Seen by many students as a lifeline and safe haven, Harvard University Health Services’s (HUHS) decision to shutter the Stillman Infirmary has brought about angry and confused reactions from much of the student body. As the only 24-hour emergency care provider for Harvard students in the vicinity of Harvard Square, it is expected and fair that many students should have this reaction. However, despite the need for skepticism, students must trust that the University is indeed acting in the students’ best interests, and withhold judgment until an alternative is provided.
The Director of HUHS, Paul J Barriera, mentioned in his interview with the Harvard Crimson that there are no budget cuts being made, and the changes are largely being based on student demand. According to him, that includes same-day mental health services and other types of counseling. The issue of mental health on campus and in colleges across the countries is far from being solved, and this redistribution of resources will hopefully help. And Harvard has maintained its support of the Amnesty Policy, a rule that has such important implications on student safety and trust in the administration it will most likely never be tampered with.
With these changes, however, an appropriate response plan needs to be provided for students. How should they get the help they need after hours? Will they need to go to Mount Auburn for everything, which would be a huge inconvenience? These are the questions that students should be asking, rather than reacting with anger. A comprehensive system that is beneficial for both the students and the administration is contingent upon good communication, and casting HUHS negatively outright will only serve to harm efforts to create a better system. HUHS administrators recognize their responsibility to students, and obviously they think they have found a way to improve student care. There will never be a perfect system, but together students and the administration can work to create a better one. Until we hear them out, the student body should put some trust in the administration on this one.