UNC Chapel Hill Crisis Information

FROM: Bruce Carney, Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost 

As we launch into the Fall 2009 semester, we know that the campus may face high levels of H1N1 flu (Swine flu) this year. In fact, the number of cases on campus is rising. Characteristically, this flu lasts 3-5 days but people usually recover from it completely. The H1N1 flu virus spreads easily when people live in close quarters or share spaces like libraries, residence halls, and classrooms. Although you can get H1N1 only once, because symptoms overlap with seasonal influenza students are being asked to self-isolate on the basis of symptoms and not to wait for a diagnosis. 

Both faculty members and students have asked for principles about how the campus can best prepare for H1N1 flu and the associated possible disruption of instruction. This note contains some general guidance points which will allow you to act in caring and consistent ways when, and if, large-scale illness emerges on campus. 

1. It is important that the campus stay calm and carry on with all classes unless otherwise notified. Maintaining continuity is always helpful in times of stress. 
2. The University will communicate widely as changes occur in H1N1 incidence on campus.  
3. All members of the University community who become ill with possible or proven H1N1 flu should voluntarily self-isolate themselves by staying home and away from others for a period of at least 24 hours after the time their  fever abates (without the use of fever reducing medications like  acetaminophen or ibuprofen). 
4. The Honor Code which guides academic conduct, applies to students who because of illness, may need to make up absences, exams, or  assignments. 
5. Faculty members are asked to be flexible regarding attendance policies for students sick with flu in classes that require attendance as part of the student grade. 
6. Faculty members are also asked to be flexible about helping students make up missed classes, exams, or assignments. Placing as much course content as possible on a class website, including assignments and lecture outlines, will help students who have to miss class keep up with their assignments. 
7. Students should get notes from missed classes from class buddies or via the class website. 
8. Faculty members who are out with the flu should communicate by e-mail with their department leadership. To assure that courses continue to meet, department chairs should seek instructional coverage from peer faculty or qualified graduate students. 
9. Students who are out with the flu are asked to communicate by e-mail with their instructors. Communication to the faculty through Academic Advisors, the Dean of Students, or parents, is of equal value and acceptable. 
10. Faculty members can respectfully ask an obviously sick student to leave class.  Encourage the student to go home, self-isolate, take care of himself/herself and wait 24 hours after fever is gone (without the use of fever reducing medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) before returning to class. Because the self-isolation period should be 3-5 days for H1N1 flu, most students will be able to make up the work missed. 
11. Schools and colleges should follow established guidelines for issuing official excuses for final exams. However, they should urge their faculty members to be as flexible as possible in scheduling a make-up date if the flu should prevent students from attending a regularly scheduled exam. Schools and colleges should also consider how the flu might impact a student's eligibility to continue in school the following semester. Additional information about final exams will be provided if H1N1 flu is at high rates later in the Fall semester. 
12. UNC-Chapel Hill is unable to provide flu-related refunds of tuition and fees beyond the customary and published prorated schedule, either for individual course drops or for withdrawal from the entire term. 
13. All members of the University community may stay up-to-date on H1N1 flu on campus by checking "Alert Carolina" on the UNC-Chapel Hill homepage. Also, please check the University's homepage, www.unc.edu, for H1N1 flu campus updates. 

Carolina has a heritage of pulling together when faced with challenges. Should H1N1 prove to be a virulent presence here, I ask that you frame your response with integrity, optimism and kindness. 

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