USU bans kayaks at HPER pool
For about 10 years, Utah State University kayak classes have been conducted at the HPER pool. However, a recent concern for public health and proper use of the pool is now banning the classes.
In mid June of 2001, director of Facilities Brian Andersen, requested a scientific opinion from Roger Coulumbe, a USU professor of toxicology and molecular biology, about the health risks involved in allowing outdoor kayaks in the HPER pool.
This statement addressed the parasite Cryptospiridium, or “Crypto” as it is often referred to and the parasite Giardia.
Coulumbe said, “These organisms, which are nearly universal in streams, rivers and lakes, pose serious public health risks. [Crypto] in particular has been responsible for several fatal outbreaks in the United States.”
These parasites present a problem when using kayaks in pools made for people because the kayaks used for classes are also used in streams, rivers and lakes and can carry Crypto or Giardia with them into the HPER pool, Coulumbe said.
Because of this risk and two scientific statements, including Coulumbe’s, a small group of USU faculty and staff dropped the class before the beginning of the fall semester. This left many students who had looked forward to the class upset and bewildered, Coulumbe said.
One such student is David Christensen, a mechanical engineering student, who is USU’s kayak club president and the Outdoor Recreation Center rental center manager. He went to the first open meeting held last summer by USU officials to discuss the risks kayaks in the pool can create. Then, when Christensen was on a trip, the second meeting was held and it was decided then that kayaks were to be banned and the class would be dropped.
“I see an injustice,” Christensen said.
He said the outcome was “mostly a political decision,” and an objective review had not been reached. He said this was mainly due to the internal opinions of USU professors and the failure to bring in an outside agency to explore the issue further.
One outside opinion Christensen gained was from James Jensen, a BYU professor of parasitology.
Jensen said, “The likely-hood that [Crypto and Giardia] would be found in a pool used for kayak practice is next to nil.”
He also said the parasites “rarely cause any symptoms.”
Coulumbe disagreed.
He said although Jensen is a respected parasitologist, he is not an expert on the Crypto parasite.
Coulumbe has studied Crypto for the past 10 years and has seen the side effects of the parasite first hand.
Two years ago a couple of student workers in a science lab were infected with Crypto. Both students were so sick with vomiting and diarrhea they were out of school for at least two weeks, Coulumbe said.
“It may not be life-threatening, but it will make you so sick you’d think it was the worst flu you ever had,” Coulumbe said.
Christensen said the kayak club would like to purchase “pool-only kayaks” to solve the health risk, but the estimated cost would be $10,000.
Although this would solve the issue of a health risk, Patricia Terrell, vice president for Student Services, said, “It’s not about the money, it’s about the appropriate use of the HPER pool.”
She said there has been a concern about the pool being used for a variety of other programs besides swimming.
The health risk is only one factor in the decision to ban kayaks from the pool, Terrell said. Scuba diving and sailing classes were also canceled because of the overwhelming scheduling conflict the pool has had for years.
Art Jones, health, physical education and recreation department head, said, “As the student population grows, we have more demand for classes. We can’t accommodate everyone.”
The decision had to be made between using the pool for equipment or for people. Jones said they decided to use it for “people purposes.”