Working on Campus
Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility
Campus leaders have been working to establish policies and protocols for the safe return of faculty and staff to campus. Our safe and successful return will require every one of us to understand our personal responsibility for ensuring our own and each other’s safety. We expect everyone in the community to adhere to the requirements below.
Face Coverings and PPE
In accordance with Executive Order 202.16, everyone on campus is required to wear a face covering when social distancing is not possible.
Every employee will receive two washable cloth face coverings. Employees may wear their own face coverings to reduce the need for the college to purchase additional masks, which continue to be in short supply. The distribution plan for masks will be announced in the near future.
If an individual is unable to wear a face covering for a medical or health related reason, they must contact Human Resources (Kathleen x5961, kathleen.farrell@purchase.edu or Ricardo x6086, ricardo.espinales@purchase.edu ) immediately.
N95 masks will be provided to the staff of those departments with a higher risk of coming into close contact with someone or someplace infected with coronavirus, such as University Police Department, Facilities Management, and Health Services.
Social Distancing
Employees are expected to maintain a six-foot distance as much as possible. Ample signage will be spread throughout campus as a reminder.
When distancing is not possible, staggered scheduling, alternate work locations, or physical barriers will be considered.
Employees will be expected to:
- Abide by the revised space capacity limits. Temporary signage will be posted in locations where classes will be held. Office capacity should be less than 50%. This may result in the creation of “temporary offices” in available spaces such as conference rooms.
- Limit the places they go on campus and eliminate walking through other buildings to get to their offices or classrooms.
- Limit face-to-face meetings and interactions as much as possible and use teleconferencing even for those present in the office.
Sanitation
The campus Custodial staff will be focused on the intensive and frequent cleaning and disinfecting of public spaces. For this reason, and to minimize person-to-person contact in smaller office spaces, all employees are asked to perform the disinfecting for their own workspaces and high-touch surfaces (e.g. doorknobs, light switches, keyboards, telephones).
Facilities Management will provide disinfectant and sanitizer to every department.
Daily Health Screening Tool
Faculty and staff will receive a daily email with a link to an electronic health screening tool developed in accordance with NYS reopening requirements. A link to the daily screening tool also appears on the Faculty and Staff portal page.
Those not coming to campus must login to the survey to indicate such, and nothing further will be required.
Those coming to campus will need to answer a few additional questions about their temperature, if they have any of the listed symptoms, if they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in last 14 days, and if they have been in close contact with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case within the past 14 days. Based on the responses, the Screening tool tells the individual whether they are cleared to work on campus. No data is being saved.
A paper version (in English and Spanish) will be made available for those without access to computers or smart phones.
Supervisors will be responsible to make sure their direct reports complete the screenings assessments daily.
If You’re Sick, Stay Home
Employee self-awareness and responsibility are critical to maintaining a healthier community. Employees should stay home if they are sick.
Training
All college employees are required to participate in an ongoing COVID-19 training program in accordance with NYS re-opening plans, state mandates, and task force recommendations. This program will consist of brief videos and other materials as they become available.
Special socially distanced viewings of the videos will be provided for those without access to computers or smart phones.
Staff and faculty must review college policies related to COVID-19 prior to returning to campus, at the start of their obligation, and/or as they are issued.
Vulnerable Populations
Employees who are asked to return to campus but have underlying health issues, or are at increased risk for contracting the virus, can speak to their supervisor about other arrangements.
This may include continuing to telecommute, modifying schedules to ensure ability to work alone, and/or requesting additional PPE.
Employees can request an accommodation through Human Resources with the Reasonable Accommodation Officer.
Supervisor Responsibilities
Phased Return and Adjusted Work Schedules
All department heads were asked to complete a space assessment survey to ensure that required social distancing can be implemented in their respective areas. This could require modest intervention such as signs and arrows, or more involved intervention such as physical barriers.
Where social distancing is not possible in a physical space, department heads and supervisors will work collaboratively with Human Resources, Facilities Management, and area Vice Presidents to develop a Return to Campus protocol for their departments.
This will include staggered schedules or phased return for on-campus staffing appropriate to meet academic and operational needs as well as address individual concerns.
In addition to staggered schedules, employees returning to campus should expect breaks to be staggered, and traffic-flow and seating arrangements to be modified to limit density as much as possible. In addition, meetings will continue to be conducted via Zoom or other electronic means as much as possible even when present on campus.
Density limits will preclude the full work force from returning to campus. Accordingly, supervisors should permit employees able to fulfill their obligation from a remote location to do so. There may be times that an employee will be required to come to campus to perform essential functions of their job.
Supervisors will be responsible for insuring that employees comply with maintaining social distancing, wearing face coverings, watching required videos, and following policies related to the pandemic.
Return to Work Guidelines
Frequently Asked Questions
Facilities is checking operational effectiveness of all existing HVAC units across campus. During this process, it will be determined what system can accept upgrades in filtration. If system design allows for compatibility (this is currently being tested), filters will be upgraded to the highest allowable rating. As guidance and recommendations evolve, Facilities will adapt and follow to the best the campus infrastructure will allow.
The supervisors of those departments are encouraged to work together to determine what department staff need to be present on what days and coordinate a schedule to limit the number of people present.
There will be a face covering and social policy in place in addition to the Governor’s Executive order. Student violations will be handled by Conduct and Faculty/Staff matters will be handled by Human Resources. That being said this is about education and personal responsibility for everyone’s health and safety so it will be a community effort to make sure everyone plays their part. The first reaction should not necessarily be a referral for discipline but rather requesting the individual follow the policy and educating individuals about why it is important.