TEXT OF PRESIDENT McCORMICK'S FEBRUARY 24, 2010 RESPONSE TO THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHARGE  S-0802, POLICIES ON PARTICIPATION IN BLOOD DRIVES

I am writing in response to the Report and Recommendations on Charge S-0802, Policies on Participation in Blood Drives, as adopted by the University Senate on October 23, 2009. The members of the Student Affairs Committee have my appreciation for their attention to this issue.

My administration is pleased to accept the Senate's report and recommendations regarding increased coordination of campus blood drives. However, I have consulted with our chief Student Affairs officers and they have convinced me that rather than establish a single university-wide committee to oversee these effforts, it is more logistically feasible to have three regional campus-based Blood Drive Committees (BDCs). By copy of this letter, I am asking each of our three Health Services Directors to appoint or reappoint a BDC for their campus. As suggested in the Senate recommendation, the membership of each BDC should include, but need not be limited to, at least one Health Services staff member, one Student Affairs staff member, and one student. All blood drives taking place on campus or sponsored by a Rutgers organization will be required to register with the appropriate campus BDC. The BDC will ensure that all Rutgers blood drives adhere to Food and Drug Administration guidelines, including those related to incentives for participants and sponsoring organizations. The BDC also will be responsible for informing the Rutgers community about the current qualifications and restrictions related to donating blood, including posting such information online, at all blood drive sites, and on any blood drive notices or advertisements. In addition, BDC chairs will maintain contact with local blood banks to ensure their awareness of and compliance with Rutgers policies.

By copy of this letter, I am asking the chief Student Affairs officer on each campus to broadly inform the campus community of this change in blood drive policy and to encourage community cooperation in implementing it. Rutgers blood drives make significant contributions to local blood supplies; this increased coordination is intended to improve the safety of Rutgers-sponsored blood drives, increase awareness of blood drive qualifications and restrictions, and ensure that all Rutgers blood drives follow FDA guidelines and Rutgers policies.

Sincerely yours,
Richard L. McCormick

c: Philip Furmanski, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Steven Diner, Chancellor-Newark Campus
    Wendell Pritchett, Chancellor-Camden Campus
    Gregory Blimling, Vice President for Student Affairs
    Marcia Brown, Vice Chancellor-Newark Campus
    Mary Beth Daisey, Associate Chancellor for Student Life-Camden Campus
    Melodee Lasky, Executive Director Rutgers-New Brunswick Health Services
    Sandra Samuels, Director of Health Services-Newark Campus
    Paul Brown, Health Center Director-Camden Campus