The Flu and You

Academic Matters Related to Outbreak of Flu

OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, OCTOBER 8, 2009

Advice to Instructors and Program Directors

Be flexible regarding stated requirement for attendance and excused absences

  • Recognize that students might be absent not only to recover but also to attend to family
  • Do not require note regarding illness from health service staff who will be overburdened with other responsibilities
  • Understand that parents from out-of-town might retrieve healthy students during outbreak

On a voluntary basis report noticeable reductions or increases in class attendance

Be flexible regarding deadlines for assignments that depend on resources or services provided by others who might be affected by outbreak

Provide make-ups for lab work as feasible when the instructor or large numbers of students have been absent

Make adjustments in syllabus to reflect priorities of learning outcomes with reduced number of class sessions to accommodate absences by instructor or large numbers of students

Use D2L as feasible to reduce class meetings or provide flexibility in conducting instruction, assuming D2L service is not degraded

Consider contingencies such as

  • Disruption or closure of K-12 schools with partial completion or cancellation of student teaching
  • Disruption or closure of clinical sites (nursing, counseling, social work);
  • Disruption or closure of internship sites; partial completion, cancellation/loss of internship credits
  • Disruption or closure of off-campus facilities – Graduate Center
  • Rescheduling or cancellation of course-based performances (e.g. concerts, theatre)
  • Rescheduling or cancellation of course-based tours (e.g. debate)

Check with program licensing bodies to see if flu-shortened clinical or field experience is acceptable

Be flexible in use of I’s for grades (recorded understandings between faculty and students regarding the use of I still will be necessary)

For on-line courses, make provisions for proctoring on-line exams.

Advice to Colleges and Departments

Report aggregate [not individual] faculty and staff absences

If feasible, arrange for substitutes for absent instructors, particularly in large sections of introductory or general education courses

Place hand sanitizers in labs and other settings with multiple users of equipment, e.g.:

  • Music classes and labs; pianos
  • Physical education classes
  • Art graphic design labs
  • Mass communication design labs and broadcast studios
  • Science labs
  • Engineering labs
  • Computer science labs
  • Nursing labs

Consider contingency plans to reschedule or cancel events such as

  • Conferences e.g. Winter Economics Conference
  • Colloquia
  • Performances
  • Speakers
SCSU Student at Blue Light Emergency Station
  • Flu Information

People with possible flu symptoms can call the Minnesota FluLine at 1-866-259-4655 for information and treatment options. Professionals will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no charge for the call.




Questions? Contact flu@stcloudstate.edu

University Communications

Contact Information
Phone: (320) 308-3151

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