AIDS Education and Policy Committee

Residence Halls Policies

HIV is not transmitted by any form of casual contact. No evidence supports the existence of any risk of transmission to household or residential contacts. Therefore, Ithaca College will not exclude students with AIDS, HIV-related illness or a positive HIV test from residential housing. 

AIDS-Related Housing/Campus Procedures

  • General educational efforts should attempt to encourage persons with AIDS, an HIV-related illness, or a positive HIV test to inform the College Health Center about their condition, with the understanding that such information will be regarded as protected, confidential medical information. 
  • In turn, the Health Center will take responsibility to inform immuno-compromised students about highly contagious diseases that may be of particular danger to them and to identify and provide consultation regarding protective measures to reduce such risk.
  • Information about highly contagious diseases (i.e., meningitis) may also be disseminated to the broader residence hall community by residential life staff, without the need to know if any student is infected with HIV. Such "general" advisories are important because many infected students are not recognized. 
  • In the event of rumor spreading related to a student(s) alleged to have AIDS, an AIDS-related illness, or a positive HIV test, residential life staff should confront those involved in this activity and remind them of the College's Residence Policy on AIDS and the potential harmful nature of rumor spreading to both the target person(s) and the community. Any action that is determined to be a violation of the Ithaca College Student Conduct Code, including but not limited to actions which are harassing, intimidating or a violation of the statements on Personal Respect and Safety and/or Freedom from Discrimination, should be confronted, documented and processed judicially. At no time should residential life staff participate in rumor spreading activities.
  • The Director of Health Services is designated as the person to respond to inquiries from parents about a known or suspected student who is on campus and who has AIDS, an HIV-related illness, or a positive HIV test. 
  • In the event that a student has shared information with a roommate or resident about having AIDS, an HIV-related illness, or a positive HIV test, or a student(s) is reacting to rumor of this information, the concerned party(s) should be directed to the Residence Director for that area. The Residence Director will review College policies related to AIDS, HIV-related illness, or a positive HIV test, as well as provide resources for concerned roommates/residents, including education and the availability of counseling services. Unless otherwise directed by the student in question, residential life staff will honor the privacy and confidentiality of any student's medical condition. 
  • Depending on the individual medical and social circumstances involved, it may be appropriate to provide, where requested by the HIV infected student, special housing arrangements. Those who are immuno-compromised may be offered the option of separate (i.e., single) living quarters or a room to accommodate a caretaker.