AIDS Guidelines
AFSCME(BL) 6.6 • AFSCME(SB) 6.4 • CWA 7.3 • PA/SS 8.4 • Hourly 5.4
Revised 1998
Employees covered by this policy
This policy applies to all Staff and Hourly employees at IU.
Note
This policy was adopted by the IU Board of Trustees in 1986 and revised in 1998.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a serious defect in the body's immune systems caused by a virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This defect renders the host susceptible to certain life-threatening infections or malignant processes. Most persons infected with the virus develop AIDS, while some remain symptom free.
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Outside the body, the virus HIV is a weak infectious agent. Infection results only from contamination of the host's blood stream with infected fluids. Current information suggests that this can occur during sex, birth, when contaminated blood products are transfused or when using a contaminated needle. The same current information suggests that transmission does not occur from respiratory droplets, as in coughing and sneezing, or from food, environmental objects or insects.
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A blood test for antibodies to HIV is available. This test does not determine which infected persons will become ill with AIDS. Because of the potential for false positive results and concerns for individual liberties, the test should not be used for routine screening except to protect the donated blood supply.
B. HIV in the university environment
HIV infection is a serious concern in the university environment. However, exposure is only likely to occur if persons put themselves at risk by engaging in needle-sharing or unsafe sexual activity. Current information indicates that an infected person does not endanger others by remaining in class, laboratories, residence halls, fraternities, and sororities or work environments.
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The issues and decisions related to this disease on campus may be managed in many of the same ways as for other chronic illnesses and in accordance with the Americans for Disabilities Act (ADA). In all cases, the individual needs of the infected person should be considered.
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The chief administrative office of each campus should have a local committee or unit responsible for conducting a campus-wide education campaign about HIV/AIDS, identifying sources of information about the disease.
C. Guidelines
The following guidelines are based upon recommendations consistent with those of the Indiana State Department of Health, the American College Health Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The participation of persons infected with HIV in various aspects of campus life, including classes, housing and employment should be determined on an individual basis, utilizing the latest available information from the Indiana State Department of Health, the American College Health Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Situations that place an infected member of the university community at risk for his/her own health will be considered individually. Action compatible with university student and personnel policies may be taken to protect the student or employee.
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The chief administrative officers of the individual campuses will be responsible for decisions that relate to the compatibility of an infected person with campus life. The decisions will be made in consultation with the medical directors of the health facilities on the Bloomington or Indianapolis campuses or individual physicians or hospitals designated at regional sites. All cases will be considered individually and in consultation with the patient's primary physician.
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The university does not intend to require HIV antibody testing of individual students, faculty or staff, unless it is required by law or the Indiana State Department of Health or by presently unforeseen but exceptional circumstances.
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All persons diagnosed as having AIDS or who are HIV positive are encouraged to be monitored by one of the physicians at the health services on the Bloomington or Indianapolis campuses or by appropriate physicians/hospitals available to the other campuses. The purpose of this is to shelter such information in confidential medical records and to assist with any special on-campus needs of the patient.
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The university does not intend to seek confidential information from personal physicians. It will hold in confidence health information it obtains about any member of the university community to the extent permitted by law and consistent with the obligations of the university.
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The office of Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations has the responsibility for coordinating official university information regarding HIV in cooperation with appropriate university agencies utilizing the dean of the School of Medicine as the official source for all medical information.
