Student Illnesses Protocol | STUDENT AFFAIRS | University of Illinois Chicago

Communicable Illnesses Notification Protocol

Identification of a student with a communicable illness is typically disclosed to the campus in one of the following ways:
- Self-reported, either to the University or Hospital
- Department of Public Health (city, county or state)
- Hospital or Outpatient Care Center diagnosis (Family Medicine, UI Hospital Emergency Room, Infection Control, UI Hospital Microbiology Laboratory or other clinic)
If the case is diagnosed at UI Hospital, Infection Control or the microbiology laboratory will notify Department(s) of Public Health.
If the case is confirmed by a Department of Public Health, they file a case report and conduct an investigation. During the investigation, once it is disclosed to the University that the individual is a UIC student, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA) will notify Infection Control at UI Hospital.
In addition, there may be Hospital cases or community activity that would require notification to UIC students for possible screening, prevention, evaluation or treatment.

Confirmed or probable cases of communicable diseases may require a notification alert from the campus to students, employees, residence halls, etc. depending on the severity of the organism, the nature of the exposure and outbreak concerns.
These notifications can include notification of possible exposure, instructions to be evaluated with testing or treatment, prevention measures to avoid exposure, education about signs and symptoms, or education about self-treatment if applicable.
Suspected cases will not usually activate the full protocol until the illness is confirmed. However, based on probability of the diagnosis, severity of the disease and risk of transmission there may be notification in some cases without confirmation.

Pertussis
Meningitis (Neisseria meningitides is the organism of concern most likely to occur in student populations)
Tuberculosis
Chicken Pox
Other emerging diseases (e.g. SARS, swine flu)
There are other communicable diseases that are not reportable to the Department of Public Health, but may invoke this notification protocol if there is concern for an outbreak on the campus or within the Hospital. Examples include:
- Influenza-like illnesses
- Norovirus or other gastrointestinal illnesses

Notification is made to UI Hospital Department of Infection Control (IC)
IC notifies Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA)
OVCSA notifies Campus Housing (if relevant), Dean of Students, the students’ college and/or department (if emergency); Chancellor (if necessary)
If necessary, OVCSA convenes a meeting with staff from Infection Control, Family Medicine, University Health Service, Environmental Health & Safety, Public Affairs, UIC Police; the student’s college; and Campus Housing (if relevant)
Public Affairs shares information with campus community: update UIC “Safety and Security” page on web site; Urgent/Official e-mail; SMS

Student and/or family member notifies the university
Notification should be made to OVCSA
OVCSA notifies Infection Control
OVCSA notifies Campus Housing (if relevant), Dean of Students, the students’ college and/or department (if emergency)

If necessary, OVCSA convenes a meeting with staff from Infection Control, Family Medicine, University Health Service, Environmental Health & Safety, Public Affairs, UIC Police; the student’s college; and Campus Housing (if relevant)
Public Affairs shares information with campus community: update UIC “Safety and Security” page on web site; Urgent/Official e-mail; SMS

Notification is made to UI Hospital Department of Infection Control (IC)
IC notifies the Board of Health
IC notifies OVCSA
OVCSA notifies Campus Housing (if relevant), the students’ college and/or department (if emergency); Chancellor (if necessary)
If necessary, OVCSA convenes a meeting with staff from Infection Control, Family Medicine, University Health Service, Environmental Health & Safety, Public Affairs, UIC Police; the student’s college; and Campus Housing (if relevant)
Public Affairs shares information with campus community: update UIC “Safety and Security” page on web site; Urgent/Official e-mail; SMS

If the student does not live in the residence halls, notification to neighbors is the responsibility of the Department of Public Health.
If the student is a member of an Athletics team or student organization, notification will be made by OVCSA.

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA)
- Linda Deanna, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean of Students
  - 6-4857
  - ldeanna@uic.edu

Environmental Health & Safety Office (EHSO)
- Richard Anderson, Director
  - 3-2140, 312-636-2489 (cell) or 312-996-7233 (on-call phone)
  - safe@uic.edu

Public Affairs
- Bill Burton, News Bureau Director
  - 6-2269
  - burton@uic.edu

University Health Service
- David Marder, M.D., Director
  - 6-7420
  - davidm@uic.edu

Campus Housing
- Susan Teggatz, Director
  - 5-6320
  - steggatz@uic.edu
UIC Police
- David Peters, Commander of Support Services
  - 6-0047 or 312-208-0516 (cell)
  - dpeters@uic.edu

Pharmacy
- Katherine Lee-Mosio, Pharm.D., Assistant Director, University Village Pharmacy
  - 5-1697
  - klee@uic.edu

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