AIDS Policy

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

 

General Policy

 

The University of New Orleans does not discriminate against individuals (students, faculty, staff or guests) who are diagnosed with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).  Nor will the University tolerate discriminatory activities by members of the University community against such individuals.  The University recognizes that the health condition of individuals is personal and confidential.  Any differential treatment related to HIV or AIDS must be justified by concern for the health and safety of such affected persons and others in the University community as provided for below in this policy.  Persons with HIV infection and AIDS will be considered as having a disability.  University, state and federal antidiscrimination policies and legislation cover such persons, and University officials are advised to guarantee the legal rights of HIV‑positive individuals.  Existing support services for people with disabilities can be appropriately and effectively utilized by students or employees disabled by HIV infection.  

                    

Students

There will be no discrimination on the basis of HIV infection or AIDS against students in

admission, access to classes, or access to all University facilities, programs and organizations.

 

Faculty/Staff                        

Subject to one's ability to perform the duties of his or her position, there will be no discrimination on the basis of HIV infection or AIDS against faculty or staff persons in matters of hiring, retention, promotion, tenure, job assignments, or salary. 

                    

II. Important General Information                           

The pandemic of HIV infection and AIDS can affect all members of the UNO community in one way or another, and it is important that certain basic facts be understood about the disease.  On arrival at the University many students encounter new independence and freedom of self determination, but also strong peer pressure to adopt certain behaviors. Young adults often feel invincible and tend to deny personal risks; in addition, an uncertain sense of identity and still‑developing self‑esteem can,  in some,  complicate decision‑making. It is essential that the University serve these and all its students with comprehensive educational and counseling programs at a time when experimentation with sexual behaviors and alcohol and drug use put them at great risk for infection with HIV or other diseases. Many people may still feel that HIV infection and AIDS are concerns for "other kinds of people."  The lack of immediate indication of  infection and the long latency period between infection and the onset of AIDS‑related condition seem to validate this myth.  But the fact remains that certain well‑defined behaviors put a person at risk, while other behaviors do not, and through modifications of behavior, HIV infection is preventable. 

 

Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is indicated by the presence of antibodies to the virus in the bloodstream.  The majority of persons with the HIV infection will have no symptoms of illness at first, and may not display any symptoms for several years. However, after an incubation period of several months to several years, the immune system becomes vulnerable to the point where individuals begin to develop infections and diseases that are characteristic of and considered symptoms of AIDS.  All persons infected with HIV (or "HIV‑positive") can, at any time after infection, transmit the virus to others under certain conditions

Only certain specific and limited methods of transmission of HIV have been demonstrated:       

1. Unprotected sexual intercourse;
2. Direct blood‑to‑blood transmission through the sharing of hypodermic needles in the use of drugs,  steroids or tattoos;
3. Transfusions of infected blood or blood products;
4. Infection by means of HIV‑positive blood or other body fluids in health care situations;
5. Transmission to infants by HIV‑positive mothers before, during or after the time of birth.

 

Since the recognition in 1984 of HIV as a distinct disease‑causing virus, many facts about HIV remain incompletely understood, but its mode of transmission has been firmly established.  The U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and the state and local Health Departments have remained clear and consistent in their definition of risk and risk behaviors.  Studies of family members of persons with AIDS have shown no evidence of transmission, even after repeated, long‑term exposure.  It is clearly understood and accepted that in the normal academic/workplace setting there is no risk of infection through casual contact. More specifically, there have been no documented cases of the spread of HIV through insect bites, handshaking, hugging, sharing rooms, food or drink, sleeping in the same bed, being coughed or sneezed upon; touching doorknobs, telephones, computers or other inanimate objects; participating in sports competitions; using restrooms, gyms, swimming pools, or eating in restaurants.  The reason for this is simple.  HIV can only survive inside living human cells.  Also, live HIV, in a dose sufficient to cause infection, must gain entry to the blood stream or mucous membranes in order to cause infection.    

References: AIDS on the College Campus, 2nd edition, Rockville, Maryland, American College Health Association., pp 189; "Guidelines for Prevention of  Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Virus to Health Care and Public Safety Workers:  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 23, 1989, 38:5‑6, 37pp.

 

III.Guidelines

Admissions    

The University of New Orleans will not allow the existence of HIV infection or AIDS to be a consideration in the admission or readmission of any student.  The exclusion of people for reasons of infection constitutes unwarranted discrimination.  

 

Attendance    

University students with HIV infection, whether they are symptomatic or not, should be allowed regular classroom attendance in an unrestricted manner as long as they are physically and mentally able.

 

Access to Programs and Facilities    

There is no justification, medical or otherwise, for restricting the access of persons with HIV infection to the University Center, libraries, theaters, restaurants, cafeterias, snack bars, gymnasium facilities, swimming pools, saunas, recreational facilities, or other common areas.  No one will be restricted as a result of HIV infection or AIDS‑related conditions from participation in programs or organizations hosted, sponsored or sanctioned by the University.

 

Employment‑Personnel Policies     

It is the University policy that, subject to one's ability to perform the duties of the position, there will be no   consideration of or discrimination based on HIV infection or AIDS‑related condition in matters of hiring, retention, tenure, promotion or salary.     

Department chairs, administrators and supervisors may make appropriate accommodations for compassionate reasons for persons with AIDS.

 

HIV Antibody Testing    

The University of New Orleans will not require mandatory testing of either employees or students for evidence of HIV infection. The Student Health Service (SHS) will provide voluntary HIV testing for students.  This testing will be confidential or anonymous as the individual prefers.  Pre‑ and post‑testing counseling are mandated. Evaluations of blood specimens will be performed by licensed laboratories using universally accepted methods and criteria.  Positive results will be confirmed by another procedure.  UNO employees can be referred through the SHS for counseling and testing to a facility that meets the above criteria.

 

Confidentiality of Records & Information                           

Guidelines concerning the handling of confidential medical information about students with HIV infection follow the general standards included in the American College Health Association's Recommended Standards and Practices for a College Health Program, Fourth Edition, 1984:                        

In general, it is recommended that no specific or detailed information concerning complaints or diagnosis be  provided to faculty, administrators or even parents without the expressed written permission of the patient in each case.  This position with respect to health records is supported by an amendment to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Certainly no person, group, agency, insurer, employer or institution should be provided any medical information without the prior specific written consent of the patient.  Health officials and other institutional officers must remember that all confidential medical information is protected by statutes and that any unauthorized disclosure of it may create legal liability.  The duty of physicians and other health care providers to protect the confidentiality of information is superseded by the necessity to protect others only in very specific, threatening circumstances.  The number of people in the institution who are aware of the existence and/or identity of students or employees who have HIV infection should be kept to an absolute minimum to avoid the generation of unnecessary fear and anxiety among other students and employees.  The inclusion of information regarding the existence of HIV infection in the medical record should be discussed with the patient.  Each division of the University will maintain a coordinated system by which this confidentiality can be assured throughout the University.                           

Because there has often been experience of discrimination against persons known or thought to be HIV infected, knowledge of a student's or employee's HIV status will be kept to a minimum number of University officers, determined only by a "need to know" basis.   Such information may be acquired in a medical setting, and therefore covered by the above policy on confidentiality of medical information.  There is no medical necessity for the University to advise students living in a dormitory or other University housing of other students who have HIV infection.  Whether the director of such housing should be so informed, will be a matter of professional discretion and judgment on the part of those who have such information.  Similarly, there should be no need for University officials in any other setting to identify those students or employees who have HIV infection.                           

The University must strictly observe public health reporting requirements for AIDS.  By law, patients who meet  criteria for the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) surveillance definition of AIDS must be reported to the local public health department.

The University health policy should encourage regular medical follow‑up for those who have HIV infection. Special precautions should be considered during periods of incidence of chicken pox, measles and other contagious diseases.

 

Housing                           

The best currently available medical information does not indicate any risk to those sharing residence with infected individuals.  Therefore, there is no justification for excluding students with AIDS, and AIDS‑related illness or HIV infection from University housing in order to protect others.  It is a purpose of the HIV/AIDS education program to deal with the concerns of resident students in this area, in order to encourage an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance of HIV infected students.

On the other hand, in some circumstances there may be reasonable concern for the health of students with immune deficiencies (of any origin) when those students might be exposed to certain contagious diseases in University housing.  The Department of Student Housing and the Public Information Office should formulate a set of procedures for responding to inquiries concerning the presence of HIV infected individuals in University housing.

 

Medical Care                           

Clinicians in the UNO Student Health Service and Counseling Services should make provisions for medical,  psychological, and support services which promote the best physical and mental health of persons with HIV infection.  The evolution of antiviral or immunomodulating therapies for HIV infection requires that campus health care providers be aware of current developments and practices in immunological evaluation and treatment.  If these services are beyond  the scope of patient care services offered on campus, health service physicians should be able to refer students or employees to other facilities.  Special precautions to protect the health of immunologically compromised individuals should be applied during periods of prevalence of certain casually contagious diseases, such as measles and chicken pox.  Persons known to have HIV infection should receive measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and need not be exempted from institutional requirements for those vaccinations.  However, clinicians in health services should be aware of current recommendations for other immunizations in persons with HIV infection because of potentially serious consequences of their receiving live virus vaccines.  Some vaccines required for foreign travel may be deleterious to the health of persons infected with HIV.

Student Health Service will encourage students with HIV infection to inform campus health care providers to enable the institution to provide them proper medical care, support, counseling, and education.  This, like any other medical information, should be handled in a strictly confidential manner.

 

Blood and Body Fluid Precautions                 

The UNO Student Health Service will follow universal precautions at all times as recommended by the United  States Public Health Service (USPHS) in order to protect students and staff, since people with HIV infections may not be identified in advance.

 

Teaching Laboratories                    

Laboratories used in a teaching context should be safe experiences.  Given the fact that the existence and/or identity of those with HIV may not be known, procedures for the decontamination of environmental surfaces and objects soiled by blood or body fluids should be adopted and implemented.  Contaminated surfaces should be cleaned with a household bleach freshly diluted 1:10 in water.  Gloves should be worn to avoid skin contact with blood or body fluids.  Laboratory courses requiring exposure to blood, such as finger pricks for blood typing or examination, should use disposable equipment and no lancets or other blood-letting devices should be reused or shared, but placed immediately in a puncture resistant container after use.  No student should be required to obtain or process the blood of others.   

          

Education                   

Because there is no vaccine or apparent cure for HIV infection, it is important that the University promote    programs for its community that increase awareness and provide information to prevent further spread of the virus.  In addition, as information becomes available regarding limiting the consequences of established HIV infection, the AIDS education program should provide this information.  Education programs will address all students, reaching undergraduate and graduate students, traditional, nontraditional and international students on all campuses.  Faculty and staff will be offered similar educational opportunities.                   

UNO will provide current information in reliable up‑to‑date materials that are easily accessible and widely   available.  In addition, condoms and spermicides should be readily available and peer education programs will be supported and supervised.    

           

UNO HIV/AIDS Committee                   

The UNO HIV/AIDS Committee (advisory to the Chancellor) composed of the Director and Medical Director  of the Student Health Service, two faculty members, two students (one of whom must be a resident in University housing), the Director of Human Resource Management, the Manager of Student Housing, and the Dean of Student Life, will be available as needed to the UNO community for advice in dealing with particular cases of concern not specifically covered by these guidelines.  The Committee will also meet annually to reevaluate this policy and guidelines.