Update on Return to Campus Plan for Faculty and Staff

Dear Faculty and Staff:

Thank you for your patience as the cross-functional working group of deans, faculty and staff has further developed and solidified our plans for returning faculty and staff to campus.

I write to share an update on our phases of return and where we stand with approval from New York State and local public health authorities.

Additional critical information follows for all faculty and staff to review as we look toward returning more faculty and staff to campus over the coming days, weeks and months.

Phase One of Return to Begin June 3

We have received guidance to start welcoming a limited number of faculty and staff back to campus on June 3 who have been designated by their dean or senior vice president to return in Phase One. As previously communicated, this includes primarily all essential personnel, who have been on campus since March, plus additional research faculty and staff identified by their deans in consultation with the vice president of research. Those faculty, staff and graduate students scheduled to return in Phase One will receive a separate communication from their dean or senior vice president by tomorrow morning with detailed procedures that need to be followed upon campus return.

As noted in my communication from May 21, moving ahead to Phases Two through Four will require ongoing monitoring of public health guidance, campus density, and the health of our faculty and staff members on campus. The subsequent phases of return are tentatively scheduled to commence every two weeks following the successful implementation of Phase One.

As we move through this process, we will continue to communicate with deans and other senior leaders, who will advise faculty and staff of their likely return date or continued remote work arrangement.

Critical Information for Faculty and Staff to Review Before Returning to Campus

The working group has worked closely with our partners—including the Public Health subcommittee of the Fall 2020 Open Work Group, Campus Safety and Emergency Services, Facilities Services and Campus Planning, Design and Construction—to develop guidance for faculty and staff returning to campus.

This guidance encompasses topics like masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing requirements, expectations of faculty and staff in monitoring and reporting any COVID-19 symptoms, cleaning and sanitation protocols, and more. New York State requires all employees to conduct a daily health assessment, including taking your temperature before coming to campus. It is not only a state requirement, but it is the right thing to do to keep everyone on our campus healthy and safe.

View the Return to Campus Information Hub for Faculty and Staff.

Additionally, I encourage you to review information on the Environmental Health and Safety Services website to learn about Universitywide measures that have been taken to keep members of our campus community safe and healthy.

We look forward to beginning to welcome faculty and staff back to campus.

Sincerely,

Andrew R. Gordon
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer