Archived FAQs | Student Health Services | SIU

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a new respiratory virus that was first identified after an outbreak of respiratory illnesses in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The virus has now spread internationally and has been widely reported in the United States.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person between people who are within close contact (about 6 feet) or through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It may also be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object with the virus and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes.

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat

We recommend that you follow reliable sources of information, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization, both of which are constantly updating their websites as the situation evolves.

Social distancing is a way to reduce the risk of controlling the spread of contagious diseases. It includes avoiding large gatherings, keeping at least 6 feet away from other individuals, not shaking hands and other strategies to avoid close contact with others.

According to the CDC, “the complete clinical picture of COVID-19 is unknown.” Most people who get the virus have mild cases and fully recover. However, some people are at risk for more severe illness, and some have died. According to the CDC, risk factors for severe illness are not yet clbear, although older patients and those with chronic medical conditions may be at higher risk for severe illness.

Following is the CDC’s current risk assessment:

• For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low.
• People in communities where ongoing community spread with the virus that causes COVID-19 has been reported are at elevated though still relatively low risk of exposure.
• Healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 are at elevated risk of exposure.
• Close contacts of persons with COVID-19 also are at elevated risk of exposure.
• Travelers returning from affected international locations where community spread is occurring also are at elevated risk of exposure.

Please see the CDC recommendations.

• Avoid others who are sick if possible.
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer multiple times a day.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Students should call the SIU Health Center at 618-453-3311 before going to the center. Faculty and staff, as well as students who are not locally based, should contact their community medical providers before going to the office. See additional information below.

• Students:
  • Call the SIU Student Health Center (or the medical clinic you are going to present to) prior to coming to the clinic.
  • Please check-in at the welcome desk and tell them that you might be at risk.
  • You will be given a mask to wear and clinic staff will be notified so that they can take you to a separate room to be evaluated.
  • If it is determined that you qualify as a Patient Under Investigation (PUI), then the Jackson County Health Department will be notified.
  • Further testing and evaluation will be determined through guidance from the Jackson County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
• Non-students:
  • Follow the CDC’s guidance on how to reduce the risk of spreading your illness to others.
  • If you are a resident in a community where person-to-person spread of COVID-19 has been detected and you develop COVID-19 symptoms, call your healthcare provider about your symptoms.
  • If you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19 and develop symptoms of COVID-19, call your healthcare provider about your symptoms and your exposure.
  • People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to isolate at home during their illness.

Pay attention to the CDC’s recommended precautions to avoid exposure to the virus. If you believe you have been exposed to or may have the coronavirus, please consult with your local health care provider before returning to campus. If you are a student on campus, please follow the steps outlined on this page. Faculty and staff should work with their local health care providers.

The university extended spring break for students through March 22 and is complying with the governor’s order to stay at home effective March 21. No face-to-face classes are taking place; classes are online. The university has restricted business international travel and is requiring approval for domestic travel. Study abroad programs have been canceled through the summer. The university is closely monitoring the situation, including recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, the State of Illinois and local health agencies.

The university has been giving excess or unneeded supplies and equipment, including gloves, masks and goggles, to health agencies while ensuring that we retain enough on hand to serve the campus if needed. There is a great deal of collaboration between the university, including its School of Medicine, and Southern Illinois Healthcare and other organizations.

Yes. SIU received information on March 26 and March 28 from the Jackson County Health Department that two residents of the same residence hall on campus tested positive for COVID-19. One individual was thought to have been exposed through travel to the Chicago area, and one was believed to have been exposed through contact with another individual with COVID-19. All 21 residents of the hall were placed in quarantine by the health department, and all were cleared and released from quarantine on April 11.

People believed to have been in close proximity to the individuals, both of whom have since been released from quarantine, were contacted by health care officials and given instructions. If you were not contacted, you are not impacted. The university complied with all protocols of the Illinois Department of Public Health in identifying those who may have had contact with these individuals.

The number of cases can be reduced by adhering to the governor’s stay-at-home order, washing hands frequently, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, and maintaining space from others when in public.

COVID-19 shares many symptoms with more common respiratory diseases. If you have a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider for further guidance. Students should contact the SIU Student Health Center at 618-453-3311.  In addition, Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) has established a 24-hour COVID-19 hotline at 1-844-988-7800. Clinicians there will answer questions, assess each caller and advise on next steps for evaluation or potential testing.

All face-to-face events are canceled. We encourage units to explore alternative forms of delivery when possible. For example, some meetings can be held via Zoom or other technology. Contact  University Events and Protocol if you would like to explore ideas. Major canceled events are posted here and will be updated regularly. If you have questions about the status of a specific event, please contact the hosting department or event organizer.

All spring competitive events have been canceled. Practices and training have been suspended.

The chancellor has activated the university’s "all-hazards" team, established to plan for and address threats to the health and safety of the campus. This cross-functional team has planned for multiple scenarios. The team includes representatives from student health, counseling, housing, academic affairs, student affairs, university communications, procurement, DPS, plant and service operations, environmental health and safety and other areas.

The Student Health Center will continue to monitor the situation with this virus and is in contact with the  Jackson County Health Department,  Illinois Department of Public Health and the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for regular updates. 

The health center has protocols in place, in concordance with CDC guidelines, for the evaluation of patients who may be at risk for contracting COVID-19. The goal of the ongoing U.S. public health response is to detect new cases quickly and prevent community spread of COVID-19. The coming days and weeks are likely to bring more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and globally, but strong public health measures now may blunt the impact of the virus.

Yes. Protocols have been updated. These include more frequent cleaning, moving from routine cleaning procedures to disinfecting activities with a focus on high-touch surfaces, increased distribution of hand sanitizer stations, providing cleaning staff with disposable gloves and more.

Students may not eat in the dining halls; all food is “grab and go” for students to take to their rooms.

Faculty, staff and students should be part of these efforts regardless of where they live and work:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid personal contact, such as handshakes, with all individuals.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Washing your hands often with soap and water at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Parents can visit this website regularly. To be added to an email list for updates and other information, send your email address to  pandemicinfo@siu.edu or sign up here.

Admissions staff are available to speak with students by phone or in a virtual format. Please contact 618-536-4405 or  admissions@siu.edu to arrange a virtual meeting. Events scheduled through April 24 have been canceled, and individual campus visits have been suspended until further notice.

We are working on an alternative delivery format for the Open House program that was scheduled for April 10. More details will be available soon. Interviews for the Provost and Transfer Scholarships scheduled for March 23 will take place via Skype.

The U.S. Department of Education has announced it is distributing a portion of the funding reserved for emergency grants to college students through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. SIU Carbondale will be included. We have not yet received the funds, and are awaiting further guidance on how they can be used and who is eligible to receive them once they arrive. We will develop a plan based on what we learn and provide an update when we have new information to share.

We are hoping to operate as normally as possible, although “normal” may look different based on the prevailing recommendations and decisions from health and government officials. Our goal is to offer a combination of face-to-face and alternative-format courses while taking the steps necessary to protect the health and safety of our community. We are looking at multiple options.

Consistent with guidance from the governor’s office, online instruction will continue as planned so that students may complete the semester. There is no face-to-face instruction, including lab sections. The date for withdrawing from classes will be extended by one week to Sunday, April 5, and we ask faculty to honor all requests for incomplete grades. Summer and fall registration opens Monday, April 6.

No. Given the uncertainty around the timeline for COVID-19, we have decided to continue using alternative formats for the remaining seven weeks of the semester.

No. Instructors will determine how to get course work completed via an online or alternative format.

Yes. Based on consultation with faculty and student leaders, as well as a review of approaches taken by other campuses, we have made the decision that all undergraduate and graduate students, with the exception of students enrolled in the Schools of Law and Medicine, will have the option of requesting a pass/fail grade for individual courses. Please see the message to students for important information about how this will be implemented.

No. The date for withdrawing from classes was extended by one week to Sunday, April 5, and has passed. Faculty have been asked to honor all requests for incomplete grades.

The campus bookstore has implemented a free ship-by-mail option for all students who have rental textbooks to return at the end of the semester. You may ship your rentals back to the store using the free label included in your rental reminder emails. The first reminder email will go out approximately two weeks before your rental due date to the email address you used when originally renting the books. You will need a printer for the label and a box to put the books in. After that, you can then bring your shipment to any FedEx store. Additionally, to allow you time to return your rentals at the end of class, the campus bookstore has extended the non-return charge window by fifteen days to May 24, 2020. Additional questions about book returns can be directed to cnale@follett.com.

Resources for faculty are available at siu.edu/facultystaff. Resources and tips for students are at siu.edu/current.

Yes. Summer and Fall registration opened Monday, April 6.

As the pandemic evolved, it became clear that it would not be possible to hold a traditional, in-person commencement ceremony. This decision does not affect the conferring of degrees and a student’s ability to graduate. Students who are qualified to graduate will still do so, and degrees will be mailed as usual.

We have surveyed graduates to find out their preferences regarding commencement alternatives, including a virtual ceremony, a future in-person ceremony or a combination. Graduates strongly preferred a future in-person ceremony, so we are planning to hold one in August or December. Graduates will be notified of plans as decisions are made. On May 9, the original date for commencement ceremonies, graduates will also receive a link to virtual ceremony featuring a message from an SIU alumnus and a conferral of degrees in May 9. The Schools of Law and Medicine have separate plans to recognize their graduates.

Refund information for students who have already rented caps and gowns is posted at commencement.siu.edu.

Please contact the program director for your major.

Graduate assistants play an important role helping the university fulfill its mission, and their assistantships support the cost of their education. Graduate assistants will remain under the terms of their current notices of appointment and resume responsibilities March 16. All Graduate assistants will be paid in keeping with their current appointments. Following is additional information based on the type of assistantship:

• Teaching Assistants will be working remotely under the stay at home directive with direction from their faculty supervisors, and in support of online / alternate instruction.
• Research Assistants will work remotely under the stay at home directive to the extent possible. For Research Assistants who are supported by Grants, Principal Investigators are encouraged to assess granting agency requirements or limitations that might pertain to remote work.
• Administrative Assistants will work remotely under the stay at home directive and should consult with their supervisors regarding work assignments.

Yes, you are allowed to come on to campus to support the necessary functions required in the research laboratory. Continue to follow social distancing practices. Carry the phone number of your research supervisor with you so you can provide contact information if someone questions your need to be on campus.

Yes. For future appointments, we will follow established collective bargaining agreement procedures for notifying GAs by May 1 regarding likelihood of re-appointment in the 2020-2021 academic year.

Despite the extra week of spring break, the Spring 2020 semester will end as scheduled. Instructors will adjust the syllabus material accordingly.

Students planning to graduate will be able to do so, as scheduled.

Yes. Despite the extra week of Spring Break, the dates for Spring 2020 will remain the same.

Yes. Given the uncertainty surrounding the length of the pandemic, all summer and intersession courses will be conducted online. Registration opens on Monday, April 6. Please contact your academic advisor with questions and any assistance needed.

Yes. If the current COVID-19 situation persists, instruction will be online or other alternate mode.

Yes. We will continue to assess the COVID-19 situation.

The Office of Study Abroad is suspending 2020 travel study programs through the summer. Any study abroad students returning from countries under CDC travel advisories of level 2 or 3 who choose to return to campus will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. The SIU Student Health Center and the Jackson County Health Department will be working with those students to ensure compliance with the 14-day self-quarantine protocol. The university will continue to monitor recommendations from health agencies and adapt plans as necessary. Please see the updated travel restrictions, some of which apply to students, in the faculty/staff section of this site.

Academic advisement will continue online as well as phone and email.

The Center for Teaching Excellence is providing several resources. Please click on this link: cte.siu.edu.

We are hoping to operate as normally as possible, although “normal” may look different based on the prevailing recommendations and decisions from health and government officials. Our goal is to offer a combination of face-to-face and alternative-format courses while taking the steps necessary to protect the health and safety of our community. We are looking at multiple options.

Yes. Students studying on campus will be provided masks based on guidelines from health and government officials. Our faculty and staff will also be provided with masks.

Students who are eligible for emergency funds through the Federal CARES Act received an email on May 1, 2020, notifying them of how to apply for the funding. Please see the CARES Act website for details. Students who are not eligible for CARES Act funding may apply for alternative emergency funding through Saluki Cares by filling out the Saluki Cares report form.

We have established procedures for moving out of residence hall rooms between May 1 and 9. The procedures, which were developed to comply with social distancing protocols, apply to students currently residing in the halls as well as those who did not return after spring break. Please review them carefully. Email housing@siu.edu or call 618-453-2301 with questions.

Students who are living on campus must stay on campus, and students who are not on campus may not return to campus. Questions or requests for special consideration about this directive can be answered by calling the Office of the Dean of Students, 1-877-725-0006.

Students who are on campus will continue to have access to food, Student Health Services, WiFi and other tools and support. We will continue to expect students to follow social distancing practices, and we will continue to follow all of the additional dining and cleaning protocols we have in place to prevent risk of COVID-19.

No. For the safety of all our students, and per the Chancellor’s directive of March 20, 2020, residence hall students and residents of Wall & Grand apartments who are currently not on the Carbondale campus may not return to campus until further notice. Door fob access and meal plan access have been turned off and will not be reinstated until these restrictions are lifted. You will not have access to your hall or apartment.

Students do not need to move belongings out of their rooms at this time. Opportunities for move out will occur at a later date when it was safe to do so. Details on the refund of room and board fees will be announced as soon as possible.

Questions may be directed University Housing at housing@siu.edu. We appreciate your cooperation in these unprecedented times.

We know that many students and families are facing financial challenges due to the state’s “stay-at-home” order and our shared efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19. Our goal is to minimize the impact of these challenges on your ability to continue your education.

We have increased the amount you can carry on your bursar account in order to be able to register for summer and fall 2020 classes. Previously, if you owed more than $200 on your account you would not be able to register. We are raising that amount to $1,500 to minimize barriers to registration. In other words, as long as you owe no more than $1,500 on your account, you will be able to register for summer and fall 2020 classes. This is a temporary measure in recognition of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the pandemic. Please email the bursar’s office at bursar@siu.edu or call 618-453-2221 with questions.

Residence hall students who have not lived on campus since spring break will receive either credit or reimbursement of up to 50 percent of their room and board costs. The amount of your reimbursement will depend upon your housing contract and meal plan as well as other factors included below.

• If part of your room and board was covered by a scholarship or other form of financial aid, it is possible that you will not receive the full 50 percent. The Financial Aid and Scholarship Office will review your account carefully and make any required adjustments based on the type of aid received.
• If you have an outstanding balance on your bursar account, your refund will be credited to the account. Any remaining funds will be reimbursed.
  Reimbursements will be made by direct deposit. Visit SalukiNet to sign up for direct deposit if you haven’t already done so.
• You will be reimbursed whether or not you have already officially checked out of and removed your belongings from your room.
• If your belongings are still on campus, you will be notified of the time period when you may retrieve your belongings and properly check out of your room. Please remember that you may not come to campus to retrieve your belongings until further notice in order to protect everyone’s safety. Access to the residence halls has been restricted to current residents only and fobs accessing buildings will not work for those not currently in the residence halls. Please email housing@siu.edu with questions.
• We expect reimbursements to begin processing around mid-April. Please email bursar@siu.edu with questions.

Please see the following update on the status of all refunds. Refunds will be applied as credits to student accounts, and any remaining funds will be reimbursed.

• The general student fee for on-campus students will be partially refunded for services that were no longer available during the second half of spring semester. Refunds of $12 per credit hour will be applied as credits to student accounts, and any remaining funds will be reimbursed. See message
• Parking decal fees will be partially refunded to on-campus students who purchased stickers. Two months of the annual fee will be refunded based on the type of decal purchased.
• Room and board will be partially refunded to students who did not return after spring break. See previous announcement.
• Individual course fees may be subject to partial refund dependent upon the nature of the fee. These fees are being individually reviewed.
• Student health insurance fees, which are set by a third-party insurance agency, cannot be adjusted. Insurance continues to cover students wherever they are based.
• Tuition will not be refunded. Courses are still being delivered, and the cost-per-credit hour of on-campus and on-line courses is the same.

Yes, but only to students with meal plans. Only carry-out is available. Students may not eat in the dining halls and must take meals to their rooms.

You might consider calling Counseling and Psychological Services, where counselors are available to help students with mental health concerns or coach students with who are dealing with anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. CAPS staff will be available by phone at 618-453-5371 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Treatment and coaching options have been expanded to accommodate students remotely and now include telehealth appointments, skills coaching or referrals to other providers in your area. All students are advised to call CAPS at 618-453-5371 to determine the treatment options that would best meet their needs.

The following websites offer strategies for people who feel anxiety related to the coronavirus and suggestions on how to take care of your mental health: Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Outbreak and Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks.

Yes. Saluki Express will continue to run the break route.

Most of the library is closed. Some services are accessible by email and phone as noted below. The first-floor computer lab, room 139, is open and has been reconfigured to accommodate social distancing. The first-floor study around Delyte’s will remain open with access to WiFi for those with laptops who do not have WiFi at home. (Students who do not have laptops should contact Saluki Cares for assistance.) Hours for the lab and first-floor study area are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The library will continue to deliver the following services:

• We are scanning parts of books for faculty and students on demand. Current Fair Use best practices allow us to scan entire books if necessary.
• Reference services will be delivered virtually through Ask a Librarian at or by phone at 618-453-1455. Special Collections is closed to the public but available at 618-453-2516 or speccoll@lib.siu.edu.
• We have a means to check out books to people on request. Our major ebook service is offering unlimited access. Please consult our Morris Library Covid-19 FAQ for more information.

Buildings will be closed with the exception of the Student Health Center, part of Morris Library, residence halls housing and select research labs. Staff will be able to access their own buildings but are expected to stay home unless they have a required responsibility.

Student employees provide valuable support for university operations, and we know students rely on campus jobs to help cover tuition, rent and other expenses. Unfortunately, many students were not able to continue to work on campus due to the governor’s “stay-at-home” order. Others have continued to work based on the needs of their departments.

Recognizing the importance of student employment, we have committed that students with campus jobs will continue to be paid, whether or not they were able to fulfill their responsibilities. At the same time, we want to acknowledge those students who are still actively working. Please see the message to students detailing how they will be paid.

You still have access to many university support services whether you are on campus or at home. Here are just a few:

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): Counselors are available to help students with mental health concerns or coach students who are dealing with anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. CAPS staff are available by phone at 618-453-5371 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Treatment and coaching options have been expanded to accommodate students remotely and now include telehealth appointments, skills coaching or referrals to other providers in your area.
• Morris Library: Reference services are being delivered virtually through Ask a Librarian or by phone at 618-453-1455. Library staff members are scanning parts of books for faculty and students on demand. Current Fair Use best practices allow scanning of entire books if necessary. Please consult the Morris Library Covid-19 FAQ for more information.
• Saluki Cares: Students in distress due to financial, academic or other concerns can reach out to Saluki Cares for help. Email siucares@siu.edu, fill out a referral form or call 618-453-2461.
• SalukiTech: Contact SalukiTech for technology services. SalukiTech also has online resources to assist students, faculty and staff impacted by the “stay-at-home” order. (added 4-3-20)
• Student Health Services: Staff are available to answer health-related questions by phone and email. Students can call 618-453-3311 or email shcinfo@siu.edu with health-related questions. Please do not share personal health-related information by email. Students in the Carbondale area should call ahead to make appointments.
• Students Legal Assistance: Enrolled students have access to legal assistance in selected areas. Visit the website to learn more or email sladesk@siu.edu.

No, trips should not continue at this time.

United Healthcare is taking action to ensure health plan members and patients affected by COVID-19 have the support and resources they need. United Healthcare has an informative FAQ sheet, and students can ask specific follow-up questions at 1-866-948-8472. It is important to note that laboratory testing for COVID-19 will be covered, and cost sharing will be waived, including copays, coinsurance and deductibles, at approved locations in accordance with CDC guidelines. Please call the number above if you have concerns regarding approved locations. If you are an SIU Carbondale student in the Carbondale area, please remember that Student Health Services is open and capable of testing for COVID-19. If you have symptoms and/or a possible exposure to COVID-19, please call the Student Health Center to schedule an appointment at 618-453-4458. If you are at home, please visit www.uhcsr.com/MyAccount to find a network provider near you.

You can contact Gallagher Student Health at 1-888-538-0602 to request a form to petition to add student health insurance due to a qualifying event. The rates will be prorated for the semester.

Students and family members can call the Office of the Dean of Students 618-453-4846 or 1-877-725-0006 between 8 am and 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday. Questions can also be sent to the pandemicinfo@siu.edu email address at any time, including evenings and weekends.

No. The Student Recreation Center closed effective March 17 and the Student Center will be closed throughout the stay-at-home period.

Because recommendations change daily, please contact Student Health Services at 618-453-3311 or shcinfo@siu.edu. You should not be traveling at all during the governor’s stay-in-place order.

Per guidance from the U.S. Census Bureau, use should use your Carbondale address. You don’t need the invitation to complete the census: you can go online and complete it through this link: 2020 U.S. Census.  You do not need your unique ID to complete the survey. Simply enter your physical address where you lived while attending SIU Carbondale. Additional details are available on the Dean of Students website.

We are maintaining as many university services and operations as possible, although most buildings are closed and we are doing as much as possible from our homes. Online courses continue, but there are no face-to-face courses or lab sections. The provost’s office has provided additional direction to faculty.

Yes. During the stay-at-home order, we are providing masks for essential employees required to be on campus. We will provide masks for all employees who return to campus when the stay-at-home order ends based on guidelines from government and health officials. We will also provide masks to students in the fall.

Only employees who perform required functions for on-campus operations are physically working on campus. These include but are not limited to people who support students in dining and residence halls, employees in health care and public safety, employees required to maintain the research labs and farms and others. Your supervisor will notify you if your work is required to be done on campus. All employees who are required to work on campus will follow social distancing and other guidelines to prevent spread of the coronavirus. We encourage supervisors to adjust shifts to minimize as much contact as possible.

If you are not required to be on campus due to your position and your work can be done from your home, you are expected to work from home if you have the tools to do so. We expect most offices to remain operational by phone, email and through virtual tools.

You can find information about remote teaching and work tools at siu.edu/facultystaff.

Human resources, accounting and accounts payable, procurement and other business offices are operating remotely during the governor’s “stay at home” order. Employees will be paid as scheduled, a number of other deadlines have been extended and some purchasing limits have been increased to assist departments with emergency needs. Details and contact information are available on the campus business procedures website.

Please email pandemicinfo@siu.edu and we will follow up with you directly.

In these cases, you are expected to be available and on-call should your services be needed.

All employees who work and are available to work/on call will be paid at the usual rate. There will be no change in benefits, and you will not be required to take leave.

People who are not available or decline to work as needed must take leave; the exception is employees affected by school closings, quarantine or COVID-19 illness, some of whom may be asked to work from home if they are able to do so.

The Office of Information Technology has developed online resources. You can also contact Saluki Tech at salukitech@siu.edu or 618-453-5155.

We will be operating under the governor’s "stay-at-home" order until it ends. After that, we may continue to work in an alternative operation mode until further notice due to the uncertainty of the pandemic. We will notify employees when we decide to resume normal operations.

It will depend upon the responsibilities of the office, but generally phone calls and email should be answered, services should be provided, meetings should be held by conference call or other tools. Supervisors will be expected to ensure that offices continue to fulfill as many of their responsibilities as possible.

Please consult with your supervisor and contact your healthcare professional for additional assistance. We support your efforts to stay healthy.

Starting March 17, employees who need to be away from work for COVID-19-related reasons such as illness, quarantine, or childcare will continue to be paid without having to use their personal benefit time. Such employees may be asked to work from home, if able.

Yes, employees exhibiting symptoms will be sent home. The employee's continued presence must pose no risk to the health of the employee, other employees and students in order to remain at work.

Infected employees pose a threat to other employees and students and could spread the virus. If a supervisor believes an employee has COVID-19 symptoms, including a fever, the supervisor will consult with his/her director. Based on that and any other necessary consultation, an employee who is suspected to have COVID-19 will be ordered to go home to protect the campus community. If the employee refuses the directive to go home, that employee may be disciplined for insubordination in accordance with applicable policies, rules, and/or collective bargaining agreements.

You may be asked to work more hours or different hours, especially if your position is considered a required service position or the university is short-staffed as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak. In some departments, employees may be assigned to work in other areas within the department.

Temporary illnesses, such as the flu, are not typically considered a work-related injury under the Illinois Worker's Compensation Act. However, the university encourages employees to consult with Human Resources in order to verify whether the employee's particular situation may be covered.

Emergency paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave will be available to faculty and staff who meet certain criteria from April 1 through December 31, 2020. Please see background and full guidelines.

FMLA may be available with regard to the employee's own serious health condition or for the care of a family member with a serious health condition. Please also see question above regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Contact Human Resources for more information.

Starting March 17, employees who need to be away from work for COVID-19-related reasons such as illness, quarantine, or childcare will continue to be paid for up to two workweeks without having to use their personal benefit time. Such employees may be asked to work from home, if able.

All business travel is suspended. You should not be traveling at all during the governor’s stay-in-place order.

Because recommendations change daily, please contact Student Health Services at 618-453-3311 or shcinfo@siu.edu. You should not be traveling at all during the governor’s stay-in-place order. Faculty and staff who have traveled or self-quarantined should communicate with their immediate supervisors, and students should contact Saluki Cares.

Please work with the airlines as you would with any other canceled flight.