HIV/AIDS Policy

Policy Description

As a Catholic university, Seton Hall strives to enhance the well-being of all members of its community. The University is committed to providing an open forum for ongoing education on a broad range of topics, as well as appropriate counseling and pastoral support for those with special needs. Recognizing the diverse nature of the campus body, the University encourages input from all sources, and seeks to enhance knowing and compassionate responses to social issues.

The most significant contribution that Seton Hall University can make to limit the spread of HIV infection is through education. When members of the University community are fully informed about the nature of this disease, its modes of transmission and those behavioral changes that can limit the spread of AIDS, a significant step will have been made in protecting the lives and health of our students, faculty, administrators, staff and employees.

The following guidelines are suggested by the American College Health Association and Center for Disease Control (CDC), are based on the most current data available:

1. Institutional      Committee
   A campus committee, drawn from various governance groups, will      organize and oversee an educational program and provide a mechanism for      making policy decisions as they become necessary. Should an issue be      raised regarding a member of the Seton Hall faculty, staff or student body      (or applicants for the same) with AIDS/HIV, the case circumstances will be      evaluated by a small core group of the AIDS Task Force. This core will      include representatives of Health/Counseling Services and legal counsel.      In making recommendations, the task force will give consideration to the      health and safety of the individual and the institution, maintaining and      protecting the civil rights of both.
2. Admissions
   There will be no discrimination in accepting persons with HIV or AIDS at      Seton Hall University.
3. Employment
   Persons seeking employment by Seton Hall University will not be      discriminated against on the basis of HIV or AIDS, nor will employment be      terminated on the basis of this disease, unless the nature and extent of      the illness reasonably precludes the performance of employment or impairs      any operations of the University. If a person is unable to perform duties      because of HIV or AIDS, benefits will be continued in accordance with the      University policy pertaining to employees with any other handicap or      illness.
4. Class      Attendance
   Students who are HIV positive or have AIDS will not be excluded from      attending classes or partaking in University activities. Students who may      be too ill to attend class will be treated as any other student with a      serious illness.
5. Access      to Facilities
   There will be no restriction of access for individuals with HIV or AIDS to      student unions, theaters, restaurants, cafeterias, gymnasiums, swimming      pools, recreational facilities or other common areas.
6. Residential      Housing
   Decisions about housing for students with HIV and AIDS must be made      on a case-by-case basis. The most current medical information available does      not indicate any risk to those sharing residence with infected      individuals. The University may choose to provide private rooms in order      to protect the health of immunodeficient students -- not to protect other      students from them.
7. HIV      Antibody Testing
   There will be no mandatory testing of students or employees, or      prospective students or employees, for HIV or AIDS. Health/Counseling      Services provides voluntary testing. Testing must be confidential where      positive results can be confirmed by specific tests and both pre-and      post-test counseling are available.
8. Confidentiality
   There will be no requirement that students or employees, or prospective      students or employees, be asked to respond to questions about their status      in regard to HIV or AIDS. However, it is appropriate for students and      employees with HIV or AIDS to inform campus health care providers to      enable the University to provide proper medical care, support, counseling      and education. This, like any other medical information, will be handled      in the strictest of confidence. No person, group, agency, insurer,      employer or institution will be provided with any medical information      without the prior specific written consent of the patient. Given the      possibility of unintended compromise of the confidentiality of      information, Health/Counseling Services will carefully weigh the      importance of including any specific information about the existence of      HIV or AIDS in the medical record, except when circumstances of medical      necessity mandate it. At minimum, the inclusion of any information      regarding HIV or AIDS will be discussed with the patient prior to entry.
       
        The number of people in the institution who are aware of the existence      and/or identity of students and employees who are HIV positive or have      AIDS will be kept to a minimum, both to protect the confidentiality and      privacy of the infected persons, and to avoid the generation of      unnecessary fear and anxiety. The University recognizes that all      confidential medical information is protected by statutes and that any      unauthorized disclosure of it may create legal liability.
       
        The duty of health care providers to protect the confidentiality of      information is superseded by the necessity to protect others only in very      specific, life-threatening circumstances.
9. Public      Health Reporting Requirements
   In all jurisdictions, cases of AIDS meeting the criteria for the      surveillance definition of the Centers for Disease Control must be      reported to the local public health authorities. In New Jersey, a positive      blood test for the HIV antibody is reportable to the State Health      Department but must be kept confidential. The detailed and revised      surveillance definition for AIDS-case reporting purposes is included in :      Centers for Disease Control. Revision of the CDC surveillance case definition      for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly      Reports 1987; 36: 1S.
10. Medical      Care
    Special precautions to protect the health of individuals with HIV or AIDS      should be considered during periods of prevalence of certain contagious      diseases, such as measles or chicken pox. Individuals with HIV or AIDS may      be excused from any institutional requirements as medically indicated.
11. Support      Services
    The University’s health policy encourages regular and follow-up      counseling for those who have HIV or AIDS. The University will make      counseling available through Health/Counseling Services and/or Campus      Ministry for persons who:
• are       HIV positive or have AIDS;
• are       concerned about HIV exposure; are       experiencing stress because someone close to them is HIV positive or has       AIDS;
• have       suffered the loss of someone close to them as a result of AIDS.
12. Safety      Precautions
    The University must follow the Universal Safety Precautions as      proposed by the United States Public Health Service for the handling of      the blood and body fluids of all persons. Teaching laboratories requiring      exposure to blood will use only disposable equipment, and no lancets or      other bloodletting devices will be shared or reused. No students, except      those in health care profession schools, will be required to obtain or      process the blood of others.
13. Harassment
    Seton Hall University condemns all forms of discrimination and      considers verbal or physical manifestation of such discrimination      intolerable. Violators will be quickly dealt with according to University      disciplinary policies.