When Slade Ellis '98 collapsed in his residence hall and had to be rushed to the hospital two weeks ago, the College's "dean-on-call" system sprang into action.
The Department of Safety and Security immediately contacted "dean-on-call" Teoby Gomez, the sophomore class dean, to inform him that Ellis was in critical condition with spinal meningitis, a highly contagious and potentially fatal infection.
Director of College Health Services "Jack Turco, the doctor on call, was already at the hospital when I found out," Gomez said. "He called Slade's parents and explained what was going on."
The dean-on-call system is in place to ensure that a dean or College administrator is constantly on standby in case of a campus emergency, Gomez said.
The dean-on-call is responsible for responding to any emergency in a timely fashion and informing parents and higher administrative officials if necessary, Gomez said. "By and large, the system is used for emergencies and updating," Associate Dean of Freshmen Anthony Tillman said.
The problems the deans encounter range from parents calling about students who have not called home in a few weeks to student injury or death, Senior Associate Dean of the College Dan Nelson said.
"During one of my shifts last year, the parents of a student called me because they thought he was missing," Tillman said. But Tillman said the student in question had simply neglected to call home for a long period of time.
"In the past, there have also been unfortunate incidents like drownings and even death during other shifts," he said.
When Dan Boyer '94 committed suicide in Oct. 1993, Gomez worked with Office of Residential Life Area Director Scott Brown, who was the advisor on call, Gomez said.
"We had to inform the dean in charge, Lee Pelton, News Services and the Tucker Foundation," he said. "The Tucker Foundation is an instrumental source of support in deaths and serious injuries." Gomez said members of Boyer's fraternity, Zeta Psi, and his roommates were also notified.
"The dean-on-call also has to make a decision as to who contacts the parents," Gomez said. "There is no standard procedure for who calls."
In addition, the dean-on-call is responsible for contacting the student's class dean and the Office of Residential Life, Gomez sad.
A number of class deans, ORL officers and other advisors serve on a one-week rotating basis, Nelson said. With about 10 to 12 people on the list, each one serves once per term.
During a routine shift, deans must be prepared to respond to any emergency situation, including natural disasters, bomb threats, death and injuries, Gomez said.
Nelson said each dean-on-call carries a beeper so he or she can be easily reached, he said.
"Sometimes you can go through the whole week without a call," Nelson said. "But in a busy week you may get two or three calls a night."
Often, Safety and Security is the first group to hear about problems.
"If some sort of emergency comes up, the Department of Safety and Security contacts me," College Proctor Robert McEwen said.
McEwen said he must then decide whether he will call the class dean or advisor on call.
"Barring any major emergency, deans are given a wake-up call around 7 a.m. to inform them of the prior evening's events," Tillman said. "Nine times out of 10, student intoxication tends to be the issue."
McEwen said most problems can wait until the morning, "but in any major catastrophe impacting students, the dean is called."
Dean of the College Lee Pelton is called about the more serious matters, McEwen said.
Despite the inconvenience to those on duty, deans seem to agree the system works well.
"Those students and parents who have needed the assistance and support of a dean on call have been grateful," said Class of 1996 Dean Katherine Burke.
