Oct 06, 2024  
Catalog/Handbook 2022-2023 
    
Catalog/Handbook 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

College Policy on HIV/AIDS


Polk State College District Board of Trustees Rule 2.23 HIV/AIDS Policy in compliance with The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as well as other state and federal laws, including Florida Statutes section 760.50: Discrimination in the Treatment of Persons; Minority Representation.

Polk State College does not deny admission or employment solely on the grounds that an individual has been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. If a student with HIV or AIDS requires special accommodations, he or she should contact the Office of Disability Services; employees should contact Human Resources. The College can make reasonable accommodations for an individual infected with HIV or AIDS after the required documentation has been submitted. In addition to special accommodations that may be made, the College has established safety guidelines for settings in which students or employees may come into contact with blood or other bodily fluids; these settings include laboratories and other instructional sites, as well as departments such as custodial services and campus safety. Records gathered by the College are kept confidential as required by federal regulations. The College, in accordance with Florida Statutes, does not require students or employees to be tested for HIV or AIDS.

Pursuant to Florida Statutes section 1006.8, the Polk State College President identifies offices and officials that are responsible for planning, facilitating, and evaluating programs related to HIV/AIDS education. These include, but are not limited to, an educational program for all students that includes information, instruction, or activities that emphasize the known modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS, its signs and symptoms, the associated risk factors, appropriate behavior and behavioral changes for risk mitigation, and mechanisms used to control the spread of HIV and AIDS. These education programs also distribute literature relative to community testing and counseling agencies develop and implement HIV/AIDS awareness programs on campus, and make updated information available to faculty, staff, and students in various forms.