Maryland’s governor has called for the University System of Maryland Board of Regents to investigate the handling of the adenovirus outbreak at the College Park campus that led to the death of a student.
The office of Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement that the action was prompted by a that campus leadership waited 18 days to tell students and parents about the virus.
The virus led to the death of student Olivia Paregol, 18, last November.
In , Hogan brought up the heat-related death of another U.Md. student, football player Jordan McNair, 19, after a workout last year.
“Mr. McNair鈥檚 death rightfully prompted multiple investigations and brought to light numerous inadequacies in how the university dealt with a medical emergency,鈥� Hogan said. 鈥淯nfortunately, I am deeply concerned that the university learned nothing from that troubling and tragic episode.鈥�
Hogan cited media reports saying that officials held onto information about adenovirus cases to students and families for weeks.
鈥淚t appears that, at just about every turn, leaders withheld information 鈥�. There must be a full review of these decisions, and of the officials who made them,鈥� he said.
Paregol鈥檚 family earlier this month began taking the steps necessary to file a lawsuit against the school.
In the letter, Hogan said, 鈥淭he Paregol family鈥檚 grief has been considerably worsened by the lack of urgency 鈥� and lack of transparency 鈥� shown by university officials before and after Olivia鈥檚 death. There are serious questions about how this happened, and the families who entrust their children to your care deserve your assurance that they will receive answers.鈥�
Hogan also asked that the results of the review be made public.
Regents respond
The Board of Regents said in a statement later Thursday afternoon that they鈥檝e received Hogan鈥檚 letter and 鈥渨ill review and discuss the options for meeting the Governor鈥檚 directive and will work with President Loh and the executive team at the College Park campus to see that a thorough and transparent investigation takes place.鈥�
They also said they鈥檝e met with President Wallace Loh and the health staff at the College Park campus on the adenovirus situation, and that Chancellor Robert Caret has asked all University System of Maryland presidents to review their policies on infectious diseases and environmental hazards.
鈥淭he board shares both in the Governor鈥檚 grief for the family and, given the many questions that continue to be raised, the need for a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Paregol,鈥� the statement said.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, the Paregol family thanked Hogan for his action and laid out several aspects of the university鈥檚 response they hoped would be investigated, including the degree to which the school followed their own policies on infectious disease, and their claim that the university 鈥渇ailed to realize that immune-suppressed students, like Olivia, would be in even greater danger.鈥�
They hoped that the review would be carried out by 鈥渁 truly independent body.鈥�
