Information for Faculty and Students

The University of Calgary is supportive of employees and students, particularly those in high risk groups, who want to receive the vaccinations, and we realize that due to lengthy lineups, it may be required to make arrangements for time away from work. Staff should get approval in advance for any time off to attend vaccination clinics so as to assist managers in maintaining operationally effective staffing levels.

The University of Calgary’s Olympic Oval is host to one of Alberta Health Services’ six public H1N1 immunization clinics. As of Nov. 5, the Oval clinic is targeted for Albertans at high risk. Starting on Thursday, Nov. 5, children aged 6 months (on day of vaccination) to under five years as of Nov. 1 will be targeted. Proof of age (Health Care card, birth certificate or other valid identification) must be provided. On Friday, Nov. 6, the program will expand to include pregnant women.

The decision to open this clinic came at the request of Alberta Health Services. The University follows the recommendations and advice of AHS on all health-related issues.

The University of Calgary offered seasonal flu vaccinations over a four-day period to faculty, staff and students on Oct. 26, 27 and 28, Nov. 2.

The flu is highly contagious, so if you experience flu-like symptoms you should stay home and isolate yourself from others (self-isolate). By self-isolating, you will not contribute to the spread of the virus.

Please check the Alberta Health Services website (www.health.alberta.ca/health-info/influenza-H1N1.html) for information about when to stay home. If you are experiencing flu‐like symptoms, call your doctor, the U of C Wellness Centre at 403-210-WELL or Alberta Health Link at 403-943-5465 or 1-866-408-5465.

As a faculty member, you may wish to preplan on how you can keep your courses moving forward in
case of student illness or your own. For example, you can offer course components on Blackboard or choose to make arrangements with a faculty colleague to cover for you (assuming the colleague is willing to do so).

As a student, please contact your instructor by email if you will be missing class or other academic tasks.

As faculty, it is possible that you will have to cancel a class because you or a family member becomes ill. Please contact your department head and your faculty office or dean as you would normally if you were going to be absent. Close communication about absences must be maintained within faculties because of the exceptional and unpredictable nature of an influenza pandemic. A class email list can be a good way to communicate directly with your students. If you have to cancel, please send an email notice to students and the dean’s office at the earliest opportunity.

A doctor’s note confirming the flu is not required at this time; however, this will be monitored and reviewed. Students who become ill with other medical matters should still provide a physician’s statement.

If assistance is needed in arranging or proctoring a make-up mid-term, an instructor or department can request assistance from the Exams Office at examinfo [at] ucalgary [dot] ca or call (403) 220-2822.

Faculty may want to ask their students to contact them by email if they are going to miss classes, a deadline or test because of the flu. Flexibility regarding attendance requirements may be needed. Each case should be evaluated on an individual basis. Instructors may wish to expand the opportunities to make up tests or other course work.

Students have the responsibility for making up the missed work. However, because of the potential for large numbers of absences, instructors should consider a back‐up plan for getting class materials to students (e.g., Blackboard).

While the university will carefully consider and will make efforts to provide academic accommodations, students are responsible for meeting course requirements.

Students who become ill during the term with the flu and miss a mid-term exam, project or assignment should contact their course instructor to arrange for an appropriate extension or accommodation. Where a student is not able to be accommodated by the instructor they should first contact the associate dean’s office in the faculty offering the course to seek assistance.

Students who become ill with the flu during final exam time should complete the Deferred Final Exam form available at ucalgary.ca/registrar/forms_students. The completed form should be given to Enrolment Services (Service Stop) (ucalgary.ca/currentstudents/contact or 403‐210‐7625). Neither an associate dean’s signature nor a physician’s statement is required for a deferral due to the flu. If the flu affects a student’s ability to complete term work they should complete the “Deferral of Term Work” form available and follow the steps described. If accommodation is not granted by the instructor, the student can seek assistance through Enrolment Services (Service Stop).

Faculty members should discuss the possible impact of a flu pandemic at the earliest opportunity, especially how student or instructor absences will be handled.

As well, encourage flu prevention (e.g., self-care, proper hand-washing, and coughing etiquette), and self-isolation for cases of the flu. Encourage students to review the information about H1N1 on the university website and the Alberta Health Services website (www.health.alberta.ca/healthinfo/influenza‐H1N1.html).

Students exhibiting signs of the flu should be excused from the classroom and be asked to go home and stay away from others (i.e., self-isolate) and stay at home until their symptoms resolve. The Alberta Health Services Influenza Self-Care brochure is available online (http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/files/nsflu-self-care.pdf).

At the present time, there is no identified need for class cancellations. In most cases it will not be necessary to cancel a course, or any of its components, as the relative length of the illness is short. Faculty members with concerns about meeting the learning objectives of a course due to a lengthy absence of the instructor of record or a number of students should consult with their department head or dean.

Depending on the severity of the flu situation and based upon recommendations from Alberta Health Services, recreational or athletic activities may be cancelled. At this time, there are no plans to cancel university activities because of the H1N1 pandemic. The university community will be informed of any cancellations.

Emails to all students, faculty and staff may be sent. Check the university’s website frequently. Updated information will be found on the university’s home page (ucalgary.ca) and can be accessed through the
link on the university home page: “Fight the Flu: What you need to do.”