Los Angeles Harbor College Infectious Disease and Pandemic Influenza Policy
Spring 2015
Under the Los Angeles Harbor College Infectious Disease and Pandemic Influenza Policy, the college
community will take direction from the Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor's Office and
the Office of the Campus President to suspend classes and other public gatherings. Criteria for the
decision to suspend classes include one or more of the following:
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confirmation of a high rate of infectivity, morbidity and/or mortality (WHO Phase 6)
Los Angeles County Health Care Agency's recommendation to curtail/cancel public activities
falling class attendance (give percentage ?)
rising employee absenteeism. (give percentage ?)
The pandemic influenza policy should include implementation of several strategies, according to
pandemic phase, to reduce the spread/transmission of a pandemic illness-influenza.
 Restrict workplace/college entry of people with influenza symptoms
 Promote the practice of good personal hygiene (hand hygiene, cough etiquette, ventilation) by
campus community and institute improved workplace cleaning habits
 Increased social distancing (for example, enable telecommuting as appropriate, cancel large
gatherings/events, promote avoidance of face-to-face contacts, whenever practical )
 Manage staff and students who become ill on campus
 Provide refresher training for emergency responders, custodians, and other key personnel.
Continuity of Instruction
Continuity of instruction will be coordinated by the Office of the President of Los Angeles Harbor College
and directed by Vice President for Academic Affairs Luis Rosas. If and when the college closes for an
extended period of time due to influenza, consideration will be given to the timing and duration of the
closure. If the closure is less than two weeks, it will be assumed that the semester classes can be
completed. If the closure is more than two weeks, the semester could need to be extended. If it is within
four weeks of the end of the semester, the college Academic Senate may recommend accepting grades
at the point of closure. Alternate forms of instruction and contact (for example, email, Études, blogs,
podcasts, conference calls, etc.) will be pursued where feasible.
The District currently has an established refund policy on tuition and fees. Any modifications to this
policy would need to be determined based on decisions regarding length of closure, cancellation of
classes/services, and granting of academic credit. Modifications of the current refund schedule would
require approval of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees.
Los Angeles Harbor College Infectious Disease and Pandemic influenza Policy, p. 2
In the spring 2015, each faculty member will be asked to discuss class activities/actions (5 to 10 minutes
in class) to be implemented in case the campus is closed due to an influenza outbreak. Faculty will also
be requested to include a paragraph in their syllabi outlining how their courses would be
continued/completed in case of emergency. Faculty members will be asked to set up an e-mail listserv
for the class and to consider how online teaching platforms and other technologies could be used in
their courses. Academic departments and faculty will be given some flexibility in how they approach
working with their classes -- solutions will vary by discipline and size. What works for a class of 10 might
not work for class of 200. There needs to be coordination so that students are not required to do things
for one class that would jeopardize their ability to complete another class.
We recommend that academic units receive academic continuity planning templates to help them
consider these issues in the event of 4 to 8 week class suspension of instruction:
 Each division or college work unit will be asked to designate a full-time faculty member as an
emergency point person
 Each division or college work unit should identify essential functions that must continue for the
course or program
 Each division or college work unit should identify essential personnel (if available) to maintain
these essential functions
 Where possible, each division or college work unit should identify a backup set of instructors (at
least two) for each class. Anyone who is qualified to teach, including staff and administrators,
can qualify as backup instructors.
 Each division or college work unit should prepare a database of contact information for each
instructional unit that includes alternate phone numbers and other contact information. Ensure
that this information is available during a crisis to those who need it.
 Each discipline should explore alternate plans for delivery; i. e., distance learning. Explore the
possibility of automatically preparing an Études course management website for each section of
each course. While online instruction may not be possible for every course, Études could be
used as a communication tool and as a place for students to submit assignments and receive
grades and feedback from their teachers. Consider podcasting for delivery of lectures.
 The Academic Senate will devise an attendance policy covering periods of heightened absence
and college closure. It might include the following provisions. Students should be able to apply
for a leave of absence while they are ill. Since the availability of healthcare during a pandemic is
uncertain and because students may stay home because they need to care for family members,
the request should be honored without backup documentation. Students should be allowed to
withdraw from classes or take grades of “incomplete.” Students who receive financial aid should
not lose it because they fail to complete the required number of units during a pandemic.
Student athletes should be able to retain eligibility even though they are unable to complete the
required units during a pandemic.
 Each division or college work unit should prepare to reschedule their instructional calendar after
the period of contagion has passed.
Los Angeles Harbor College Infectious Disease and Pandemic influenza Policy, p. 3
Limitation on All Other Campus Business Activity
Continuity of campus business activity will be coordinated by the Office of the President of Los Angeles
Harbor College and directed by the Vice President of Administration. Criteria for the decision to limit
business activity include one or more of the following:
 suspension of classes and other public gatherings
 confirmation of the high rate of infectivity, morbidity and/or mortality (WHO Phase 6)
 Los Angeles County Health Care Agency’s recommendation to curtail/cancel public activities
 falling class attendance (give percentage ?)
 rising employee absenteeism (give percentage ?)
Continuity of Business
We recommend that business units receive business continuity planning templates to help them
consider these issues in the event of a 4 to 8 week limitation on business:
 identify a point person for each work unit
 identify essential functions that must continue (police, utilities)
 identify essential personnel (if available) to maintain these essential functions
 alternative work plans; i. e., telecommuting
 Since a backup plan for instruction would mean that faculty would work extra to cover the
courses of their colleagues when they are ill, and then might receive reciprocal help when they
become ill, the rules about taking sick leave might need to be suspended or ignored.
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Newer employees may not have adequate sick leave to cover the time of their illness. There
should be allowances to assure they continue to be paid if they become ill and unable to teach
for some time.
recovery of full business operations
World Health Organization (WHO) Phases of Alert
WHO Phase 4 evidence of increased human-to-human transmission
WHO Phase 5 evidence of significant human-to-human transmission
WHO Phase 6 efficient and sustained human-to-human transmission
Actions Needed
1.
Advanced communication to faculty, staff, and students
2. Limitation of performances (athletic events, other) on-campus -limitations are set in consideration of faculty and student safety,
for example, proximity of human contact, per activity
3. Standby mode for public gatherings on campus
Trigger Points
WHO 4
WHO 5
WHO 5
Los Angeles Harbor College Infectious Disease and Pandemic influenza Policy, p. 4
4. Cancellation of performances/athletic events, etc.
WHO 5
5. Reduce staffing to essential personnel levels
WHO 5
6. Suspension of all classes meeting in groups
WHO 5
7. Dismiss students from campus
WHO 6
8. Closure of campus to outsiders
WHO 6