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The Daily OrangeBeyond the hill | When bed bugs bite
BU student battles with school during abroad experience
By Katie Keating
Posted: 10/14/07, 10:35 PM EST Section: News
The student also said that Campbell told others that her wounds were self-inflicted, she was lying and seemingly threatened her by saying study abroad programs do not take well to complainers.
Campbell described her job as providing the best possible experience for students while abroad. To her, mistreating a student would conflict with her duties.
"I could not more categorically deny it," Campbell said.
The situation was handled by the administration in a timely and effective manner, Campbell said.
"As far as I know, the students saw me when they asked to see me," Campbell said.
Initially, the BU junior woke up with significantly fewer bites, but the problem worsened during the week.
One morning, she was able to take pictures of the bugs.
"I look around and I see them and they are everywhere," she said, recounting the incident. "And the bites are everywhere. And this time, they are on my chest and on my face."
She called the program's headquarters to complain during the weekend, but they informed her that nothing could be cleaned, as it was a Sunday. The head of the program, Campbell, could not be called because the situation did not qualify as a serious emergency.
Eventually, a secretary was sent and confirmed there was a problem.
"She did confirm this information, but at the same time, they said that she wasn't an expert and that her opinion didn't matter, even though I had pictures of the bugs," the junior said.
The student and her roommate were moved to housing normally reserved for faculty. They remained there for the remainder of the summer.
Meanwhile, the room was vacuumed, sprayed and the sheets and mattresses were changed, Reilly said. The staff at the dormitory recommended fumigation.
"The exterminator reported finding no evidence of infestation, but staff went ahead with fumigation as a precaution," Reilly said.
The student said no one wants to admit there were bedbugs in the dorm despite all of the symptoms, the secretary's confirmation and her own pictures.
"I even went to a pharmacist, and he took one look and said, 'bedbugs,'" she said.
Reilly did not admit that the problem was caused by bedbugs and that the administration has no proof.
"They were never identified as bedbugs," Reilly said. "It doesn't mean we are disputing it - just that it was never identified as that."
The BU program in London had an incident with bedbugs a decade ago. There had been no further complaints until now.
Reilly said that in any case, students should write a letter or ask for an opportunity to speak with administrators to discuss conflicts. He said the student did not take the proper steps.
Reilly called the Oct. 4 article in The Daily Free Press bad journalism. He said it made allegations previously unknown to administrators and maligned individuals, causing the situation to be overblown.
"It shouldn't have been a front-page story here at Boston University," Reilly said.
Campbell described her job as providing the best possible experience for students while abroad. To her, mistreating a student would conflict with her duties.
"I could not more categorically deny it," Campbell said.
The situation was handled by the administration in a timely and effective manner, Campbell said.
"As far as I know, the students saw me when they asked to see me," Campbell said.
Initially, the BU junior woke up with significantly fewer bites, but the problem worsened during the week.
One morning, she was able to take pictures of the bugs.
"I look around and I see them and they are everywhere," she said, recounting the incident. "And the bites are everywhere. And this time, they are on my chest and on my face."
She called the program's headquarters to complain during the weekend, but they informed her that nothing could be cleaned, as it was a Sunday. The head of the program, Campbell, could not be called because the situation did not qualify as a serious emergency.
Eventually, a secretary was sent and confirmed there was a problem.
"She did confirm this information, but at the same time, they said that she wasn't an expert and that her opinion didn't matter, even though I had pictures of the bugs," the junior said.
The student and her roommate were moved to housing normally reserved for faculty. They remained there for the remainder of the summer.
Meanwhile, the room was vacuumed, sprayed and the sheets and mattresses were changed, Reilly said. The staff at the dormitory recommended fumigation.
"The exterminator reported finding no evidence of infestation, but staff went ahead with fumigation as a precaution," Reilly said.
The student said no one wants to admit there were bedbugs in the dorm despite all of the symptoms, the secretary's confirmation and her own pictures.
"I even went to a pharmacist, and he took one look and said, 'bedbugs,'" she said.
Reilly did not admit that the problem was caused by bedbugs and that the administration has no proof.
"They were never identified as bedbugs," Reilly said. "It doesn't mean we are disputing it - just that it was never identified as that."
The BU program in London had an incident with bedbugs a decade ago. There had been no further complaints until now.
Reilly said that in any case, students should write a letter or ask for an opportunity to speak with administrators to discuss conflicts. He said the student did not take the proper steps.
Reilly called the Oct. 4 article in The Daily Free Press bad journalism. He said it made allegations previously unknown to administrators and maligned individuals, causing the situation to be overblown.
"It shouldn't have been a front-page story here at Boston University," Reilly said.
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