Interim UW President Lee Huntsman May 29 announced policy guidelines for preventing an outbreak of sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the UW community.

He noted that SARS as a world health problem has particular significance for a university where students, faculty, staff and visitors may have occasion to travel to SARS-affected regions or to interact with recent travelers from these regions.

The UW’s Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases, working with Seattle-King County Public Health, developed the SARS policy recommendations. The committee is composed of UW physicians, health officers, environmental health specialists, and other staff. Ernest R. Morris, vice president for student affairs, chairs the committee.

The UW’s SARS guidelines are on the Hall Health Center Web site.

and on the Office of Vice President for Student Affairs Web site:

The Hall Health Center Web site also has answers to frequently asked questions about SARS, and links to such information sources as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control.

Questions about the UW’s SARS policy may be directed to Hall Health Center, 206-616-2495 or hhpcc@u.washington.edu

The Montana State University SARS policy, approved by the President’s Executive Council, is on the Web at:

Washington State University offers students information on SARS in nine languages, including traditional and simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog and Hindi: