Rogers House, located in the sorority quad, has been designated as a quarantine dorm for students
infected with the H1N1 flu virus. Ray Whitehouse/The Daily Northwestern
Rogers House currently sits locked in the sorority quad, and in a few weeks, students affected with the H1N1 flu will temporarily call it home.
Despite general concerns surrounding the strain of the flu, some Northwestern students are agreeing to staff a “quarantine” dorm for fellow students experiencing the flu symptoms. University Residential Life has reserved Rogers House as the temporary housing facility to assist those with the virus.
Several cases of swine flu have been reported on the Evanston campus since Spring Quarter of last year. University Spokesman Al Cubbage said alternative plans were made in the summer to contain the flu in case of a wider outbreak. Rogers House was a viable candidate for accommodating ill students because the building was scheduled to undergo renovations this year.
“What we’re hoping to do is reduce the spread of the virus when there are people living in close quarters,” he said. “The hope is if we remove those people affected by the virus, then we can reduce the chances of infection for students in residence halls.”
Other institutions including Emory University have established similar dorms as temporary quarantine facilities, Cubbage said .
In an e-mail sent Sept. 24 by University Career Services, students were offered the opportunity to work in Rogers House as hall monitors for compensation. These hall monitors will work part-time and receive $15 per hour for their services, according to the e-mail.
This non-work-study position entails issuing and collecting keys, overseeing the cleaning of rooms, making referrals and filing occupancy reports. The hall monitors will not be required to care for students in a medical capacity, although they will supervise the dorm in daytime, evening and weekend shifts.
Medill junior Sam Kirkland recently applied to work in Rogers House, and said he is not concerned with the possibility that he may contract swine flu on the job.
“Personally, I wouldn’t be afraid of getting the flu,” Kirkland said. “I feel like I have the same odds just walking up Sheridan or into a big lecture hall.”
