Document Actions

 

Bed Bugs

With bed bug stories continuing to make national headlines, the Emergency Preparedness Committee at Bard College at Simon’s Rock has defined procedures for proactively responding to any report. Should you see or suspect evidence of a bed bug, immediately contact your residence director or Security at x7291.

While certainly not a pleasant prospect, bed bugs carry no diseases and pose no immediate health risk. The Emergency Preparedness Committee has defined the following procedures to safeguard you and your neighbors, and to protect as much personal and college property as possible

Initial Response: Containing the Problem

  1. If a student or College staff suspects the presence of bed bugs in a room, they should contact a residence director immediately. To prevent spread, the student MUST stay in his or her room until staff can deliver a “Bed Bug Bag.”
  2. The Bed Bug Bag contains a shirt, pants, socks, shoes, a full set of bedding, basic toiletries, and a towel.
  3. A temporary room will be assigned to the student.
  4. The student MUST leave everything behind in their room. The room will be locked. The student will immediately shower. Nothing should leave the student’s room and no one should enter the room unless authorized to do so.
  5. The student MUST report to Health Services for bite inspection at the beginning of the next business day.
  6. Physical Plant will do a thorough evaluation of the room at the beginning of the next business day.
  7. Health Services and Physical Plant, in consultation with the Dean of Students, will determine whether or not an intervention is a needed.

What Students will need to do:

  1. The student must report to Health Services when requested to do so.
  2. The student will review a list of how all items in the room will be treated. They will inform the residence director of any concerns they have for specific items, e.g. items of particular importance, items of immediate need, etc. Some items cannot be treated. The student must decide if these items will be disposed of or stored for them to later remove from campus themselves.
  3. The student should inform friends of their situation and ask that they contact their residence director immediately if they suspect a problem.
  4. These procedures are necessary to prevent further spread. Failure to comply with the College’s response to the bed bugs will result in disciplinary referral and/or immediate removal from campus.

What the College will do:

  1. Residence directors will assist the student to find ways to meet his or her daily needs.
  2. Parents will be informed, as soon as possible, as to what has happened and what we are doing about it.
  3. Staff and Faculty will be informed of the situation on a need-to-know basis. Relevant information to be shared may include: resources available to the student; when the student was relocated from their room; when they expect to return; academic materials that have been lost indefinitely or temporarily, including text books, computers, notebooks, etc; specific times at which a student may need an excused absence from class due to the situation.
  4. Physical Plant will gather clothing to be bagged and heated (killing bugs and eggs) and returned to the student as soon as possible.
  5. Physical Plant will bag all remaining items to be treated (if possible), disposed of, or stored until the student can remove them from campus.
  6. If deemed necessary, Physical Plant will treat the infested room and any adjacent rooms.
  7. If possible, College furniture will be treated and retuned to the room. Mattresses will be disposed of immediately.

Bed Bug info and links

How do I prevent getting bed bugs?

  • Do not bring infested items in to your apartment. Thoroughly inspect any items received from other rooms or of unknown origin.
  • Check luggage, clothing and bedding after trips; especially after trips abroad.
  • Clean up and reduce clutter on all surfaces and floors to eliminate some of their favorite hiding spots.
  • Keep your room clean and tidy. Vacuum crevices and upholstered furniture regularly.
  • Vacuum mattresses, especially the seams, frequently, or permanently encase mattress in a mattress bag.
  • Pull bed away from wall or other furniture. Tuck in sheets and blankets to avoid contact with the floor or walls.
  • Do not keep extra/empty cardboard boxes in your apartment.
  • Take advantage of your dormitory storage space – ask an RD for details.

Other info: