January 31, 2021
To whom it may concern,
My name’s Mariam and I’m a first-year low-income student who is on campus this semester. While speaking with some other low-income students on campus these past few weeks, I realized that many of us have been struggling to acquire adequate personal protective equipment (i.e. disposable face masks, rubber gloves, etc.) and cleaning products (i.e. paper towels, disinfectant spray, etc.).
Last week, students received an email from Residential Life stating, “Cleaning materials will be provided for you in all bathrooms starting tomorrow, January 26, 2021 or you can purchase your own. If you need assistance purchasing materials, please consider accessing the Safety Net Fund.”
While the Safety Net Fund does present one point of access for these materials, there are still some things to consider.
MHC has a limited amount of Safety Net funding available each semester that could hypothetically go towards acquiring personal protective equipment. However, there are a couple of drawbacks that come with this.
First, many of the first-year, first-generation and low-income students I have spoken to are simply not aware that these funds are available to them, nor do they understand how to access them.
Secondly, students may hesitate to tap into this funding for things like personal protective equipment when they have more urgent needs to be met. One portion of the Safety Net Fund application form reads, “Funding is not guaranteed, and students may be awarded less than the full amount requested. Each funding application is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The Safety Net funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis until the fund is depleted.”
Additionally, the most recent “Dean’s Corner” newsletter reiterated that.
From this, I understand that I would be able to reapply for Safety Net funding later on. I also understand that I am less likely to receive the amount that I need every additional time that I ask. As a result, I am anxious to request funding for my immediate needs (read: personal protective equipment), lest something financially significant come up later on in the semester. Other students might echo this sentiment. I currently know of students who are planning to request funds for things like winter gear while still struggling to locate personal protective equipment.
Finally, there will undoubtedly be a delay between the time it takes students to request Safety Net funding and the time it takes the funding to hit their hands. This translates to a longer amount of time during which students do not have adequate personal protective equipment on campus. Any barrier toward the distribution of these materials is not only an issue of access but a risk to the entire campus community in the face of a global pandemic.
However, there are a few potential solutions to this problem. Another MHC first-year with whom I recently spoke suggested that disposable face masks and/or other materials be made available for pick-up at the Carr Lab during testing. This is an excellent idea, as it would be an effective and low-effort way to make sure these materials quickly make it into the hands of those who need them most. One institution here in Massachusetts provided a friend of mine with a set of 50 disposable face masks (which lasted her almost the entire semester) upon her arrival. They did the same for all students who were on campus in the fall. If MHC could replicate this model, even if only on a smaller, need-based scale, it would make the campus safer for everyone.
We have brought a significant number of students back on campus during a pandemic. With that, we need to make sure that they have access to adequate resources to live and thrive here safely. If we are going to “open the gates,” then we must do it with caution.
Best,
Mariam Keita ’24
Author’s Note: An earlier version of this letter appeared in the form of an email that was sent out to members of SGA, FLIP, Health Services and Mount Holyoke admins.