Swine Flu Precautions and Commencement

May 14, 2009
To: The UMBC Community, Graduating Students and Commencement Guests
Fr: Lynne Schaefer, Vice President for Administration and Finance
Chair, Emergency Preparedness Committee
Nancy Young, Vice President for Student Affairs
Co-chair, Emergency Preparedness Committee
Re: Swine Flu Precautions and Commencement
Some of you have asked if UMBC plans any changes to the upcoming Graduate School and undergraduate Commencement ceremonies in the wake of the swine flu outbreak. While swine flu cases continue to appear in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, at this point in time its symptoms and outcomes appear to be similar to normal seasonal flu in healthy populations. Therefore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is not currently recommending the cancellation of large public events. The CDC has encouraged campuses to use this as an opportunity to remind individuals of the ways we can protect ourselves and each other from spreading flu at large gatherings like Commencement.
Please consider the following if you are attending UMBC’s Graduate School and/or undergraduate Commencement ceremonies:
-If you or one of your guests is sick, please do not attend Commencement in order to avoid passing your illness on to others.
-While we are not making any changes to the Graduate School and undergraduate Commencement ceremonies, we do, however, recognize that some students may choose not to shake hands with administrators when they receive their degrees. We leave that choice to each student; no one will take offense and will respect a student’s failure to extend his/her hand. We also respect any decisions made by administrators or faculty on whether or not to shake hands.
-Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleansers are also effective. You are also encouraged to wash your hands following the ceremony especially before eating or touching your face.
-Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
-Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue into the trash after you use it. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your sleeve (not your hands).
Additional information on swine flu symptoms, prevention and care is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm or on the UMBC University Health Services Web site at http://www.umbc.edu/uhs/healthalerts.html.
UMBC’s campus wide Emergency Management Committee continues to monitor the situation. If you have a question or concern, please call the Division of Student Affairs at 410-455-2393 or University Health Services at 410-455-2542 and press “1.”
General information about the Commencement ceremonies is available at http://www.umbc.edu/commencement.