Update #3 on Our Commitment to Well-being and Safety - Testing and Education
Sept. 30, 2024
Dear Maroons,
I would like to address some recent questions regarding the timeline and scope of our environmental testing.
In the initial days and weeks after the online story was published, we consulted with public health officials, cancer epidemiologists and physicians about cancer types, incident rates, risk factors and more. Each one expressed skepticism about the cancer cluster assertions made in the article for multiple reasons. Despite that and in an abundance of caution, we contracted with a national EPA-accredited firm, Environmental Services Consultants (ECS) Mid-Atlantic, in late May, to help us determine a scope and timeline for an environmental assessment of our campus.
From the beginning, it has been our intent to conduct testing in a professional, data-informed and scientific way, and to receive thorough and accurate results – which takes time. I would like to share more information about how this process has unfolded.
In early and mid-June, we conducted several calls with ECS to try to answer the very first questions: What should we be testing for? What possible environmental hazards even cause cancer?
In mid-June, ECS made recommendations to test for radon, lead in water, and volatile compounds in sub-slab vapors. Next, we had to establish the scope of the project. With guidance from ECS and the health experts mentioned above, we determined that testing should focus on the residence halls, where students presumably spend the most time.
The next step was to work with our Building and Grounds Department and ECS to assess the footprints of the main campus residence halls and schedule the three types of tests in the appropriate locations. To be candid, this is a massive logistical undertaking. It has required scheduling for varying levels of access to these 21 buildings, in addition to pre-testing work and the collection of several hundred samples. Once collected, each sample must be analyzed (and sometimes re-analyzed) by experts, taking into account the capacity of the lab as the samples are coming in, week by week.
At this time, the testing process is still underway. We will continue to post updates to our website when we have information to share, and we will provide a comprehensive update when ECS has finished its work.
Meanwhile, we decided to proactively launch “Boost Your Health IQ,” an informational campaign for students about a variety of health subjects, starting with the rising number of young people diagnosed with cancer. We have established an informational webpage with tips for prevention and detection. On Oct. 4th, the college will host a campus-wide health clinic where Student Health and Counseling staff will disseminate information about smoking cessation, the HPV vaccine and the correlation between alcohol and increased cancer risk. Peer Advocates from Student Health have plans to distribute flyers in residence halls and create social media content about these risk factors, with additional educational efforts in development.
We appreciate your patience as we undertake this important process, and we look forward to providing another update soon.
With highest regards,
Frank Shushok Jr., Ph.D.
President