Concordia tries to limit latex on campus for student allergy
Rubber bands are one common product containing latex.
Photo credit: Nora Betts
By Mi-Ree Zwick
Concordia is trying to reduce the use of items containing latex in certain buildings on campus to accommodate a freshman student with a latex allergy.
Latex can be found in many items, such as bath mats, products with elastic, balloons and rubber bands. Between 1% and 6% of people have a latex allergy, according to the Allergy & Asthma Network.
“With every exposure [to latex], my reaction also gets worse,” said the student, who requested to remain anonymous. She added that during latex exposures she has difficulty breathing because her asthma reacts negatively to her latex intolerance.
“Even being in the room with balloons triggers an asthma attack for me,” she said, and added she has had four significant latex exposures since the beginning of the semester, all of them involving balloons.
CUNE’s Disability Support Services does not share information with other oastffices, so the affected student contacted the Health Office, the Student Life Office, Chartwells Dining Services, and her professors, among others.
Matt Meyers, director of the Academic Success Center and Disability Support Services on campus, said that the office’s responsibility is to remove barriers for students. To protect the confidentiality of individuals, students must go to Disability Support Services themselves to get accommodations.
“Every disability can affect different people in different ways,” said Meyer. “We meet with every student [who comes to us] and do our best to support them in a practical and appropriate way.”
Unlike in K-12 school systems, higher education students must advocate for themselves. The education system from elementary school to high school keeps an eye on students who may have special needs because they are still dependent minors. Students in college are adults.
The Thom Leadership and Education Center is one building trying to reduce the use of items that could cause a latex exposure.
“I’ve been emailing with Dr. [Lorinda] Sankey because, being an education major, I’m in Thom a lot,” said the freshman. Sankey is the building manager.
“I was not banking on that [latex removal] being a possibility,” the student said. “I was mostly just trying to get accommodations for if I ever need to leave the building [for a bad reaction].”
Another big concern is her dormitory life, not only for this semester, but for following years as a student. She said she plans to talk with SLO about those concerns. In the interim, she is working with her RA to spread the word and to ask that balloons not be used in the dorm if possible.
She said Chartwells told her that when balloons are in the cafeteria, she can pick up food from the Doghouse. But that means she cannot have meals with her friends during those times.
The freshman asked that students be considerate of other people and their needs because allergies and intolerances are things that are out of a person’s control.
