Health care spreads across campus

By Bill Schwingel

Asbestos removal at the University Health Services has spread health care around campus and possibly into the city, but the DeKalb Clinic might be the best place available for gynecology.

“There’s not anything we can do about it,” said Health Services Director Rosemary Lane. There is an 85 percent chance gynecology will be at the DeKalb Clinic, 217 Franklin St., Lane said.

“We’re very enthusiastic about it,” said Stephen Jennetten, an administrator from the clinic and an NIU alumnus. The clinic would like to better the relationship with the university, he said.

Using the clinic would be essentially rent-free, Jennetten said. Although, NIU would pay for electricity, telephone bills and other utilities, he said.

The purpose of the construction was to make space for new physicians, but the clinic currently is recruiting physicians and the space is unused, he said.

But gynecology will not be able to get into the clinic until the construction at the clinic is finished which will be in September, Lane said.

Until gynecology can move into the clinic, only emergencies will be treated, putting routine check-ups on hold, she said. If gynecology is located at the clinic, it will not affect the health services student fee, which is $49, she said.

Lane said health services is looking for other places to put gynecology.

There is a commercial site being considered, but the leasing expenses might be too much for NIU, she said. She denied comment on the location of the site because health services is looking for other possibilities.

The university must weigh and balance the circumstances, and the health services is not one of its top priorities, Lane said.

Jennetten said he expects gynecology to stay at the clinic for anywhere from six to 10 months and if gynecolgy needs to stay any longer, it would have to be considered.

The asbestos removal project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 1991.