The 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu outbreak forced the University of Chicago to make immediate housing plans after the flu virus was first identified in California and Mexico. So, when H1N1 hit in 2009, two things happened that influenced their response strategy immediately, said Dr. Kristine Bordenave, director of the Student Care Center (SCC): One, the university had one of the first H1N1 infections in the nation, a hospital staff member; and two, the timing of the academic year. The university operates on a quarter system, which stepped up the timetable to make decisions about housing in the summer. Planners asked students not affected by the virus to relocate, so potentially ill students could move into housing that provided baths that weren't shared with well students (private bathrooms) and areas that could be easily closed off. There was intense push-back from students when residence halls were identified for use in the pandemic contingency housing plan, Bordenave said. These issues continued through the final quarter of school in mid-June 2009. During the summer session, planners revisited housing plans; this time, however, students were included in the planning process. Students who participated were identified by the student government and various housing councils, in particular, students from a group called: "Yielding a Greater level of Cooperation among Student Groups." A campus emergency response team, which was meeting regularly to address the H1N1 outbreak, looked for residence options that were not at capacity. One residence building, International House, had available space. This building typically houses graduate students and provides lodging for scholars and campus visitors. International students make up about 2,400 of the university's 15,000 students. Sending them home when they get sick is a difficult, if not an impossible, task. So, the university devised a plan to house them on campus. The International House had been designated two years prior as a part of the university's emergency preparedness plan because each room is individually ventilated. "When cases increased, one of the things we were trying to do is move students in areas where those who were ill could find people to talk to and interact with while remaining isolated from those who were not sick," Bordenave said. Sick students were to be relocated to an empty floor in the building. This didn't go over well with other students in the building who were concerned that sick individuals were being brought into their building, Bordenave said. Although information was provided explaining the disease pattern, many students were concerned that they would be unnecessarily exposed while riding the elevator. Students didn't believe they were given accurate information and decided to call a meeting amongst themselves. University pandemic response members attended the meeting and assured the students that their concerns were being taken into consideration. After that meeting, the University revised its emergency preparedness and response process to include input from students, which has proven very helpful in many ways, she said. Ultimately, ill students were housed in place and well roommates were offered the option to move out. None of the roommates took the option to move.