As we head into the new school year across the United States, medical officals are warning about higher than normal numbers of young people with the flu. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says this about H1N1, “Current visits to doctors for influenza-like illness are down from April, but are higher than what is expected in the summer.” Yesterday the CDC released Guidance for Responses to Influenza for Institutions of Higher Education during the 2009-2010 Academic Year.
Review and revise, as needed, policies, such as student absenteeism policies and sick leave policies for faculty and staff, that make it difficult for students, faculty, and staff to stay home when they are ill or to care for an ill family member. Do not require a doctor’s note to confirm illness or recovery.
Some faculty use online learning systems to provide notes to students so students can concentrate on the lecture or discussion rather than furious copy the blackboard or projection. The minority place all the information from lectures and slides online so students don’t get too far behind if they miss a class. If entire faculties did this for all the lectures, then students with the flu could stay home in isolation withouth much ill effect this flu season.
Of course, working to place all this material online is a ton of work to place on the shoulders of the faculty.
Also it would be an enormous weight on the shoulders of my colleagues who manage our storage. Â I would find it unlikely we host more than 1/5 of their classes. 🙂
Photo: My mother demonstrating how she spends time outside during fire season. Nothing to do with the flu except some people cover their mouth and nose to protect themselves.
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