Dear Colleagues,
This email communication is the second of a series of monthly communications from the Department of Human Resources intended to provide updates and relevant information as we prepare to return to campus.
On April 16, 2021, the State of California announced that 50% of California residents 16 and older have received at least their first dose of vaccine, which is another promising step for our state and the SCU campus community. While we are hopeful that we are headed in the right direction, we must continue to be diligent in following the public health and safety guidelines to protect our community from another surge.
COVID & Return to Campus
We continue to closely monitor developments with the virus and we are cautiously optimistic that the numbers are headed in the right direction. As such, below are important updates related to our gradual return to campus.
- Key Priorities
- Health and safety of our campus community
- Public health guidance continues to be fluid and the university may choose to be more cautious than guidance may dictate.
- Maintain operations and services with a cautious and gradual return to campus as students and our campus community are welcomed back.
- Continue to leverage remote work while promoting flexibility and creativity in work practices, schedules, and assignments
- Focus on employee well-being and resources
- Apply careful prioritization as employees are brought back to campus based on business need
- Remain nimble with the ability to adjust and pivot
- Return to Campus
- SCU will engage in a slow and cautious reopening with the intention of completing the return to campus by the beginning of the new academic year. Public health guidance will inform this transition back to campus. As such, these intentions are subject to change and, in this endeavour, the university reserves the right to be more cautious than public health guidance may dictate.
- The "Essential Access" process, managed by Sean Collins, for approving individuals to return to campus will continue through the Spring. We anticipate that this process will then sunset and departments will have flexibility to start implementing phased return strategies based on their unique operations with less restrictions on who can return. More details on this are forthcoming.
- Leaders should consider operations and begin to predict needs and steps that will be taken to return to campus by the new academic year to serve and interact with our student body and campus community.
- Retention of efficiencies and improved work practices, as well as lessons learned, during remote work should also be considered!
- University leadership and HR are actively exploring the topic of flexible work schedules for employees.
- Health and Safety Protocols on Campus
- For over a year, health and safety protocols have been relatively stable. It is important that all community members adhere to these protocols, and continue to monitor communications and attend town halls, as we anticipate that restrictions may begin to evolve in the coming weeks and months.
- Effective May 1, the wearing of face coverings when outdoors on campus is no longer required when socially distanced. Unvaccinated people are encouraged to continue to wear masks.
- Face coverings and social distancing continue to be required indoors for everyone whether vaccinated or not.
- With a focus on the health and safety of employees, if there is a business need for employees to meet in person, all work related gathering for employees should be held on-campus and in alignment with health and safety protocols:
- Gatherings should only be held outdoors and limited to 25 pre-registered SCU attendees. Specific guidance on gatherings will be posted on the Prepared SCU website shortly. For questions about permitted gatherings, please contact Sam Florio or Sean Collins.
- Vaccine Update
- Santa Clara County has expanded vaccine eligibility to all individuals age 16 or older who live or work in Santa Clara County. You are encouraged to schedule vaccination appointments through the County’s website.
- Information about vaccine eligibility and available for Alameda County can be found here.
- As announced, Santa Clara University will require graduate and undergraduate students to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 for fall 2021.
- Discussions are underway regarding vaccination requirements in the fall for staff and faculty. Our collaborative governance committees are also developing policy recommendations pertaining to vaccine expectations for staff and faculty.
- Flexibility & Support for Employees
- As we begin the gradual return to campus, leaders and supervisors are encouraged to continue to provide flexibility when responding to the unique circumstances of employees with consideration of business needs.
- Examples: flexible/alternate schedules, redistribution of work, meeting time adjustments, pausing services or modifying service levels and/or turnaround times
- Supervisors are asked to model self-care as a way to encourage employees to engage in the same behavior (i.e. time off with complete disconnection from work, work schedule boundaries, and use of mental health resources and engagement in wellness activities).
- Employees and supervisors may reach out to their assigned HR Partner for guidance and support as we continue remote work, navigate the transition back to campus, and continue to respond to the pandemic.
- HR has shared comprehensive details about the new California supplemental paid sick leave legislation that provides paid leave for the following occurrences:
- Vaccination and/or vaccination reactions
- COVID related illness, quarantine, isolation and/or care of family members for COVID related reasons
- Childcare provider and/or school closures
- KOC - Reopening
- As SCU students, faculty, and staff begin to transition back to campus, Kids on Campus (KOC) child development center will reopen on May 3, 2021. KOC will begin with a phased-in approach, with reduced capacity and operating hours to ensure compliance with all state and local guidance for early childhood programs. The KOC administrators have reached out to returning and waitlist families with enrollment information and updated policies and procedures. Families not on the waitlist can find the application here. Please email questions to the KOC Office.
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Department of Human Resources 500 El Camino Real (408) 554-4392 hrservicedesk@scu.edu |
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