V506.02 Policy on Significant Infectious Diseases

Valley City State University will follow the policies and recommendations of the Center for Disease Control ~~of the U.S. Public Health Service~~ and will work in cooperation with state and local health authorities to prevent the spread of significant infectious diseases, and further such prevention through education. Significant infectious diseases for the purpose of this policy are defined as Acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-Related Complex (ARC) and Hepatitis B.

AIDS: PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST FACULTY/STAFF, STUDENTS OR OTHERS USING UNIVERSITY SERVICES
1. Notification to the University
  A University employee or student diagnosed as having AIDS and who wishes to be covered by this policy or who requests accommodations to special disease related conditions, should notify the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Significant Infectious Disease (SID) Committee shall be convened to review the specific disease situation.
2. Significant Infectious Disease Committee
  1. The Significant Infectious Disease Committee shall review and make recommendations regarding any reasonable accommodation for workplace restrictions on a faculty or staff member diagnosed as having AIDS. Similarly, the SID Committee shall review and make recommendations regarding any reasonable accommodations or restrictions on the educational programs or other University activities of a student, faculty, or staff member diagnosed as having AIDS. The University shall abide by the recommendations of the SID Committee, subject to approval by the President of the University.
  2. The SID Committee shall be composed of the following:
    1. the Vice President for Student Affairs
    2. the University Nurse
    3. the County Health Doctor
  3. The Vice President for Student Affairs shall serve as chairperson of this committee.
  4. The Committee shall consult with, or request assistance from, those University administrators most closely related to the accommodation requested by the individual. Additional assistance or information may be requested from the individual's physician and from the ND State Health Officer.
3. Faculty/Staff
  Faculty or staff members diagnosed as having AIDS shall be protected from discrimination in their employment and shall be considered as handicapped persons with a life-limiting disease, as defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
4. Students
  Students diagnosed as having AIDS shall be protected from discrimination in their educational program, housing accommodations, food service, and related student services or opportunities. They shall be considered as handicapped persons with a life-limiting disease.
5. Services Provided by the University
  University faculty/staff or students, as part of their educational program, shall not discriminate against AIDS-diagnosed individuals, in the services offered, rendered, or provided by the University.
6. Protocol
  AIDS-related protocol established by the Center for Disease Control, shall serve as a primary, but not exclusive, source of information in reviewing individual cases. Applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations, as well as University equal opportunity policies covering handicapping conditions, shall be followed in applying this policy.
AIDS-RELATED COMPLEX
No special employment or educational discrimination provisions are recommended for persons with AIDS-related complex (ARC).
HEPATITIS B
No special employment or educational discrimination provisions are recommended for persons with Hepatitis B except that standard medical protocol for prevention and treatment shall be followed.
PREVENTIVE MEDICAL PROTOCOL
The University shall adopt standard medical preventive protocol procedures to protect specific employee groups or students who may have potential exposure to such significant infectious diseases. Included shall be specific academic departments and laboratories, individuals participating in or supervising athletic activities and individuals involved in the maintenance of university facilities. Recommended protocol to aid in the prevention and spread of significant infectious diseases shall be followed.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Information regarding any person affected by an infectious disease as defined within this policy shall be treated with the same confidentiality as provided for all medical records under University policy.

Any request for information regarding persons affected by an infectious disease, whether from within or outside the institution, is to be directed to the Vice President for Student Affairs, who will act as spokesperson for the institution.

Sponsored by: Vice President for Student Affairs

Approved by the President

November 8, 1988

Reviewed: Winter 1996

Revised: July 2001

Reviewed: Fall 2004

Reviewed: January 2016

Revised: Spring 2022