Editorial : Effects of Cornell student death signal need for medical amnesty
The Cornell University chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon disbanded Thursday after the school revoked recognition of the fraternity for at least the next five years, according to multiple March articles in The Cornell Daily Sun.
Cornell’s revocation of SAE followed the death of one of its sophomore brothers, George Desdunes, due in part to alcohol consumption about a month ago. The university released a statement on March 18 that said the brothers of the fraternity recognized his incapacitated state, but decided not to call for medical assistance. He later died in a local hospital after brothers found him unresponsive in the morning.
The proximity of this tragedy and its ongoing campus-wide consequences serve as lessons that even at Cornell — a campus with a comprehensive, if not convoluted, medical amnesty policy — fear of getting in trouble puts students’ lives at risk. Though authorities are still investigating the details surrounding Desdunes’ death, Cornell immediately turned to revising its medical amnesty policy to encourage students to call for help.
Syracuse University does not have a medical amnesty policy. The administration and students have worked on drafting such a policy for the past two years. The ongoing events at Cornell should plant a seed of urgency in every person involved in drafting this policy.
However, another lesson comes from Cornell’s tragedy: The less caveats and appendages the final policy includes, the better. A few clear guidelines about what the entire student body can expect will work much better than a nuanced policy, with exceptions that approach different situations with varying punishments. If students are confused or concerned about how the policy affects them in that particular situation, they will continue to avoid making those essential calls for help.
