Bending the rules: Professors accommodate H1N1 victims

The faculty is largely on its own this semester when it comes to classroom H1N1 policy.

Memos and recommendations last semester from the Provost’s office encouraged professors and lecturers to excuse students from class without a doctor’s note if they had flu symptoms.

Since they didn’t hear anything from Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson on the matter this semester, each faculty member made his or her own decision about class attendance. While they wait for new developments, some professors continued the policy from last semester and some discontinued it.

“I definitely think H1N1 was ... much higher in everyone’s consciousness last semester,” said Erika Dowell, president of the Bloomington Faculty Council and public services librarian at the Lilly Library.

The intent of the recommendations last semester was to avoid overwhelming doctors. IU didn’t want students to go to the Health Center to get a note, said Herb Terry, an associate professor in the Department of Telecommunications and a member of the BFC.

This semester calls for a little more flexibility, he said.

“I’m not sure that universally professors are any less concerned,“ Terry said.

Terry said he’d mentioned H1N1 in his class several times and put his standard attendance policy in the syllabus. Wednesday, however, he announced to his class they didn’t need doctor’s notes if they were sick.

The Provost might advise faculty to do something else in the future, he said.

Although H1N1 cases are down, the bug is not completely out. From Jan. 10 to 16, H1N1 doctor visits for flu-like illnesses and flu activity nationwide decreased, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. But, some states still continue to report regional activity from the virus, the site says.

Hanson said there’s been no change in policy from the state or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the University and H1N1. She added that some faculty members have asked for guidance on class policy for illnesses.

Overall, Hanson said, the campus will be in a better position to respond if there’s a second wave of the flu.

“I think mostly everyone is trying to do what they think is the right thing,” Hanson said.

Hanson said a few professors have voiced concern to her because students were exempt from exams last semester after claiming they were sick. Professors have a mission to teach, she said, and students come to learn.

“It can be disruptive for the whole class,” Hanson said.

Terry said he doubted IU is worse than the rest of the population when it comes to H1N1. Airlines and other industries have loosened their focus on the disease, too, he said.

“I hope it isn’t a mistake,” Terry said.