Health Requirements for Students

SIENA COLLEGE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
POLICY STATEMENT

A. Statement of Intent
The Siena College Health Service will comply with, uphold and enforce relevant provisions of the New York State Public Health Law, Article 21, Title VI, Section 2165 and 2167 as it pertains to this college.
Siena College is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for its students with regards to communicable diseases, including Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningitis, Tuberculosis, Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis. The College recognizes and accepts its responsibility under applicable state law and adheres to recommendations from the America College Health Association and U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

B. Definition of Student
Part-time student -- Any person enrolled in a minimum of 6 but less than 12 credit hours per semester.
Full-time student -- Any person enrolled in 12 or more credit hours per semester.

C. Specific Requirements
1. All full-time students are required to submit a completed Siena College Health Record. The physical exam must be performed within 1 year of admission for new students and students that have been readmitted to the college after an absence of two years or more.

2. Full-time and part-time students born after January 1, 1957, are required to provide proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningitis, Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis at the time of registration. Documentation of tuberculosis screening is also required, regardless of age.
a. Measles (rubeola)- Proof of immunity shall consist of one of the following:
two immunizations given after 1967, at least 30 days apart, on or after the first birthday; evidence of the disease documented by a physician (MD or DO); or documentation of an adequate immune titer.
b. Mumps (infectious parotitis)- Proof of immunity shall consist of one of the following:
c. one immunization given after 1967, on or after the first birthday; evidence of the disease documented by a physician (MD or DO); or documentation of an adequate immune titer.
d. Rubella (German Measles)- Proof of immunity shall consist of one of the following:
e. one immunization given after 1967, on or after the first birthday; evidence of the disease documented by a physician (MD or DO); or documentation of an adequate immune titer.
f. Meningitis – one vaccination at age 16 years or older
g. Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis: recent vaccination with combined tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis toxoid within 10 years.
h. Tuberculosis: evidence of tuberculosis screening performed within the past six months or a chest x-ray ruling out active tuberculosis. Positive skin tests will require a referral to the Chest Clinic of the local county Public Health Department (see section on enforcement below).
 

3. Students seeking religious exemption from these requirements must comply with applicable state regulations. Students under 18 years of age must submit a written statement signed by his/her parents or guardian stating that they hold genuine and sincere religious beliefs contrary to the practice of immunization. Students 18 years or older must submit a statement themselves to qualify for religious exemption. This statement must describe the beliefs in sufficient detail to permit the college to determine that the beliefs are religious in nature (not philosophical), and sincerely and genuinely held. Students that qualify for religious exemption will be required to leave the campus in the event of an outbreak of one or more of these diseases and will remain away from campus until two weeks after the outbreak is over.
 

4. Students seeking medical exemption from these requirements must submit medical documentation indicating the reasons for exemption and signed by a licensed medical provider. Medical exemptions from this requirement may be granted at the discretion of the Health Service Director for reasons such as pregnancy, history of anaphylaxis, immune-compromised conditions, or other relevant disease states. Non-immunized students will, at the discretion of the Health Service Director, be required to leave the college in the event of an outbreak of one or more of these diseases and will remain away until two weeks after the outbreak is over.
 

5. All students (as defined above) must provide health information on the appropriate form and submit it to the Siena Health Service. The Health Service will maintain the records while the student is in continuous attendance at the College.
 

6. Any individual enrolled in 5 credit hours per semester or less, or any part-time student at Siena who enrolls full-time in the future must, at that time, submit a completed Siena College Health Record and meet all other requirements of a full-time student as set forth in this policy. Any individual enrolled in 5 credit hours per semester or less at Siena who enrolls part-time in the future must, at that time, meet all the requirements of a part-time student as set forth in this policy.
 

7. Students who fail to comply with this policy, including but not limited to any failure to supply complete health or immunization records to the College by the established dates are subject to fines, cancellation of registration and/or a “health hold” for future registrations.

D. Enforcement of the policy:
1. Students who fail to comply with this policy within 30 days of the beginning of the first term for which they register will not be permitted to attend class and will have their registration put on hold for subsequent semesters. Students living in the residence halls will be removed from housing until all required health record requirements are met. They may be reinstated upon full compliance and taken off registration “hold”.
 

2. Students with positive tuberculin tests, including those who have had BCG vaccination, are required to report to the Albany County Health Department Chest Clinic or the Health Department in their county of residence. Failure to comply with health department directives will result in the penalties listed in the preceding paragraph.

E. Reporting:
1. Siena College complies with the requirement to submit yearly reports of immunization statistics including reports of diagnosis of communicable disease, as they occur, as required by NYS Department of Health regulations.
 

2. Student immunization records contain medical information and will be maintained in a confidential manner. Access to these records will be limited to personnel whose job duties require information from these records. No records can be released without the student’s written consent or for a student under the age of eighteen, the consent of a parent or guardian. All medical records will be stored for seven years.

This policy takes effect on June 1, 2013.