Indiana University School of Optometry Student Immunization Policy

All students entering the Indiana University School of Optometry must meet the immunization requirements of both the University and Indiana Code 20-12-71. Students must provide documentation of the following immunizations:

• two measles, one mumps, and one rubella
• tetanus/diphtheria within the past 10 years
• tuberculin skin test within six months of the first semester
• two varicella (Chickenpox) vaccines

The School of Optometry requires the following additional immunizations:

• annual tuberculin skin test
• hepatitis B immunization series

Indiana University School of Optometry Student Participation in Outside Trips or Events

Introduction

Throughout the course of the academic year there may be times when students wish to attend an event that occurs when classes are in session. If the IU School of Optometry agrees that the event has positive academic or professional significance, then student attendance at that event may be approved, or sanctioned, by the school. Examples of such sanctioned trips that have occurred in the past include VOSH, FCO, AAO, AOA, and AOA-PAC. It should be noted that because absence for an event or trip was sanctioned in the past, a blanket sanction for a trip or event should not be automatically assumed for the future, especially when such a trip may fall at a time when absences would be detrimental to students or to the academic calendar. An example would be a proposed trip or event that occurs during the entire week of final exams. Faculty sponsors for planned events should work with IUSO administration before events are formalized.

School-Sanctioned Trips or Events

1. A student group planning a school-sanctioned trip or event may have their own qualifications for those who desire to participate. Their selection of participants must meet the approval of the group’s faculty sponsor. In addition, each student who has been selected or approved by the faculty sponsor must also meet the following requirements:
   
   
   1. The student must be in good Academic Standing; i.e. not on Academic Probation.
   2. The Associate Dean of Students and the Director of Student Administration must be notified of the student’s desire to go, either by the faculty sponsor or by the student.
   3. Individual students must contact each course instructor to determine how any work, labs or exams that would be missed could be made up.  For clinic courses:
      
      
      1. Third year students must communicate with the Chief of Primary Care.
      2. For 4^th year students or 3^rd year students in specialty clinics, the Chief of the affected clinic section(s) should be contacted with sufficient advance notice to allow the creation of a modified clinic schedule.  The Chief will retain the right to require swaps with another student if deemed necessary.
   4. Those serving as AIs must make arrangements with the instructor of the course in which they serve as AIs. A reasonable arrangement for absence could include having an AI from another lab section serve in their place. If this is not possible, the AI may ask the course instructor if they may have another qualified volunteer student who is not normally an AI in that course serve as their substitute. The faculty in charge of the course must approve any substitute.  Unless the substitute is already on the IUSO payroll as an AI, Indiana University cannot pay them - they are volunteering their time. If there is no substitute available, or if the proposed substitute is determined to be inadequate, the regular AI must fulfill his or her teaching responsibilities. Their trip will need to be forgone or rescheduled.
   5. Fourth year students on external rotations need approval from the external rotation director serving at the site of their external rotation.
2. The faculty sponsor of the group should notify faculty of all students who wish to participate in the school sanctioned trip. Notification should be specific to each year. For example, the faculty sponsor would notify faculty teaching second year classes of their second year students who would miss their classes. Nevertheless, it remains the responsibility of each individual student to reach out to their instructors as a follow-up to an email from the faculty sponsor. The student is responsible for arranging a make-up of class activities that might be missed.
3. The Associate Dean of Students, Executive Associate Dean, or the Dean has the authority to deny absences for school-sanctioned events. Reasons for denial may include, but are not limited to, instances such as marginal academic performance, poor attendance, or any other situations that affect academic performance negatively.
4. Requests for absences that occur in a given semester must be made within the first 3 weeks of that semester.

Other Trips or Events

There may be requests for absences that are not included as sanctioned trips. Absences for cases of non-sanctioned trips or events such as Vision Expo must follow the same general procedures as listed above. This would include

1. Student must be in good academic standing
2. In the absence of a faculty sponsor, consulting with and obtaining provisional approval from the Associate Dean of Students.
3. Approval by the Associate Dean of Students is contingent upon satisfactory class, clinic, and AI arrangements satisfactory to the student’s individual course and clinic instructors.