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I
write to [UTB/TSC President Juliet V. García] today to express
my deepest concerns and dissatisfaction following the [Texas]
Department of [State] Health [Services’] visit and news about
tuberculosis exposure. I feel that exposure could have been
avoided if the university had taken proactive measures.
Consequently, I urge you to endorse a policy that requires all
students be tested for tuberculosis and treated if necessary
prior to admission to the university.
I believe that it is in the best interest of the university to
endorse this request and provide certain safeguards to the
university community. No student, staff or faculty member should
be deprived of safeguards that will protect the entire
community. I ask that the university move quickly to implement
my request for the 2008 Fall Semester.
According to the information afforded to me, the state of Texas
does not mandate tuberculosis screenings in universities. While
the state does not require this safeguard, I believe the UTB/TSC
administration should. I believe it is the duty of the
university to have protocols that protect the university
community, even if they are not required by law.
We live in a high-risk area for tuberculosis. Lack of a
university policy to screen for TB has resulted in psychological
distress, inconvenience and loss of class and work time for
hundreds of members of the university community. I respectfully
request that the university develop a policy for energetically
addressing threats to our health.
Estela Martinez
Sophomore business major
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