NIU’s brush with the acute, infectious Norwalk virus finally has prompted the Residence Hall Association to install soap dispensers in all residence hall restrooms.

Although the administration has decided students should have no excuse not to wash their hands after using the restroom, they opted for soap dispensers when they discovered the non-bacterial disease is spread when food is touched by those who have not washed their hands properly.

A President Dan Chamberlain said RHA has suggested this idea at room and board meetings with the administration for several years, only to have it swept under the carpet.

“It took this (the Norwalk virus) to get it done,” he said.

Having better services installed in the restrooms has been an ongoing effort for the RHA. Chamberlain said he is relieved “the administration has finally taken the initiative” to answer past petitions.

But Don Buckner, associate vice president for Student Affairs, said the soap dispenser suggestion has not been revived for several years. When the idea was brought up it always was determined not to be cost-effective, he said.

“It (soap dispensers) didn’t seem to be feasible given the cost and other problems,” Buckner said.

Because of the spread of the Norwalk virus, disadvantages were overlooked and soap dispensers have been ordered, he said.

Patricia Hewitt, associate vice president for Business and Operations, said because of the urgent need for soap dispensers in every restroom, an order to air-express them was made immediately.

“We kind of consider it (soap dispensers) an emergency item,” Hewitt said.

She said the subject is brought up every year, but turned down with a group decision. The dispensers are a potential source of vandalism and the cost to install them is not cheap.

“Students already have soap on their floor,” she said. Getting dispensers installed is “more of a convenience” for students.

Douglas Hall will be the first to get the dispensers installed and the other residence halls should get them by next semester, she said.