Elyse Graham ’07’s piece on Isabella McCosh (Princeton Portrait, Oct. 24) is a fine sketch of a memorable Princeton character. It might interest fellow readers to know that the Auxiliary to the Isabella McCosh Infirmary upholds the traditions she set forth. Now in its 117th year, the Auxiliary partners with the physicians and staff of University Health Services to uphold the highest possible quality of service. As student demographics evolve with increasing numbers of Pell-grant-eligible students and those from nontraditional cultural backgrounds, the demands on UHS are also increasing dramatically.
In addition to maintaining a special-needs fund, providing a parents’ suite in McCosh where kin may stay free of charge to be near a child, and recently renovating the inpatient rooms, the Auxiliary provides support to UHS to promote health awareness; permit timely equipment, software, and professional-development purchases; and assure an atmosphere of care and concern in all health-related areas.
Last year nearly 83 percent of all students received on-campus care, totaling almost 80,000 outpatient visits and 1,000 inpatient admissions. We stand behind every student athlete, with major purchases for athletic medicine including trainers’ carts, a hot/cold spa tub, and IT equipment. Notably, in 2017 we made it possible to introduce the new Kognito and ProtoCall behavioral-health services, and will continue to fund them for the foreseeable future. And of course, when alumni are on campus, McCosh Health Center is open to treat issues large and small.