By Elizabeth Faragi
Some University of Maryland students have expressed concern about the university administration’s handling of the situation following the discovery of body lice on campus.
Reports of body lice were first discovered on the fourth floor of McKeldin Library on Wednesday, Sept. 17, according to an email statement from the university sent on Sept. 19. Lice were also reported in a restroom at Kirwan Hall.
Despite the first report being from Wednesday, the university did not send its campuswide email about how it was treating the lice until Friday. In the email, the university said the lice had been treated and students could continue with regular activities.
Many students, like Katie Noppenberger, a junior public health sciences major, found out through social media. She felt the social media post was misleading.
“The TikTok I saw said ‘mass outbreak,’” Noppenberger said. “I don’t believe it was a huge outbreak as TikTok said.”
Widespread misinformation from social media played a large role in the concern. Students heard different things through TikTok, YikYak and other social media prior to the university making a statement.
Max Ladenson, a freshman business major, said he initially heard that the lice were in Cumberland Hall, which is his dorm building.
“I wish [the university] would have responded a little bit earlier, at least let it be known, so it wasn’t just this rumor going around,” Ladenson said.
Sydney Boyriven, a sophomore communications and philosophy, politics and economics major, initially didn’t believe that the lice were real.
“I found out about it through my sorority group chat but I thought I was being pranked since the school didn’t send an email about it,” Boyriven said.
Dr. Spyridon S. Marinopoulos, director of the university’s health center, said in a statement to SBS Monday night that the University’s Pest Control Units treated the lice.
“All reported spaces have been thoroughly cleaned and mitigated,” Marinopoulos said. “I have no concerns about [students] studying in the library or moving freely around campus.”
Despite this, some students still wonder if the university properly handled the incident. Frankie Johnston, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences, wishes the university had notified students faster.
“I wish they would have sent something out the day of. I’m not saying they had to have the situation solved, but at least put the campus on notice,” Johnston said.
Boyriven agrees, and was also upset with how slow the university was with reaching out to students.
“They should’ve sent us an email telling us what was going on and what they were going to do sooner,” said Boyriven.
In response to these reactions, a user made a post on Reddit urging students with concerns about how the university handled the lice to reach out to UMD’s Student Government Association.
“The university administration’s response to the recent lice outbreak was extremely poor,” the post stated. “Instead of letting the student body know to be careful, the administration did nothing. Please contact SGA about your concerns.”
Despite growing student anxieties, Marinopoulos implores students that body lice are not generally something to be worried about.
“Regular bathing, and washing clothes and bedding at least once a week are sufficient to prevent and eliminate body lice,” he said.
UMD’s Student Government Association did not respond to a request for comment at time of publication.
Featured Image: McKeldin Library, where the body lice were first found and reported on Sept. 17. Photo Credit: Monique James.