Scott Welkos
Staff Reporter
“Think of everything that you touch,” urges dean of Student Affairs Beth Gerl. Indeed, if one does consider all that they touch throughout the day, then the thought of germs isn’t too far behind. Well, not anymore.
As of Tuesday, September 1, students and faculty alike may have noticed McDaniel College’s latest investment: 17 brand new hand sanitizer dispensers. They have been scattered throughout common areas campus wide. It’s an attempt to “encourage people to keep their hands clean,” said Gerl. “Something people take for granted,” she added.
Prior to their installment, McDaniel College had approximately 45 of the sanitizing units. However, based on a recommendation from the Wellness Center, the school decided to make them even more readily available. George Brenton, McDaniel College’s director of Maintenance, explained, “It’s something we’ve been doing, the latest recommendation just sped up the process.”
Gerl added, “With new H1N1 information, the Center for Disease Control is communicating that preventative measures are the most important piece of preventing the spread.”
According Brenton, the sanitizers cost about eight dollars apiece. However, he explained that the real cost lies in keeping the units functioning: 50 dollars to replace the cartridges which contain the sanitizer. And with 62 of them on campus, that can really add up.
In addition to the mounted sanitizing units, McDaniel has also purchased 2 new self-standing units in addition to the 4 that the school already had. Gerl explained that these can be easily moved to different events as needed, even if they’re outside, in order to “provide different locations to continually cleanse.”
So keep your eyes open and your hands clean. New hand sanitizing units can be located in the fitness center, gymnasium locker rooms, Decker Center, the library, as well as various computer labs and common areas throughout campus. “Spread the love,” said Gerl, “just don’t share the germs.”
