Blood drive moves to Lincoln-Filene to attract faculty

The Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) will move one day of this week's three-day blood drive to the Lincoln-Filene Center in an attempt to attract more faculty, staff, and administrators.

Following poor turnout at last April's drive, the decision was made to expand the drives by making them more accessible to staff, faculty, and administrators, coordinator Dan Keesing said. The Lincoln-Filene Center, located on the Academic Quad near many classrooms and offices, "seemed like the best location," he said.

The drive began yesterday in Hodgdon Hall lounge, and will continue today in the Lincoln-Filene Center and tomorrow in Carmichael Hall lounge. The three-day blood drives, of which there are three per year, have typically taken place in residence halls, isolated from much of the campus community.

Although nearly 300 appointments had been registered as of Sunday _ an increase of approximately 50 percent from past drives _ only about ten faculty and staff members had signed up, Keesing said.

"It is difficult to tell why this is, but we expect this number will increase at future blood drives," he said. More people are expected to donate as walk-ins.

Volunteers are pleased with this drive's high participation numbers, according to LCS Vice-President Kate Donohue-Rolfe. Fewer donors were expected due to the drive's distance from Sept. 11, 2001. After Sept. 11, patriotic feelings fueled an increase in donations, and last fall's drive ran at full capacity.

Low faculty turnout may also result from the fact that most blood drive promotion efforts focus on students and are less visible to other members of the University community, Donohue-Rolfe said. LCS has been tabling in the dining halls, postering in the residence halls, and has offered an online registration form at www.tuftslife.com.

In addition, many faculty and administrators are not eligible to donate because they have recently traveled abroad, Donohue-Rolfe said. The American Red Cross restricts donations from persons who have traveled to countries where malaria, "mad cow disease," and other diseases are found. Students who have studied abroad are also often ineligible, another factor limiting the donor population.

Although many eligible donors are wary of participating, "It's just more an issue of someone getting past it for the first time" and realizing that donating is not difficult or painful, LCS volunteer Andrea Shatzman said.

Even so, most college students easily meet eligibility requirements, Keesing said. According to the Red Cross, less than five percent of eligible donors nationwide give blood.

LCS volunteers emphasized the importance of donating as a way to help others. "If you're ever in the opposite position, in need of blood, you'd like people to donate," freshman Tanya Paz said.

The two other blood drives this year will take place at the ends of January and March. This is done "to encourage students to make a commitment to donate regularly," Keesing said.