing patients. respected by their peers. These Much of the conversation flu-like symptoms. The Health Center’s new Though it was not listed on accounts were solicited and col- was focused on a recent confron- The rate of new reported policy is based on an assessment the agenda, a student demonstra- lected through e-mail over the tation between two students in the cases has gone down signifi- of the symptomatic individual. tion was the main order of busi- course of the five days before library, which the demonstrators cantly since then, and given that Due to the Health Center’s limit- ness at this week’s scheduled the faculty meeting. cited as the latest example of what H1N1 symptoms generally last ed number of time slots, students faculty meeting. On Tuesday, Stories included students at they view as a pattern of disre- about four days, many students with flu-like symptoms are only Nov. 3 in the Fillius Events Barn, a party calling a peer a “faggot,” spect among peers at Hamilton. have already recovered. Still, the screened with a series of ques- a group of roughly two-dozen a professor asking a bilingual On Wednesday, Oct. 21, College expects a steady stream tions and treated accordingly. students voiced their dissatisfac- student whether English was Hannah Roth ’11 was talking on of cases for the rest of the year. Those with a fever lasting tion with how the College has ad- the student’s first language, and her cell phone in Burke Library. Hamilton is following the over three days will be given a dressed what they deem to be a male students yelling suggestive In response, another student Centers for Disease Control’s physical exam and the Health series of offensive incidents over remarks at female students. threw his wallet in her direction, (CDC) guidelines concern- Center pays special attention the past several years. Many of President Joan Hinde Stew- which made a loud sound when ing how to treat students with to students with already exist- the students claimed that these art said, “The incidents they re- it hit the wall near her. symptoms of H1N1, in addition ing conditions or complications. episodes show how the campus counted were very disturbing.” Roth believed that the other to monitoring updates from the Students with diabetes or asthma is an unwelcoming and unsafe She stressed that she wants all student intended for the object to Oneida County Health Depart- should contact the Health Center environment. Hamilton students “to feel safe, hit her. She said that no one asked ment and the New York State De- immediately should they start After Chair of the Faculty protected, and educated.” her to stop talking on the phone partment of Health (NYSDH). experiencing flu-like symptoms. Gordon Jones announced that Amy Tannenbaum ’10 took before the wallet was thrown to- Both Health Center staff Students have been taking there was not enough voting fac- part in organizing the demon- wards her. and the Hamilton Emergency extra precautions to avoid get- ulty members present to conduct stration and spoke at the meet- The student who threw the Response Team (HERT) have ting sick, and those who have official business, the students ing. She explained her concern wallet spoke to The Spectator but been meeting frequently to de- already contracted the illness began their demonstration. They that the students who recounted termine aspects such as what presented anonymous personal these negative experiences often see Faculty Meeting, page 2 the College needs to provide see Hamilton Still, page 2 College Focuses on Town-Gown Relationship by Lindsay Getman ’10 In some instances, the Col- cide on the amounts donated to various local organizations. PRODUCTION EDITOR lege takes a direct economic approach. The Hamilton Col- According to Mike Deb- A small school in a small lege Town-Gown Fund provides raggio, executive director of town, Hamilton is inextricably monetary support to non-profit communications, the “focus connected to Clinton. This is the organizations in the Town of of the fund is on education, first article in a three-part series Kirkland and Village of Clinton. broadly defined.” In the past, that will explore the relation- Established in 2001 by several funds have been granted to the ship between the College and anonymous donors, this endow- Clinton Central School District, the town in which it is located. ment fund has received dona- the Kirkland Town Library, the tions from hundreds of people. Historical Society, St. Mary’s Though they say “good It currently has about $950,000, School and the ABC Program. fences make good neighbors,” an amount fast approaching the There is “also an emphasis on members of the Hamilton Col- fund’s $1 million goal. public safety,” says Debraggio, lege community have taken The funds committee is and about ten percent of the many steps to break down the made up of two College trust- available funds go to organi- VILLAGEOFCLINTON.COM barriers between students on the ees, the Mayor of the Village zations like the Central Oneida The gazebo is at the heart of the Village of Clinton. Hill and residents of the Village of Clinton Robert G. Goering, County Volunteer Ambulance of Clinton. Fall Fest is one of School Superintendent Dr. Ma- Corps (COCVAC), the Clinton OPINION: Letters to the Editor on “Wallet Incident” 6 the more celebrated events that rie Wiles, several local busi- Volunteer Fire Department, the serves to bring these groups to- nesspeople, a faculty member Kirkland Police Department and FEATURES: Hamilton’s Halloween Cemetery Tour 8 gether, but Hamilton has several the Clark Mills Volunteer Fire and is chaired by President of A&E: The Learned Ladies Hits Hamilton Main Stage 10 other programs in place that the College Joan Hinde Stew- Department. In the years since fund local organizations as well art. They meet twice a year to Sci &Tech: Student Attends Global Climate Summit 20 INSIDE as to bolster the economy. review grant proposals and de- see Hill Card, page 3 November 5, 2009 Page 1 NEWS THE SPECTATOR Hamilton Still Awaiting H1N1 Virus Vaccine from Hamilton Hit, page 1 and because I was bored out of your system, but I came back To prevent more cases, the the status of the order. my mind in my room.” because I did not want to miss College has ordered enough In the mean time, Dean of have taken extra care to isolate Tom Williams ’11 agreed: more class.” doses of the H1N1 vaccine for Students Nancy Thompson en- themselves from the greater “I didn’t feel any pressure to at- The Health Center is stocked every student (around 1,900). courages students to practice campus community. tend class [when I was sick]. My with reusable thermometers, However, large amounts of the good hygiene, such as frequent Suzannah Chatlos ’10 came professors were all very under- facemasks and medicine pack- vaccine will not arrive in New hand washing. There will be a down with the flu last week, standing and either told me what ets, which are available to stu- York until mid-November, and seasonal (not H1N1) flu shot and she said she knew what to work I had from class [or] what dents. Those with a temperature the Health Center has no way clinic today at the Health Cen- do when she got sick: call the work I could do while sick.” above 100 degrees should not of determining when exactly it ter from 4 to 6 p.m. Doses will Health Center for advice. They Other students left campus return to class until they have will receive the vaccine, nor how be administered on a first come told her not attend class until she for a few days to stay away from been fever-free for over 24 hours many doses it will receive. It is first serve basis for a $15 fee was fever and symptom free for their friends who were getting without medication. possible that the Health Center that will be applied to students’ 24 hours.