February 2008

Dear Student:

An Illinois law passed in 1990 states that students who enroll in any college or university in Illinois must present to their school proof of immunization for tetanus/diphtheria, measles, rubella, and mumps.

However, the law contains a provision for exemption on religious grounds, and we are enclosing a form for you should you choose to make use of this provision. The law requires us to have an exemption form or proof of immunization on file for every new student. Thus, we encourage you to send us one or the other as quickly as possible. By law those students without such record on file by the end of their first quarter cannot be allowed to remain enrolled.

Principia has been grateful for the respect and freedom it has received from health authorities to enable students to rely solely upon Christian Science treatment to meet their health needs. It is essential that Principia, its students, and their parents be obedient to the law and maintain procedures which seem best for the protection of the student, the community and the institution. Please give this matter your careful consideration.

In cases of suspected communicable illness, students will be required to go to Cox Cottage (Principia’s on-campus care facility), which is staffed by Christian Science nurses. (There is no charge.) In cases of communicable diseases that, by law, need to be reported to the local health authorities, Principia would report directly to the Jersey County Health Department and would comply with any relevant Department guidelines.

As a rule, these guidelines would only affect the individual student. In the case of certain illnesses -- measles, for example -- such guidelines would affect the entire Principia community. In such cases, it might be necessary to isolate a student exposed to the illness. Only exposed individuals whose proof of immunization is deemed adequate by the County authorities would be exempt from isolation. The isolation period would continue until the Jersey County authorities determined that there was no further danger to the community, which could be a period of up to several weeks. The readiness of a student to return to classes must be determined by Principia, consonant with the guidelines of the Jersey County authorities.

In recent years, we have been strongly reminded that the freedom to practice Christian Science needs to be protected. Principia is grateful for your continued alertness to the importance of consistent prayer in maintaining health.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tom Fuller
Interim Dean of the College