Bud Whitley
Swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, has reached a very serious level of infection. According to Jackie Calmes and Donald G. McNeil Jr. of the New York Times, “President Obama has declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency…” The H1N1, especially prevalent in college campuses, mostly infects students who live in dorms. When students catch the virus, they become subject to many symptoms that prevent them from completing work such as aches, fatigue, and an overall feeling of being rundown and unable to function.
Professors who are flexible and willing to allow students to make up work with ease, even if they require a note from the school health services or the dean of students would help ease this burden. However, some professors still resist such policy and do not provide students with the adequate materials necessary to recover from the sickness. Instead they tell the students to find alternative sources to learn material, telling them to “read the book” or “copy notes from other students,” rather than getting the students the information directly. This causes some information to be missed or lost in translation, leaving the sick student behind his or her classmates. Missing only one day does not cause that much of a laps, however with the H1N1 virus, students may miss anywhere from 3 to 5 days, where missing lots of material can really add up. College administrators have the responsibility to enact policies that would regulate the treatment of sick students in order to allow them to recover academically as they recover physically.
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