Dear Faculty and Staff,
We are writing today to reflect on what we have heard from you regarding the challenges for faculty and staff caregivers. Particularly, we heard about challenges presented by the decreased availability of childcare due to social distancing and the hybrid and remote learning approaches taken in school districts in and around Syracuse. We also heard from you about additional caregiving responsibilities for elderly or disabled loved ones that are complicated by the pandemic. We acknowledge those challenges and the upheaval they have created in many of your lives since March. In response to your input, we are writing to share available resources and current initiatives that are underway to address some of the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
Existing Resources
Syracuse University offers and is extending a number of benefits to help faculty and staff with caregiving responsibilities. These include:
Flexible Work Arrangements and Workload Considerations
We have heard that additional flexibility would be helpful. The Office of Academic Affairs will collaborate with deans and department chairs to increase flexibility in the allocation of faculty workload. Our listening sessions have also raised concerns about the impact of the pandemic on career progression for faculty. We are studying possible solutions to those concerns, including those that have been suggested by faculty, and will continue to engage in dialogue over the course of the fall semester.
For staff, HR has provided additional guidelines on flexible work arrangements during the pandemic, and staff who have caregiving challenges are urged to consult with their supervisor regarding appropriate options. If needed, employees and supervisors should also consult with their senior HR business partner for additional guidance.
Caregiving Exchange Discussion Board
We heard in this summer’s listening sessions that faculty and staff would like to connect with colleagues who also have caregiving responsibilities. These connections are more difficult to make while social distancing. Academic Affairs has arranged for a secure discussion board on the Answers platform, called the Syracuse University Caregiving Exchange (login required), where faculty and staff can share caregiving resources and needs and connect with colleagues who have similar needs and may be willing to share collaborative arrangements. This resource is open to all faculty and staff with a valid NetID.
Complete the Virtual Tutoring Survey
Faculty and staff have expressed an interest in support for learning help for your own K-12 children. Academic Affairs is assessing interest in a pilot program that is under consideration to provide virtual tutoring support for K-12 children of faculty, staff and students. We encourage anyone with an interest to fill out the brief survey.
University Membership in Care.com
The University has reached an agreement to provide an institutional membership in Care.com, a secure online digital platform that connects individuals and caregivers. Additional information will be provided to faculty and staff regarding this benefit and how to access it in the coming weeks.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with your ideas, concerns and thoughts.
Sincerely,
John Liu
Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost
Andrew R. Gordon
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer
In recognition of important milestones this year, the Southeast ADA Center and the Burton Blatt Institute of Syracuse University will host a four-event Virtual Series: Disability Employment–Looking Back & Moving Forward on each Wednesday in October starting at 1 p.m….
He was one of the nation’s top business leaders, a civic giant in Syracuse and an avid supporter of Syracuse University. Julius “Jules” Pericola, who was beloved in the Orange community, serving on the Board of Trustees from 1981 to…
The first phase of Syracuse University’s multi-year, $118 million stadium project, unveiled in 2018, was completed this week. This marks a new era for Syracuse University, the Department of Athletics and the many students, faculty, staff and community members who…
Dear Parents and Families: I am writing this afternoon to share the below message with you, which was sent to your students a short time ago. As noted below, we’ve been working hard to create safe alternatives to the typical…
Dear Students: The last weekend of September is here. Together, our campus community has made it through five weeks of classes; we have just over eight weeks to go. It hasn’t been easy. It’s been a lot of hard work….
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
