A possible case of meningitis has struck an Augustana student, causing them to be hospitalized.  In light of this health concern for the campus, questions about the way Augustana promotes and provides for student health are arising.
Students are already aware of the mandatory student health insurance, which costs $1,500 a year. Students are only exempt if they are covered on a personal or a parent’s insurance plan. Many students are also aware of the on-campus counseling services for students who need extra mental and emotional support.
These measures don’t seem like they are adequate. Augustana does not have a student health center on campus. The basic physical, sexual and some mental health needs of students cannot be met with services provided on campus.
Augustana does provide transportation options for getting off campus to acquire more health services, but these are often slow, inconvenient, or intimidating for students to use.
It is time for Augustana to start planning for a student health center right here on campus, to better and more affordably  meet the health needs of the student body.