In a wide-ranging effort to combat the expected spread of the H1N1 influenza virus on campus this fall, the University administration will encourage hand washing and the use of hand sanitizers. It will also discourage students from hugging.
That was part of the message Wednesday afternoon when Andre Le Duc, the University’s director of emergency management, and Dean of Students Paul Shang addressed the ASUO Summer Senate. Le Duc outlined his office’s assumptions about what will happen when students return to campus, including the expectation that H1N1 infection rates will reach 20 percent in Eugene and Springfield and “may exceed” 30 percent in K-12 schools.
Shang added that students can do simple things like refrain from hugging, which he said is prevalent during sorority recruitment. Several senators and audience members chuckled and looked at Sen Jeremy Blanchard, who was known as the “Free Hugs” guy in front of the EMU Amphitheatre long before he participated in campus politics.
ASUO President Emma Kallaway asked if the University would discourage students from giving or receiving free hugs. Unfortunately for Sen. Blanchard, they would.
A full plan for how to deal with H1N1 and a marketing blitz from the University will begin soon.
UPDATE: It should be noted that in response to the question about Free Hugs, Le Duc suggested students instead try “the elbow bump.”
This is probably the best blog post of the entire year. Too bad for Blanchard, though. He must be heartbroken.