TCC EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS:
H1N1 FAQs for Teaching faculty |
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H1N1 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: TEACHING FACULTY
1. Will classes be cancelled or campuses closed? What can I do to help the
college render these important decisions?
Tidewater Community College (TCC) is closely monitoring the number of reported cases of flu-like illness among faculty, staff, and students. Any decision to close a campus or suspend classes will be guided by the advice and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Virginia Department of Health, local health departments, and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
Please report any cases of flu-like illness among your students to your campus provost. All known cases of flu-like illness among TCC students and employees are reported to the college’s Director of Emergency Preparedness to facilitate daily tracking of the impact of the flu on the college’s operations.
2. Will TCC announce individual, confirmed cases of H1N1?
TCC will not identify individuals infected with the H1N1 Flu; however, the number of reported cases of flu-like illness among faculty, staff, and students is being closely monitored. It is important that all faculty members, deans, and campus provosts carefully monitor class attendance and report unusually high absentee rates so that the impact of the flu can be assessed on a daily basis.
3. How will I know if a student in my class is infected with the H1N1 Flu?
Because you may not know if a student is infected, it may be a good idea to read the recommended statement provided by Vice President DeMarte in the electronic communiqué sent to faculty on September 16. The recommended statement is available in Blackboard for faculty who are teaching online.
In line with the CDC’s recommendations, TCC students infected with flu-like illness are advised that they should not attend classes and should limit interactions with other people, except to seek medical care, until fever-free (i.e., having a temperature below 100° F [37.8°C]) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines. Some students may need to stay home if caring for an ill family member or if watching their children due to a childcare or school closure. Please exercise your best professional judgment given a student’s individual circumstances. For additional information, refer to the electronic communiqué sent to faculty from Vice President DeMarte with guidelines for responding to students regarding the H1N1 Flu.
Students are advised to contact a campus provost if they are unable to attend class or complete course requirements due to flu-like illness. In line with the CDC’s recommendation, faculty members should not require a doctor’s note to validate a student’s illness. Requiring a doctor’s note could place an undue burden on medical facilities that will be dealing with the most serious cases of the H1N1 Flu. Also, requiring a note may result in sick students coming to class because they do not have the means to pay for health insurance.
4. What options can I provide to students who cannot attend or participate
in my class?
In typical cases, according to the CDC, persons with flu-like illness are expected to be absent 3 to 5 days from school/work—even if antiviral medications are used. Since recovery is fairly quick for the typical person, you are encouraged to be flexible in your attendance and participation requirements during this flu season and to work with students who contract flu-like illness. Especially for those students receiving financial aid or on scholarships, course withdrawals can have serious consequences and, thus, should be employed as a last resort in extreme circumstances.
If a portion of your course is online and/or a requirement can be completed electronically and the student is capable, this is an excellent option to present to students. Assistance from Educational Technology staff is available. If needed and warranted, you may also grant a time extension on course requirements. If the student misses significant time from class due to flu-like illness, you and the student can jointly agree how to complete course requirements.
5. Can I require a student to leave class if he/she appears to be sick?
Please talk with your dean if you feel a student who appears to be sick should be removed from class.
6. Are there changes I can make to my course both to accommodate
students impacted by the H1N1 virus and to minimize the impact that
significant class absences may have on my course objectives and plans?
Faculty are encouraged to place course materials within a course shell in Blackboard. By doing so, students with flu-like illness may have another option to continue participating in your course and to complete assignments. Please include appropriate information in your course syllabus. Assistance from Educational Technology staff is available.
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