Delays in getting help can cost lives and create liability
As the public interest attorney who first outlined legal theories under which victims of the “Dark Knight” shooting could sue Colorado University for failing to appreciate and appropriately treat student James Holmes, and as one who has studied other situations where universities were sued when students with psychological problems hurt themselves or others, it is concerning that GW students who experience emotional or psychological problems may have to wait up to six weeks for appointments.
My concern is not only for the students, but also about potential legal liability for GW if it is put on notice of a problem by the student’s call, and then unnecessarily delays providing appropriate assistance. What is even more shocking is that the delays probably could be slashed by applying common sense.
“The office has seen 160 appointments so far this year... But Levine said about 60 of this year’s appointments have been ‘no shows,’ despite phone confirmations – creating delays that keep other students from getting into the office faster,” The Hatchet reported Sept. 24. But there are simple techniques, used by others, to limit “no shows."
The UCC could require a student to come to the office 60 minutes prior to the time of his or her actual appointment. Those 60 minutes could be used to fill out paperwork and to read over any educational documents. If the student fails to arrive 60 minutes before the appointment, the office could call other students on a wait list. Since many students live on or near campus, a one-hour alert could provide an opportunity to use that time slot. This technique is used by many hospitals, which often require arrival two hours before a scheduled operation.
These simple suggestions obviously just begin to address the problem, and additional actions probably should be taken by GW – not only for the sake of students who are wisely trying to take the first step in obtaining the help they need – but also to reduce the University’s potential legal liability should a mentally unstable student go on to hurt himself or others.
John Banzhaf is a professor of public interest law in the GW Law School.
Where is the information about a “six week wait” and other outrageous wait times coming from? I see it in other articles but it isn’t credited to a source (even an unnamed source would make sense here).
How does the Hatchet verify information they gather from students and administrators?
This letter is the type of civil discourse that a university newspaper needs. It’s a stark contrast to the ridiculous comments posted on other UCC articles.
I would like to see more sourcing from the Hatchet in general that would allow for this type of civil discourse.
Civil Discourse for sure is the intelligent way to approach a problem that has been long held as the counseling center negligence that goes way beyond waiting time to be seen !!!
Solutions that Works appreciates Mr Banzhaf’s very logical, realistic impute on this problem. It has amazed me GWU has a Law school with top leaders in many areas, including domestic violence Joan S. Meier GW Law — Faculty Directory
http://www.law.gwu.edu/faculty/profile.aspx?id=6014 yet they do not seek their own professor’s guidance and impute nor even know the professor works for them !!
Why this problem has gotten so emotional for people is GWU refusal to be transparent in their leadership behaviors. I read in GWU hatchet long stories, editorials about this problem in 2009 while I happened to be on campus never thinking it could be as bad as my experienced proved.
The crux of the problem is Who ever becomes this new director of GWU counseling Center will be taking orders from someone in top management of GWU. So nothing is really going to change.
GWU does band aid therapy rather then hiring professionals and upgrading their school to 21st century standards of what students deserve from a University when you compare it to the other college in DC area.
I have observed GWU Operations for 4 years. The person running GWU does not appear to be Provost Steven Lerman Nor President Knapp as the put in press releases. There is someone controlling every aspect of GWU operations That shuts up any faculty, or staff from wanting Civil discourse.
Why I have been telling the students to seek help from GWU Law Students to get the changes and rights they seek as GWU will avoid accountability and transparency where ever and how ever they can. Only as Mr Banzhaf points out, to be blindsided for their negligence and thinking the top < down power control excludes them from ever having to be libel for their behaviors.
John Banzhaf= poster boy for why we need tort reform.
This is the same person who is interfering with the rights of The Catholic University of America to self-determination regarding religious practices and sacred images on campus because a small Muslim minority was “offended” by Crucifixes and Christian imagery and activities.
Look him up. A legal fame whore and irritant.
Banzhaf isn’t even qualified to to be the GW dogcatcher.
Now that is just unfair, and offensive to dogcatchers and other highly trained “animal control specialists”… haha.