H1N1 virus, beware.
Barnard’s Student Government Association has formed a committee to address the swine flu at Barnard, the Community Flu Assistance Committee.
Members of the ad hoc committee—called “community flu assistants”—will have a say in creating and changing emergency health rules at Barnard, as well as lending support to ill students. As Columbia students formed a labyrinthine line around Lerner Hall waiting for services at the Flu Shot Fair, Barnard figured out how to handle outbreaks. Dean Dorothy Denburg mentioned swine flu’s presence at Barnard in a Sept. 24 e-mail sent to students titled, “IMPORTANT FLU UPDATE.”
“We are beginning to see cases of H1N1 in the Barnard community,” she wrote, before urging students to register all flu-like illnesses “right away” at www.barnard.edu/flu. And when logging into eBear—Barnard’s SSOL—students are greeted with a small, benign pop-up, reminding them to call the swine flu hotline.
Barnard administrators, including Assistant Dean Jessica Nunez who works in the College Activities Office at Barnard, reportedly wanted more student involvement in discussions about the virus on campus, according to SGA President Katie Palillo, BC ’10.
While the committee is entirely student-run, Nunez will serve in an advisory capacity, Palillo said.
Still, the structure of this committee is still up in the air, and no one has been been selected as committee chair. “Applications are still coming in,” Palillo said, but it will likely be co-chaired by both a member of the SGA representative council and a non-SGA student.
The committee began accepting applications from students last Friday, and student reaction so far seems generally positive.
“It makes sense to do something about it as long as the sick kids take initiative,” Nicole Bagarella, BC ’11, said, adding that student participation would depend on the policies enacted.
“I would consider doing it,” Ariela Wenger, GS/JTS ’13, said of potentially participating in the committee. She also said that the concept, at least on the onset, seemed to be a good one. “I think it could make sense if there are policy-related things that need to be addressed.”
And avoidance is critical—at least when it comes to campus disease. Preventative awareness will be key for the committee. Priorities, SGA members said, would include publicizing information about the flu and vaccinations as well as setting up walk-in hours at Health Services.
As for the community flu assistants, they’ll have to figure out how to live up to their titles. According to Palillo, the committee will be talking about how to best “ease the discomfort of students who are ill,” though no one is offering to bring chicken soup to your door just yet.
Instead, Palillo said the committee would be looking to modify attendance requirements for classes that may penalize for absences, as well as taping lectures for sick students.
“I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect changes [at Barnard] …. in the presence of a flu that could affect so many students,” Palillo said.
Though threatening to spread swine flu to your poli-sci professor may do the trick, too.
Some students have already come up with policy suggestions. “I do think there should be a general health policy, as opposed to a ‘swine flu’ policy,” Mariya Mescheryakova, BC ’12. “We need to make sure students aren’t going to class sick. No one should be penalized if they come in with documentation from a doctor. Plenty of Barnard students risk their health by not addressing concerns” in a timely manner.
Managing workloads is another way to keep the immune system healthy and prevent illness, students pointed out. “It isn’t the flu that’s so bad, it’s the weakened immune systems of students being pushed to the edge,” Mescheryakova said. “Nothing is worse than lack of sleep and malnutrition for health.”
“I think that students recognize that this situation, while not ideal, is one in which we can learn how to promote safe habits,” Palillo said.
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