The Ready & Resilient Committee provides details on a range of topics related to Fall semester.
Colleagues,
This week’s Ready & Resilient (R&R) update includes more specific details about a number of processes and topics:
- Required Schar Center Health Check-In
- Required COVID-19 Testing
- Healthy Elon Commitment
- Required Training
- Employee Guide for 2020
- Meeting and Event Spaces/Reservations
- Tents on Campus: Update about Staff and Student Organization Usage
- Technology Update
- Six Foot Physical Distancing on Campus
- Ventilation and Filtration
- Do Open Windows Help?
- R&R Information Line
- Why Disposable Masks Are Not Readily Available on Campus
- Updated Posters & Signage
- Ongoing R&R Work and Future Updates
Required Schar Center Health Check-In
All students, faculty, and staff will participate in the Health Check-In. See the visual below to better understand the traffic flow for this drive-through process in the Schar Center parking lot.
Before arriving at the Health Check-In, employees must:
- Complete Elon’s COVID-19 testing – and quarantine if test is positive (details below)
- Complete online training (details forthcoming)
- Electronically sign the Healthy Elon Commitment (this process is incorporated into the online training mentioned above in number 2)
- Complete the daily Health Screening (details forthcoming).
Employees who have not completed the above will be asked to park and enter the Schar Center for guidance.
At the Health Check-In, students, faculty and staff will be required to bring and wear a face covering while they have their temperature checked, receive their Ready & Resilient Kit (Elon face covering, hand sanitizer, tissues, information, thermometer, etc.). Staff on site will verify completion of COVID-19 testing, required health training and signing of the Healthy Elon Commitment.
Faculty and staff should plan to participate during one of the following times:
- Monday-Thursday, August 10-13
- 8-10 a.m. (faculty and staff only)
- 12-2 p.m. (faculty and staff only)
- 4-7 p.m. (students, faculty, and staff)
- Tuesday, August 11 (additional early hours)
- 6-8 a.m. (faculty and staff only)
- Tuesday, August 18
- 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (backup day for students, faculty, and staff)
Look for additional details in the coming weeks. We are communicating with early arrivals, graduate programs, and all students/parents separately about their check-in times and creating workable options so that groups like the Law School can participate in Greensboro (instead of at Schar Center).
Required COVID-19 Testing
To participate in fall semester, all students, faculty and staff must complete Elon’s PCR COVID-19 testing before classes begin. Elon is paying for the faculty and staff testing that the university is requiring and providing. Do not do anything now; other tests will not be paid for or qualify for this requirement.
Our COVID-19 test provider will have our testing portal live by July 27, if not sooner. Staff and faculty will access the portal, create an account, enter CDC-required demographic information, and enter mailing address and phone number.
Keep in mind:
- We will let you know as soon as the portal is live.
- Most faculty and staff will want to log in and order their test between July 27-29 (if quarantine were required, then it would be complete by August 10-12).
- Test kits requested before 2 p.m. on weekdays are usually shipped the same day.
- Test kits ship to and from the lab via FedEx. You do not need to sign for the test kit. But in most locations, FedEx only operates Monday-Friday.
- Results are generally posted to the portal 2-4 days after arrival at the lab.
- You will receive email updates once you create your account, once your test kit is shipped to you, once your test kit is received back at the lab, and once your results are posted.
- If you test positive for the COVID-19 infection:
- Expect a call from a medical provider with health guidance.
- Expect a call from your local health department with quarantine and tracing guidance.
- Plan to quarantine at home for up to 14 days from infection.
- Call your supervisor or HR to alert them and make arrangements.
- Final details will be shared soon.
Remember, this is a simple, painless process (i.e. this is not the painful test that involves a deep nasal swab). We are working on plans for how this testing will work for international students, early arrivals, graduate students, etc.
Healthy Elon Commitment
The success of Elon’s plan to regather the community on campus depends on creating a deep culture of care for our community and a commitment to safeguard our own health and the health of others. All students, faculty and staff will sign the Healthy Elon Commitment, during the required training modules.
Required Training
Later in July, all students, faculty, and staff will be provided with links to additional required trainings about COVID-19, campus guidelines, and practices that support a healthy campus this fall. As a part of those brief modules, participants will:
- Learn more about COVID-19 testing
- Learn more about and electronically sign the Healthy Elon Commitment
- Learn more about the Schar Center Health Check-In
- Learn more about the daily Health Screening App, and more.
Look for updates and links to required training in the coming weeks.
Employee Guide for 2020
Human Resources compiled the Employee Guide for Fall 2020, which includes all COVID-19 HR policies and will be updated as additional policies are developed. The Guide can be found on the updated Faculty & Staff Information page (under Teaching & Employee Guides for Fall 2020) on the R&R web site.
See Associate Vice President for Human Resources & Chief Human Resources Officer Kelli Shuman’s July 6 email (“Update: Return to Work on Campus – Phase 2 & Employee COVID-19 Guide”).
Meeting and Event Spaces/Reservations
In order to accommodate 6-foot physical distancing, most large meeting and event spaces on campus will be used by classes during the day Monday through Friday.
In early August, staff, student organizations, and faculty will be allowed to reserve many of those spaces for physically distanced meetings and events held in the evening or on weekends (as long as face covering and other guidelines are followed). These spaces will need to be fogged, cleaned, and setup for 8:00 a.m. classes. Look for more information in late July and early August, after new policies and procedures are finalized.
Tents on Campus: Update about Staff and Student Organization Usage
Speaking of reservations . . . Tents labeled “reservable” will be listed in 25Live as of August 1 and will first be available for faculty to reserve to schedule for classes. Soon after, staff and student organizations will be allowed to reserve the tents.
Folding tables, chairs, and Wi-Fi will be provided. Tents will not have connected power, air conditioning, heating, or technology hardware. Tents will be open air and susceptible to sun, wind, rain, and . . . snow.
Technology Update
Information Technology is actively working on enhancements to support the teaching and learning environment:
- Classroom technology support: With technology enhancements in classrooms, IT is currently planning additional staff and hours dedicated to respond to classroom needs.
- Computer lab software: Piloted successfully last academic year, AppsAnywhere allows faculty, staff, and students to remotely access most academic/lab software securely from any device (personal or Elon-owned) anywhere in the world. More information, including software availability, is forthcoming.
- New Moodle template: A new Quick Start Template has been created based on research-supported practices for quality course design. This optional template provides a consistent structure for course content that benefits both instructors and students. Visit the Technology Knowledge Base for additional information, including the request process.
- Cleaning technology equipment: Please do not spray technology equipment. Wash or sanitize hands after use. If you feel the need to clean a device, please use a sanitizing wipe.
- Digital Learning Days: Learn about blended learning environments and maximizing face-to-face instruction. Register: July 14-16 and August 5-7. We are also planning for drop-in times for users to receive hands-on training for classroom technologies around August 5-7. More information to come.
- Visit the COVID-19 Technology Updates page for the latest information related to upgrades, roll-outs, and support.
Six-Foot Physical Distancing on Campus
We received a question about distancing in classrooms and other spaces on campus. Although some universities have chosen to utilize 3-foot distancing, at Elon, all spaces are using 6 feet of physical distancing.
Ventilation and Filtration
Physical Plant is increasing ventilation and filtration in every university building. Engineering staff are evaluating each building to determine increases in ventilation. To aid in the removal of airborne viral particles, staff are also shifting to the highest rated filters possible. Building by building ventilation and filtration adjustments are being made to:
- increase the ventilation as much as possible,
- shift to the highest MERV rate filter possible to aid in the removal of airborne viral particles,
- continue to operate the building system within its design capacity,
- maintain building humidity at a 40% – 60% level as recommended.
Do Open Windows Help?
Maybe not. Opening windows negates the positive benefits of filtration and humidity control mentioned above. Leaving windows open will create potentially worse humidity conditions and will reduce our ability to control the environmental conditions throughout the entire building. Bottom line, if you open it, close it!
R&R Information Line
Thanks to staff in Parent Engagement, the new Ready & Resilient Information Line started receiving calls from students, parents, faculty, and staff on Monday, July 6. The line is ringing regularly during business hours Monday through Friday at 336-278-2020. Questions about technology will continue to be handled by the Technology Service Desk at 336-278-5200. Questions about cleaning supplies (disinfectant or refills of wipes) will continue to be handled by Physical Plant at 336-278-5500.
Why Disposable Masks Are Not Readily Available on Campus
Disposable masks are again scarce across the country. Our focus on campus is on everyone providing their own washable face coverings. If someone enters your office/space without a mask, please politely ask them to depart and get a mask. Similarly this fall, if someone arrives in class or in an office or a campus space without a mask, we each must ask them to mask up. In light of national shortages, Elon’s disposable mask stock are being held predominantly to support Student Health Services and Faculty-Staff Wellness. See the “Signage Available” update below about signs available from Print Services to support these messages.
Updated Posters & Signage
Updated R&R and COVID-19 posters and signage are available from Print Services. Use this link to see available signs and find instructions for ordering from Print Services.
Ongoing R&R Work and Future Updates
We expect to release final details on a number of processes July 17-24, including:
- Links for required training and the Healthy Elon Commitment
- Final health screening, COVID-19 testing, and tracing details and policies
- Final Schar Center Health Check-In details
- Planning Week schedules
- Quarantine and isolation policies
- Benchmarking and alert levels being developed by the Infectious Disease Committee
- Fall events on campus
- Plans for international students
- Student ambassadors
- More on Move-In and Orientation
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 know you need information about fall semester and will continue to provide updates throughout the summer via emails and the Ready & Resilient website – www.elon.edu/rr.
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