The Ready & Resilient Committee provides details on 14 topics related to Fall semester
Colleagues,
There has been much progress across campus this week in preparation for fall semester. This week’s Ready & Resilient (R&R) update includes specific information regarding:
- Face Coverings (Masks)
- Face Shields
- Health Check-in and Health Kits
- Classroom Information
- Cleaning/Disinfecting Supplies and Moving of Furniture
- Ventilation
- Physical Distancing & Direction Signage
- Specialty Supplies, Plexiglass, etc.
- Technology in Classrooms
- Summer Faculty Development
- Office Hours and Academic Advising
- Pandemic Leave
- Accommodations
- Ongoing Ready & Resilient Work and Future Updates
Face Coverings (Masks)
The Ready & Resilient Health Team is finalizing language regarding wearing face coverings (masks) on campus (we understand there have been differing statements on different websites, etc.). For now, know that face coverings will be required indoors in classrooms, in public spaces and anywhere six-foot physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Students, faculty, and staff will be provided an Elon-branded face covering this summer but are also encouraged to provide additional coverings of their own.
Face Shields
While face coverings (masks) have been found to be the most effective tool for combating the spread of COVID-19 droplets, we are exploring new research suggesting that face shields may be effective in certain situations. Some ADA accommodations and some pedagogical approaches also make the use of masks impractical. We will update you soon about face shields and, if appropriate, distribution of face shields for staff and faculty.
Health Check-in and Health Kits
The Ready & Resilient Health Check-in Team is finalizing details for a health screening event for all students, faculty and staff to ensure all community members have completed upcoming summer training modules and understand procedures, guidelines and expectations for fall semester. Look for details in the coming weeks regarding schedules. Health kits distributed at the check-in will include:
- An Elon-branded mask
- A thermometer
- Guidelines for monitoring health daily
- Hand sanitizer, and more
Classroom Information
Physical distancing studies have been completed on all general use classrooms; department faculty and staff do not need to do their own studies on general use classrooms. The physical distancing studies and seating arrangement will be available to faculty as room assignments are finalized.
- Department chairs needing assistance with physical distancing studies in labs or studios, please contact Holly Hodge (hhodge@elon.edu) in Planning, Design and Construction Management.
- Department chairs needing assistance with physical distancing studies in computer labs should contact Anthony Bennett (bennetta@elon.edu) in Campus Technology Support.
Associate Provost Maurice Levesque has provided faculty and staff with email providing more details.
Cleaning/Disinfecting Supplies and Moving of Furniture
Physical Plant has ample supplies of disinfecting spray, wipes and hand sanitizer. Requests for refills or additional supplies, or for moving furniture, should be submitted to the Physical Plant via an on-line Fix-it work order or by calling x5500. Please do not dispose of empty spray bottles or wipe tubs as they will be re-used.
Ventilation
Physical Plant is evaluating each university building and making adjustments to increase ventilation as much as possible, while also:
- operating within the building system design standards,
- continuing to provide comfortable temperatures, and
- maintaining the recommended humidity level of 40-60%.
We are shifting to the highest rated filters possible in each building to aid in the removal of airborne viral particles. Because single-space, portable high-efficiency filtration (HEPA filter) units can only serve small areas (~350 sf) effectively and will introduce a very high level of noise, we are not planning to use them.
Physical Distancing & Direction Signage
Details about ordering physical distancing floor stickers or Ready & Resilient posters can be found on the posters and graphics page of the Ready & Resilient website.
Specialty Supplies, Plexiglass, etc.
Per Senior Vice President Gerald Whittington’s June 15 email to faculty and staff (“new policy on purchases and expenditures”), all requests for specialty cleaners, equipment, plexiglass or other specialty items should be submitted to the appropriate dean or vice president and then forwarded to Jeff Stein for final review and approval by the Ready & Resilient team.
Technology in Classrooms
Information Technology is actively working on enhancements to support the teaching and learning environment:
- All learning spaces (undergraduate and graduate) will have standard technology to allow for streaming or recording course activities. Many additional classrooms will have flexible technology providing tools to increase visualization of course content (additional cameras, audio support, and document capture).
- Final details are being negotiated with Zoom, as a supplement to WebEx, and to better support breakout rooms for increased engagement.
- Elon will continue to support Microsoft Teams for video, chat, and document sharing for meetings, consultations, and small group gatherings. In addition, we are actively exploring a connection between Teams and Moodle to better support the teaching and learning environment.
- Discipline-specific technology is being explored with the School and College Deans.
Summer Faculty Development
A range of faculty development opportunities and resources will be offered throughout the summer, including:
- A week-long Course Design Institute (CDI): Resilient Teaching, offered by CATL, TLT and Writing Across the University and focused on designing courses that balance the structure and flexibility necessary for students and instructors to adapt and thrive in the fall. Held: July 6-10 OR July 29-August 4, and as a self-paced Moodle course after mid-July
- Digital Learning Days: Technology for Flexible Teaching – TLT staff are providing training sessions on a variety of technology tools and services, including using technology in on-campus classroom spaces, designing and organizing course materials, and strategies to save you time as you create a learning environment that sustains face-to-face instruction with blended components. Held: July 14-16, 9 a.m. – Noon, and August 5-7, 9 a.m. – Noon.
See Assistant Provost Deandra Little’s June 15 email (“CATL, TLT & WAU Summer Faculty Development Opportunities & Resource”) for more details.
Office Hours and Academic Advising
Office hours and academic advising support the relational components of our educational approach and appear in the Responsibilities for Teaching Faculty section of the Faculty Handbook. Recognizing that it is recommended to maintain physical distance to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, faculty may consider holding office hours and conducting academic advising appointments virtually.
As you plan your courses for the 2020 fall semester, please include information on your syllabi detailing how students should expect to have these interactions and instructions for making appointments.
Please see the related sections of the faculty handbook for more details.
Academic Advising: http://elon.smartcatalogiq.com/2019-2020/Faculty-Handbook/Responsibilities-of-Teaching-Faculty/Faculty-Instructional-Responsibilities/Advising-Students
Pandemic Leave
Elon University will provide Pandemic Leave paid time off for exempt (salaried) and non-exempt (hourly) staff for use during periods of quarantine, employee illness, and/or care for others related to COVID- 19 associated disruptions up to 160 hours for the categories described below:
- Staff member’s own illness related to COVID-19
- Caring for an immediate family member’s illness related to COVID-19
- Quarantine/isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms or possible exposure to the virus, when remote work options are not available
Click here for a detailed description of the policy.
Accommodations
Despite the extensive health and safety guidelines and protocols listed on the Return to Work on Campus website, we know staff and faculty have questions about the steps the university is taking to protect their health and safety in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The June 17 email from Provost Aswani Volety and Associate Vice President for Human Resources Kelli Shuman (“COVID-19 Accommodation Request Process) described support options for:
- Employees who may be part of the CDC high-risk categories for severe illness related to COVID-19
- Employees who may be impacted by the pandemic because of a lack of available childcare or living with an individual who may be at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Please visit with your healthcare provider or supervisor and review the Human Resources COVID-19 Accommodation webpage for additional information and to review the process to submit a request for an accommodation.
Ongoing Ready & Resilient Work and Future Updates
As our work continues, we expect to update you on the following in the coming weeks:
- Health screening, testing, and tracing policies
- Quarantine and isolation policies
- Benchmarking and alert levels being developed by the Infectious Disease Committee
- Governor’s next update (expected near June 26) and local school system schedules
- Elon Honor Pledge
- Training for students, faculty, and staff
- Tent spaces on campus
- App usage for daily health screening
- Plans for international students
- More specifics on the health check arrival event
- Move-in and Orientation
- Classroom assignments
- Lunch spaces
Our Requests of You
- Thank you for your good questions. We need your ideas. Keep reaching out to us individually and through ready2020@elon.edu. We ask that you give us a bit of grace and patience as we work through the many recommendations and help prepare for this fall.
- As your programs and departments are developing processes and making plans for fall, please share those plans through deans and vice presidents, as well as through Jeff Stein at jstein@elon.edu or through ready2020@elon.edu so we can ensure alignment across campus in this rapidly changing environment.
We will continue to provide updates throughout the summer via emails and the Ready & Resilient website.
Sincerely,
The Ready & Resilient Committee
- Jeff Stein, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Assistant Professor of English (Chair)
- Dan Anderson, Vice President of University Communications
- Ginette Archinal, Medical Director of Student Health and University Physician
- MarQuita Barker, Director of Residence Life
- John Barnhill, Associate Vice President for University Advancement
- Tom Flood, Assistant Vice President of Physical Plant
- Jason Husser, Associate Professor of Political Science and Policy Studies, and Director of the Elon Poll (Academic Council Representative)
- Deandra Little, Assistant Provost, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and Professor of English
- Paul Miller, Assistant Provost for Academic Operations and Communications and Professor of Exercise Science
- Kelly Reimer, Director of Teaching and Learning Technologies (Staff Council Representative)
- Carrie Ryan, Director of Auxiliary Services
- Kelli Shuman, Associate Vice President for Human Resources & Chief Human Resources Officer
- Gabie Smith, Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Psychology
- Mary Southern, Project Manager for Provost and Academic Affairs Operations (Project Manager)
- Mike Ward, Deputy Director of Athletics
- Randy Williams, Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Assistant Professor of Education