Section 144-262-1 - PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONSA.Purpose. This rule identifies certain preventable diseases for which immunization is required of all students attending public or private post-secondary schools in the State, unless exempt under Maine law; specifies the prescribed schedule for required immunizing agents; and defines the chief administrative officer's responsibilities, exclusion periods, record-keeping and reporting requirements for school officials, in accordance with 20-A MRS §6359. B.Definitions. As used in this rule, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms have the following meanings: 1.Certificate of Immunization means a written statement from a physician, nurse or public health official who has administered an immunizing agent to a student, specifying the vaccine administered and the date it was administered. 2.Chief administrative officer means the person designated by the legal governing authority as president, administrator or director of a public or private post-secondary school. 3.Disease means diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus.4.Distance learning program means an educational course or course of study offered by a public or private post-secondary school and delivered remotely, exclusively. 5.Immunizing agent means a vaccine, toxoid, or other substance used to increase an individual's immunity to a disease.6.Parent means a student's parent, legal guardian or custodian. A person shall be regarded as a student's custodian, if that person is an adult and has assumed legal charge and care of the student.7.Public health official means the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or any designated employee or agent of the Department of Health and Human Services.8.Post-secondary school means any public or private educational or training institution that is not a public or private nursery, elementary or secondary school defined in 20-A MRS §6353(7) and 22 MRS §8301-A(1-A)(D). Post-secondary schools include schools that issue certificates or degrees, after completion of requisite studies, apprenticeships, professional certificate programs and trade certificate programs. Post-secondary schools include, but are not limited to, colleges, universities, vocational-technical colleges, institutes, schools for the health professions and trade schools.9.School means, for the purpose of this rule, any public or private post-secondary school in the State. 10.Student means any person entering school who was born after 1956 who attends school full time or who is otherwise a candidate for a degree or a diploma or graduate certificate. Part time students who are degree candidates are included under this definition.11.School health provider means a physician, physician's assistant, registered nurse, or nurse practitioner, licensed to practice by the State and appointed by the Chief Administrative Officer to provide health care to the student population.10-144 C.M.R. ch. 262, § 1