Campus Update 7/12/2021

Gold Seal

Special Message from President Fedrick to Faculty/Staff:
Campus Operations Update

 

Dear ASU Faculty and Staff, 

I hope that everyone is having a fantastic summer. For those of you who are away from campus, I trust that your summer has been restful. Those of you who are on campus this summer, thank you for your continued efforts that support our students and local community on behalf of ASU.

As we look forward to a new school year, I want to share a few details with you that will help to frame expectations for campus engagement. As Dr. Thomas, Faculty Senate President alluded to in an earlier email, ASU is scheduled for a full return to campus for fall 2021.

While I am excited about returning to a new normal, I'm sure this news may elicit some concerns. We have listened to your concerns and are taking significant steps to prepare the campus while prioritizing the health and safety of our university community. As we did in 2020, our COVID-19 Taskforce will continue to ensure we have a safe return to campus, and when necessary, we will adjust our protocols.

It is important to note that your efforts last year made a difference in ASU's ability to remain on campus for the entire academic year, to continue to fulfill our mission in service to our students and the community. While we had some positive COVID-19 results, the positive cases were low and did not adversely impact our campus community. 

To continue to advance our positive track record, we will follow the guidelines outlined by the Governor's Office, University System of Georgia (USG), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). Therefore for the remainder of the summer the following protocols are in place:

Face Coverings - Fully vaccinated individuals can resume work, classes, and other activities without wearing a face covering. Unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to continue wearing a face covering while inside campus facilities.

Social Distancing - Summer courses will continue to observe appropriate levels of social distancing as determined by our current protocols. 

For fall 2021, expect the following: 

Face Coverings – This guidance will continue from the summer. Fully vaccinated individuals can resume work, classes and other activities without wearing a mask. Unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to continue wearing a face covering while inside campus facilities.

Social Distancing - Fully vaccinated individuals can resume campus classes and other activities without physically distancing. Unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to continue socially distancing from others when possible. 

Vaccines - ASU will continue to ensure vaccine availability to faculty, staff, and students through vaccination opportunities on campus or in partnership with a local provider. Note: Students, faculty, and staff who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms.

Alternate Work Arrangements (AWA) – An AWA or other accommodations granted to employees for fall 2020 or spring 2021 due to increased risk for severe illness with COVID-19 expired on June 30, 2021. All employees who were on an AWA should have returned to their previous work arrangement. Current summer teaching assignments are excluded from this transition deadline. Being unvaccinated is not grounds to request an accommodation.

Telework - With limited exceptions, employees with COVID-19 related telework assignments should be back to their pre-COVID-19 work arrangements. Such arrangements also ended on June 30, 2021. Request for a new telework arrangement can be considered by management aligned with what best serves the institution and students.

Student Life - ASU will resume traditional student life activities beginning fall 2021. Mitigation practices as recommended by the CDC and DPH will be practiced and observed during these activities.

Events and Gatherings - ASU will follow the most recent Executive Order from the Governor's Office related to events and gatherings. We may also establish institution-specific guidelines for hosting events and meetings that include appropriate mitigation.

Travel - ASU will follow the Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) position on travel. As of May 2021, a non-essential travel ban remains in place. ASU will reevaluate what is considered essential travel in August 2021. 

Updates to this information will continue to be available at www.asurams.edu/campusupdate for your review.

Finally, I encourage everyone to revitalize and reenergize this summer before our campus transitions to a new normal this fall. Please do not underestimate the impact of the isolation, stress, and uncertainty that the global pandemic had on our emotional and mental health. Take time to conduct a wellness check for yourself and engage in self-care in the weeks ahead of the fall semester. There are resources available to assist you through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-844-243-4440. If you have questions regarding the program, don't hesitate to contact Human Resources at (229) 500-2026 or hrasu@asurams.edu. 

I value you and your opinions. You are the reason our students choose to attend ASU. If you want to reach me directly to provide feedback, please email me at marion.fedrick@asurams.edu. 

Yours for ASU,

Marion Ross Fedrick

President