Currently there is no evidence that swine flu has affected anyone on campus, and there are no changes to University operations or activities as a result of swine flu. If any cases should occur, the University is prepared to respond immediately. At this point, the advice for members of the University community is to monitor events as they develop and know where to go for accurate, timely information.

If a health emergency occurs, information and instructions will be posted on the University’s Emergency Preparedness Web site.

The University of Minnesota has people working across campus every day to monitor and safeguard the health of our students, staff, and faculty. Many of our staff and faculty are national and international experts in the fields of public health. In addition, the University is home to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, which is at the forefront in planning and researching these critical public health issues.

The University has developed a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan that outlines responses for emergencies on campus, including health emergencies. You can find information on the University’s health emergency plans online. Especially check the link to Swine Flu Information in the right-hand column, and from that link, see the Key Messages for Students and Parents.

Students are reminded to wash their hands frequently, be cautious about close contact with others who are not well, cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, and if they are feeling ill, stay home and rest. They can call the Boynton Health Service Nurse Line 24 hours a day for advice or to determine if a clinic visit is necessary. The Nurse Line number is 612-625-7900.

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On another topic, a block party near the University got out of hand this past weekend in Dinkytown, resulting in unlawful behavior by a number of students and partygoers. The Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Jerry Rinehart, issued a statement yesterday saying, “This kind of conduct is not reflective of our student body or the University of Minnesota community.

"Recently, we strengthened our student conduct code to be applicable to off-campus situations such as this. We intend to use that code to its fullest as more is learned about those who were arrested and involved in this incident.

"We'll also be taking a look at the causes behind this situation to determine what changes can be made to ensure it is not repeated.

"On behalf of the University community, I want to thank those law enforcement officers who brought this situation to an end without serious injury, and apologize to our neighbors and the broader community for this kind of inexcusable behavior."

Often, when this kind of behavior occurs, students who are not directly involved in the riotous activity gather to watch. Please remind your student that if they see such activity, they should move away from—not toward—the crowd. Being in the vicinity prevents safety personnel from doing their job, and students may inadvertently be drawn into the rioting or affected by police and fire departments’ efforts to contain the situation.