Following approval from the Vice-Principals’ Operations Committee, the university’s Severe Allergy Policy is now in place. The policy aims to ensure continuous improvement to services and resources for students on campus with severe allergies.

The development of a university-wide policy was recommended by the Severe Allergy Review Committee in its May 2016 report. The committee was formed in fall 2015 at the request of Principal Daniel Woolf.

“The development of this policy included consultation with several groups, including students on campus, local medical professionals, parents of current and prospective students, and allergy experts,” says Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs and chair of the review committee. “The policy is one of several recommendations that have been implemented to support the health and wellness of students with severe allergies.”

The university is committed to providing students the information and support they need to assist them with the management of their allergy, and increasing the campus community’s awareness of the existence of severe allergies and how to support students with severe allergies to reduce the likelihood of a reaction.

In addition to the policy, the university has implemented several recommendations related to severe allergies, including:

•    An “Ask Us Before You Eat” sign campaign in dining halls and retail locations.
•    A webpage consolidating all allergy-related information for ease of access. 
•    Making epinephrine available on campus through emergency responders – Campus Security and Emergency Services and Queen’s First Aid. 

The university will continue to implement the recommendations outlined in the report, and will formally review the policy in May 2019.