I don’t know where to begin. Eastern, what are you doing? Earlier this semester, students and faculty were notified that Eastern paired up with the SHIELD Program, although only 500 students and faculty are going to be randomly selected each week to be tested.

“Everyone’s participation is intensely encouraged” and individuals will be entered into a $25 drawing for the bookstore! Give me a break EIU.

It turns out students who have not been randomly selected are still able to sign up and get tested through the SHIELD Program.

A few students I have spoken to explain they were unable to get tested at the clinic because they did not have symptoms regardless of being in contact with someone with COVID-19. These students decided to get tested through SHIELD instead.

This is too upsetting. Through my personal experience, I had a rumble with the medical clinic, I was told “we don’t just test anyone.” I had to explain I was exposed and even then they were still being harsh about testing.

This has happened to other students on campus and sometimes they get turned away due to having no symptoms.

I do not understand because if a student is willing to drop $40 to be tested, then this student needs to be tested. This situation is leaving students desperate enough to sign up for SHIELD, a program made for 500 random people, and getting tested even when they were not selected.

I am not blaming the medical clinic, I understand staff needs to be harsh due to limited testing. The medical clinics are doing what they were told to do. I would like to thank them for the effort and helping students and faculty during these hard times.

Although what I am blaming is the system we have here. President Glassman and the administration, I am talking to you.

We need to have a better system here. If students are signing up through SHIELD, then what is the point of $40 testing? If a broke college student is desperate to drop money at the medical clinic, then let them test.

Not everyone has a car to get tested at Sarah Bush. People do not want to expose others to catch a ride either. As students, the university holds us at high standards. Students need to have everything together in order to succeed. President Glassman and the administration, why can you not do the same?

Karina Delgado is a senior English major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or kmdelgado@eiu.edu.