3.9012R Infectious Disease Regulation

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I. Title

3.9012R Infectious Disease Regulation

II. Objective

This Regulation is developed to safeguard the welfare of students, faculty, staff and visitors to Brookdale Community College (“College”). It is also intended to inform, advise and implement the appropriate infection control precautions and to ensure compliance with local and State Departments of Health.

This Regulation applies to all College students, employees and visitors and to all College facilities, activities and events.

III. Authority

Board of Trustees Bylaws
NJ Department of Health, https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/reporting/
Monmouth County Department of Health, https://co.monmouth.nj.us/page.aspx?ID=1932
Center for Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/

IV. Regulation Statement

The President shall establish actions required in the event of a communicable disease that is reported on campus or at one of the College’s regional locations, which can be transmitted by air, object or through casual contact. The scope of this Regulation includes any communicable disease that poses a risk to the College community.

College faculty, staff, and students who know or who have reason to believe that they are infected with a significant infectious disease have an ethical and legal obligation to conduct themselves in accordance with such knowledge in order to protect themselves and others. Students and employees who have been diagnosed with, exposed to, or show signs of significant infectious diseases, whether symptomatic or not, are expected to seek expert medical advice and are encouraged to advise local health authorities. Local health authorities offer counseling to individuals about measures which can be taken to prevent the spread of infection and about ways to protect their own health.

The College is required by law to notify Monmouth County Health Department of all cases of reportable infectious disease. Due to the contagious nature of infectious diseases and the requirements imposed on the College by law, it is necessary for the College to be aware of all persons diagnosed with, exposed to, or who exhibit symptoms of a significant infectious disease.

Students and employees who have been diagnosed, exposed to, or show signs of significant infectious diseases, whether symptomatic or not, should self-isolate and report the information via email or phone to the appropriate College administrator listed below. Medical information relating to the communicable diseases of a student or employee will be disclosed to responsible College officials only on a strictly limited need-to-know basis.

Notification Procedures for Employees, Student, Visitors, and Contractors with a Significant Infectious Disease:

Employees – report to the Office of Human Resources, 732-224-2235 (Benefits Administrator), and to the employee’s local Department of Health, based on residency.
Students – report to the Student Affairs Office, 732-224-2770 (Asst. to the Assoc VP, Student Affairs) and to the student’s local Department of Health, based on residency. Students may also report to a faculty member, administrator, or staff member who is then obligated to report the matter immediately to the Student Affairs Office, ext. 2770.
Visitors – report to the Office of Human Resources, 732-224-2235 (Benefits Administrator), and to the individual’s local Department of Health, based on residency.
Contractors – report to the Office of Human Resources, 732-224-2235 (Benefits Administrator), and to the individual’s local Department of Health, based on residency.

Request for Accommodation from Employees and Students with a Significant Infectious Disease:

Employees – to the Office of Human Resources, 732-224-2234 (Assoc VP)
Students – to the Office of Disability Services, 732-224-2729 (Director, Disability Services)

Guidelines

Following the report of an infectious communicable disease, the guidelines outlined below should be followed by College officials, absent extenuating circumstances.

A. Notify the local Department of Health if the notification did not originate there.
Ask for their assistance in determining the risk and recommended actions. The Monmouth County Department of Health is also available for advice. https://co.monmouth.nj.us/page.aspx?ID=1932

B. Convene an Infectious Disease Response Team, which is a subcommittee of Executive Leadership Council, comprised of representatives from HR, Police Department, Health Sciences Department, Student Affairs, Finance & Operations, College Relations, CPS, and the VP Academic Affairs to determine the need for institutional action. A member of this subcommittee will act as liaison to the Safety Committee.

a. The Committee will work with the local, state, and/or federal authorities as appropriate and recommend next steps to the President based on the recommendations received.

b. Identify places the infected person or persons might have been – and, under the advice of the Health Department, determine if specific information needs to be given to those most likely to have been in contact. This information must protect the affected person’s confidentiality, as required by law. Refer to https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/reporting/ for reporting information. Notification to individual faculty and staff will be conducted by Human Resources; notification to individual students will be conducted by Student Affairs; notification to visitors will be conducted by Events Management, Student Affairs, or Human Resources, as appropriate.

c. Once the infectious disease is confirmed, obtain direction from the local or Monmouth County Department of Health regarding notifications to the college community by College Relations. The Health Science Department representative may be asked to provide detailed information about the infectious disease with links to the CDC and/or the state or county Department of Health on the College’s website.

d. The Human Resource or Student Affairs representative will contact infected or exposed individuals to explain what is needed to return to campus, such as follow up with Health Department and/or medical release back to class/work/campus.

e. Follow guidance from the CDC and/or state, county, and local Departments of Health when sending reminders to all faculty and supervisors about documentation needed to return to work/class/campus. Employees must provide documentation to HR prior to returning to work. Students must notify their professors when cleared by a medical professional, or consistent with active state guidelines.

f. Send updates to the College community, as needed.

g. Ensure steps are in place to sanitize the areas on campus where the infected person has been.

Actions may include:
A. Instituting quarantine or isolation protocol;
B. Restricting business/college sponsored travel to high-risk locations;
C. Excluding individuals who are infected or at an elevated risk of infection from the classroom, workplace or other College activities consistent with CDC/DOH guidance.
D. Maintain the confidentiality of and/or disclose the identity and other information regarding the infectious disease as may be required by law;
E. Offer reasonable and appropriate accommodations to employees and students who are displaced from their regularly scheduled College events and/or activities;
F. Ask Department of Health personnel, if available, to conduct education sessions to respond to questions and concerns.
G. Activate College Emergency Management Plan to exercise measures such as social distancing, college closure, cleaning procedures, travel monitoring, class suspension, etc.;
H. Implement temporary actions that are reasonably required to prevent unacceptable risk of exposure until the College is able to consult with a physician or local, state, or federal authorities.
I. Any and all other actions deemed appropriate to reduce the risk to employees, students, and visitors.
J. Document implemented actions.
Attendance

Students should refer to the syllabus for attendance information. Faculty/Staff should refer to Board policies and/or collective bargaining agreement regarding attendance and absences. Under some circumstances, NJ law may permit employees who provide medical certification of their need to care for the serious health condition of a family member to use sick time for the related absences. The required form can be accessed at https://share.brookdalecc.edu/info/benefits/PublishingImages/Pages/default/Family%20and%20Medical%20Leave%20Request%20Form.pdf

In some situations, such as a pandemic, additional leave provisions may be available through federal or state programs. See Human Resources for detailed information.

Essential Operations

In the event there is limited access to on-site operations or if the College is closed, senior leadership will designate personnel needed to staff emergency/essential operations. These essential personnel are required to report to work as assigned unless documentation is provided to certify the illness of the employee and/or a member of the employee’s family.

For information regarding infectious diseases, refer to:

https://www.cdc.gov/

https://co.monmouth.nj.us/page.aspx?ID=1932

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3327pandemic.pdf