Thirty-thousand dollars may get you a quality education at Princeton, but it probably won't get you quality health care. McCosh Health Center is underfunded, understaffed and increasingly overextended. While many universities of comparable size have medical schools, and therefore adequate medical facilities for undergraduates, Princeton does not. McCosh might have served the University well in the past, but the needs of the current student body — approximately 2.5 visits per student, per year — are rapidly eclipsing the health center's resources.
The 500-student increase will only exacerbate this problem. Potential shortages resulting from the student increase — housing shortages, classroom shortages and teaching-assistant shortages, just to name a few — may be an inconvenience for some students. But a shortage in quality medical treatment would be more than an inconvenience — it would be dangerous.
McCosh's services are already spread quite thin across the undergraduate population, and without increased funding, it will be impossible for McCosh to continue serving students effectively in the future. Even McCosh personnel question whether they will be able to care for additional patients with their existing resources.
Because college-age students are particularly susceptible to disease and injury, McCosh faces a number of special challenges. Student athletes often need extensive treatment for injuries and rehabilitation. Many young adults require care ranging from gynecological visits to counseling services. And for students who live on campus, college dorm rooms can become breeding grounds for germs and infections. In addition, many of the college students who live in these dorms provide their immune systems with only minimal amounts of sleep and nutrients. This combination of circumstances bodes well for contagion, but not for students' health.
McCosh cannot be expected to serve the needs of a larger student body without increased funds. At a time when the University is willing to dedicate $100,000 to protect students from the harmful effects of binge drinking, that McCosh Health Center is struggling to serve the student body's medical needs is both perplexing and disturbing.
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