Student’s abuse Health Center’s policies

House Editorial

During one winter month, a reported 240 students did not keep Health Center appointments. Not only is this disrespectful to the staff of the Health Center, but it paints a picture of JMU students as frivolous, selfish people who feel their actions have no consequences.

While it may seem like hyperbole to speak so harshly concerning missed appointments, it is part of a larger problem where students take these services for granted, never considering they are given opportunities that others truly need, but to which they have no access.

JMU offers free health consultations and some students are wasting this by not keeping appointments. They may operate under the attitude that the second they get a cough, they are entitled to a visit to the Health Center. However, when the congestion runs its course and they no longer feel ill, they do not feel the need to cancel their appointment to give another student the open slot.

While students can cancel up until just an hour before their appointment, many simply do not contact the Health Center. Currently, there is no penalty for not canceling your appointment, yet fining college students is a very effective way to teach them a lesson they will not soon forget.

Farther down Interstate 81, Virginia Tech charges students $25 for committing a no-show. Twenty-five dollars is by no means small change, and would certainly help students know that not keeping your word does have consequences.

While JMU is polite enough to not penalize students who fail to cancel, there is only so much disrespect any one group can take before they understand that being nice is not the way to go. Charging students most likely will keep them in line.

The Health Center is providing a valuable service by even offering appointments in the first place rather than working through strictly walk-ins. Chances are, if appointments were not available, more time would be wasted by those seeking treatment as the sickly population of JMU all shows up at lunchtime, overwhelming the two triage nurses.

This trend of missing appointments needs to change immediately. It does not matter if the students involved get well before their appointment or they just simply forget to keep it — this must stop.

The best way to combat the idea that people are getting well is to think before you make an appointment. If a cough or sneeze has been present for only one day, wait on it and find out whether or not it is something that time will not cure.

When it all boils down, it is imperative that JMU respect the Health Center by canceling appointments ahead of time and using the center responsibly in general. The Health Center is a wonderful resource for students with a staff who want to help — let’s try to ensure everyone can continue to benefit from the service they provide by conducting ourselves accordingly.