FlyBy Got Harvard's Number!

Attention Helicopter Parents:

Harvard hasn't made it possible for you to do your child's laundry or ensure that they are in bed by 9:30 every night, but the University can now soothe your every worry about the biggest crisis to hit Harvard since we ran out of money - swine flu.

Last Friday, September 18, the College opened a new hotline for students, faculty, staff, and, you guessed it, parents to call with any questions they have about the H1N1 influenza. Call 877-366-6606 for a good time...or at least some information about whether your fever means you should skip Ec 10 today.

FlyBy thought we'd give the number a try. Find out what happened after the jump.

FlyBy noticed that the Harvard Hotline is a toll free number, not one of the 617-495-xxxx numbers typical of Harvard, so we were interested to see who would pick up our call.

An automated male voice directed us to check out harvard.edu/h1n1 for information about the University's swine flu policies. If that didn't help, we were given five choices to pick from based on if we are:

1. Feeling ill or calling on behalf of an ill person

2. Students or PARENTS with questions about academic or residential life

3. A Harvard staff member with questions about workplace policies

4. A member of the news media (hmm...seems like they're on to FlyBy)

5. If we want to leave Harvard a message. They'll call us back.

After the swine flu epidemic dissipates, the University plans to turn the phone number into a hotline for other "major issues of interest to the Harvard community," as the website says.

Don't tell FlyBy's mom.  She really likes to talk on the phone.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons