HR News

Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community:

The start of every new semester brings with it excitement and anticipation.  This year, those emotions are heightened and for some include anxiety associated with a return to campus life during the COVID health emergency. Excitement and anxiety are both equally valid emotions during this extraordinary time.

As we look to next week and a return to campus for the majority of our residential population, the diligence and resilience of those already on campus—our student-athletes, our quarantining first year students and so many of our faculty and staff—give us a reason for optimism. That is because they have set a standard and an example for the heightened compassion and respect and grace toward others that will be so necessary of the entire campus community as we move forward together to re-start residential campus life at Syracuse University.

In that spirit, we offer important updates on the following topics:

For Our Community

• Wear your mask!
• COVID Dashboard
• Lubin House Temporarily Closed
• Weekly Roundup Virtual Update Session
• Call for Volunteers

For Students and Families

• Residential Move-In
• Barnes Center Fall
• Important Testing Reminder
• Bookstore Pick-Up and Delivery Options
• Fall 2020 Housing FAQs
• Stay Safe Pledge

For Faculty and Staff

• Flexible Work Policy
• Labor Day Schedule
• Service Provider and Vendor Access
• Promoting Academic Integrity
• Course Development Support
• Reminder from the CTLE

For Our Community:

Wear Your Mask!: As more and more members of our community arrive on campus, I want to remind you of our mask policy: Syracuse University requires face masks or face coverings for all students, faculty, staff and visitors while on campus and in public settings—indoors and outdoors.

COVID Dashboard: Syracuse University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is now online, providing the community with a snapshot of important public health statistics. The data will be updated every Tuesday (and more often as the situation warrants) and reflects new, active and recovered cases as well as the number of tests administered on campus. The dashboard includes all positive cases associated with the University, whether located in Central New York or outside of Central New York.

Lubin House Temporarily Closed: Due to the ongoing restrictions around density reduction, social distancing and other public health guidelines, Lubin House in New York City will be temporarily closed. No overnight stays, events, classes, lectures or gatherings will be permitted for the foreseeable future. We hope to reopen Lubin House just as soon as it’s safe and appropriate to do so. We will keep our community updated.

SU Safe Weekly Roundup Virtual Update Session: Those with an syr.edu email account are invited to join us on Zoom later today from 1 to 2 p.m. ET for my final weekly virtual update discussion. This week, I’ll be joined by Carrie Grogan Abbott, director of first-year and transfer programs; Joe Hernon, director of emergency management and business continuity; Chris Johnson, associate provost for academic affairs; Amanda Nicholson, interim deputy senior vice president in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience; Ramesh Raina, interim vice president for research; and J. Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The discussion will focus on public health and safety protocols, the student experience, student behavior and expectations, and reopening to residential learning. For those unable to participate live, the link to the video will be posted on Syracuse.edu/Fall2020.

Call for Volunteers for Syracuse Welcome: Faculty and staff are invited to help welcome first-year and transfer students during Syracuse Welcome, Monday, Aug. 17, to Sunday, Aug. 23. Volunteers are needed to work alongside the Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs, from supporting central check-in and testing at Skytop to greeting and wayfinding at residence halls. Those interested in volunteering are asked to reserve volunteer date(s) and time(s).

For Students and Families:

Residential Student Move-In Next Week: In a few short days, Syracuse University will begin welcoming students for move-in and, for our new students, Syracuse Welcome, Syracuse University’s orientation program. New students living on campus will be moving in Aug. 17-20, and returning students will move in Aug. 20–23. All students will check-in at the Syracuse Welcome Check-in Center located at Skytop Parking Lot to go through check-in procedures, including to verify pre-arrival testing and participate in an on-site COVID screening, before being cleared to move into their residence hall or South Campus apartment. This year, the move-in period was also extended to reduce density and support physical distancing.

Barnes Center at The Arch Services: In preparation for the Fall 2020 opening, the Barnes Center at The Arch has announced important updates related to its services, hours and processes to further support the health, safety and well-being of all campus community members. Detailed information is available on the Barnes Center Fall 2020 website, including facilities and hours. Outlined below are a few highlights:

• Recreation: To expand offerings, the Barnes Center will be launching an outdoor cardio and weights area near the Women’s Building, and weekend Outdoor Adventure trips, all at locations in Central New York, have been increased. Outdoor fitness classes will also be added to the many virtual fitness opportunities. In accordance with New York State executive orders, indoor gym facilities cannot open during this time. As such, cardio equipment, weight rooms, basketball courts, track and gymnasiums in the Barnes Center cannot be used. The pool, climbing wall and esports room all remain available and can be reserved through the Wellness Portal.
• Health Care: Beginning Aug. 17, health care services (including the pharmacy) will be available seven days a week. Appointments should be made by calling 315.443.8000. Drop-in hours will not be offered.
• Counseling: Zoom, phone and in-person appointments will be available. Appointments should be made by calling 315.443.8000. Drop-in hours will not be offered; however, a limited number of same-day appointments will be available.
• Health Promotion and Mindfulness: The Crowley Family MindSpa will remain open, with added sanitization measures in place, and be available to reserve through the Wellness Portal. In-person pet therapy will not be offered this fall. Educational offerings will occur virtually and in-person, including the Wellness Leadership Institute and Health Hub.
• Confidential support remains available 24-hours a day, seven days a week for students experiencing a mental health crisis, seeking support for sexual and relationship violence, or needing medical consultation by calling the Barnes Center at 315.443.8000.

Important Reminder about COVID Testing: All Syracuse University undergraduate and graduate students are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result before returning to campus (moving into on-campus housing or returning for in-person classes). This includes students who live off campus. To comply with the pre-arrival testing requirement, students generally have two options: 1) Participate in the at-home COVID test program offered by Syracuse University by visiting the LetsGetChecked COVID testing portal and requesting a home test kit; after you submit your test, your results will be automatically submitted to the Barnes Center at The Arch. 2) Arrange to be tested in your local community and provide the University your test results. To submit your test results to the University, visit the Student Patient Portal, log in using your SU NetID and password, click “Upload Forms,” select “COVID-19 Documents,” and follow the upload instructions. To learn more about testing, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Bookstore to Offer Pick-up and Delivery Options for Textbooks and Course Materials: The Syracuse University Bookstore is asking students to place their orders for textbooks and course materials online, as physical access to the store will be limited at the start of the fall semester. Ordering online will be the quickest and easiest option for students to receive their materials. Bookstore staff will establish an online ordering pick-up location outside of the store and will also offer free delivery to all on-campus locations, including South Campus. Students living off campus can also request delivery of their materials, offered at a flat low-cost shipping rate.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fall 2020 Housing: The Housing, Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services Office has received a high volume of questions from students and families about how decisions about distance learning or quarantine requirements for Fall 2020 will affect their billing, roommate selection and housing assignments. To address these concerns, a new Housing section has been added to the Fall 2020 FAQ page.

Stay Safe Pledge: As a reminder, students and families received the Stay Safe Pledge, a campus commitment to protecting the health and safety of all Orange community members. The pledge outlines the practices students will be expected to uphold to keep themselves and the Orange community healthy and safe from the spread of COVID-19. Students are encouraged to review and commit to the pledge prior to their arrival in the fall. If students cannot abide by the practices in this pledge, they are encouraged to study remotely. Whether or not a student takes the pledge, failure to comply with the directives may result in a referral to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR) for violation of the Code of Student Conduct and subsequent sanctions.

For Faculty and Staff:

Updated Staff Flexible Work Policy and Form: To support flexible work arrangements for eligible staff that can help reduce office density and further enhance the safety of the campus workplace, the Office of Human Resources has updated its Flexible Work Policy and will continue to partner with leadership from schools, colleges and administrative units to approve and document such arrangements. Read more on SU News.

Changes to Academic Calendar and Faculty and Staff Working on Labor Day: With classes scheduled for Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 7) due to our revised academic calendar for the Fall 2020 semester, the Office of Human Resources has instructed each school, college and administrative unit to determine plans for staffing on the University holiday. Faculty who teach courses on Mondays are expected to hold classes online and in-person as they would any other week, and school, college or unit leaders will notify staff members who support the academic experience that they may also be required to work. Read more on SU News.

Service Provider and Vendor Access to Campus: Service provider, vendor and visitor access to campus will be restricted during the fall semester to support the University’s efforts to provide a safe and healthy campus. Service providers, vendors and individuals conducting business with a University office/department must only be allowed to access University buildings, when necessary, to provide essential support for University operations. Their access must be approved in advance by the relevant dean, director or unit leader (or their designee).

Package deliveries, including deliveries from FedEx and UPS, will continue to be re-directed to the Hawkins Warehouse. Facilities Services will deliver the packages from Hawkins to their specific on-campus delivery locations and also pick up outgoing mail and packages from building mailrooms and mailboxes.

Departments and University personnel coordinating to have an on-campus visit(s) by a service provider, vendor or other individual conducting scheduled business with a University office/department, are asked to:

• Obtain dean, director, or unit leader (or their designee) approval prior to authorizing a service provider, vendor, or individual conducting business at the University to come on campus. For research laboratories, the principal investigator must also authorize their visit.
• Schedule the on-campus visit(s) by the service provider, vendor or individual conducting business at the University in advance of their planned arrival on campus.
• Advise the service provider, vendor or individual conducting business at the University of their obligation to complete the University’s COVID-19 Safety Certification for Service Providers and Vendors form.
• Confirm the service provider, vendor or individual conducting business at the University has completed a COVID-19 Safety Certification before their arrival to campus. A copy of the submitted certification form will be emailed to Purchasing and to the University contact email they enter on the form.

To learn more, contact the Purchasing Department or visit the Environmental Health and Safety website.

Promoting Academic Integrity: In the interest of promoting academic integrity, CTLE and CLASS have developed a set of quick steps we urge faculty and instructors to take now using the Reviewing your syllabus for effective online assessment page in Answers. Promoting academic integrity effectively does not require a large investment of time up front. The key is reviewing your syllabus now to ensure you have sufficient flexibility and opportunity to address academic integrity throughout the upcoming semester. Additional recommendations for Promoting Academic Integrity in the Classroom during the semester are available on the CLASS website.

Faculty Course Development Support: For support with instructional design, content production, video recording and customization of your Blackboard course space and more, you can take advantage of the Blackboard Course Transition Services. To request assistance or find out more information, please fill out the Fall Course Development form. Please also remember these online coaching and consultation opportunities:

• NEW: PlayPosit Training (multiple times available)
• Teaching and Technology Tuesdays (Tuesdays at noon ET)
• Zoom Training: Teaching with Zoom (multiple times available)
• Kaltura Training Sessions (multiple times available)

We are also offering the Faculty Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Workshop Series (asynchronous):

• Identifying and Reducing Implicit Bias in Pedagogical Decision-Making
• Establishing Civility and Positive Climate in Your Teaching Environment
• Problematizing Identity and Intersectionality on the College Campus
• Transparent Teaching: An Evidence-Based Inclusive Practice
• Navigating Challenges of Diversity in the Classroom

Reminder from the CTLE: As faculty prepare for and begin teaching this fall in new modalities, they will face new challenges. Some of their plans will succeed beyond their wildest dreams. Some will fall short of the imagined best scenario. Regardless of outcome, the CTLE team is available to listen, operate as a sounding board, make suggestions and share your amazing ideas—with credit of course. It’s not too late to bounce a new idea off of the CTLE team or to revise a plan. Email them at help@syr.edu.

I remain deeply grateful to the thousands of faculty, staff and administrators who have worked so hard to prepare Syracuse University to welcome thousands of new and returning students to what many believe is among the most beautiful college campuses in the country. And we can’t wait to welcome our students, to see you in person, and to support you in achieving your academic and personal aspirations as part of our Orange family.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

The Office of Human Resources (HR) has worked diligently to bring faculty and staff members back to the campus work environment since early June. While the University has gone to great lengths to ensure the campus workplace is as safe as possible in the face of the COVID-19 health emergency, it also recognizes the need to continue to support flexible work arrangements for benefits-eligible staff under certain circumstances—including arrangements that support reduced office density and enhance the safety of the campus workplace.

To that end, HR has updated their Flexible Work Policy and documentation process to allow for even greater flexibility for staff members in support of the Return to Campus Plan for Faculty and Staff. HR will continue to partner with leadership from schools, colleges and administrative units to approve and document flexible work arrangements for eligible staff members, including:

• Flextime/staggered shifts
• Remote work (in full or for partial days/weeks)
• Compressed work schedules
• Alternate-day arrangements

Please note that the availability of flexible work arrangements varies widely by school, unit and position based on business and operational needs and approvals are made at the discretion of a staff member’s supervisor and senior leader.

Staff members who would like to request a flexible work arrangement should initiate the conversation with their immediate supervisor, who will collaborate with senior leadership and their senior HR business partner.

Due to the extraordinary circumstances of the Fall 2020 semester, the University is operating under a revised academic calendar that includes holding classes on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 7, 2020). Faculty members who hold classes on Mondays are expected to conduct in-person and online classes as they would any other week.

That said, Labor Day continues to be a paid University holiday. The Office of Human Resources has asked each school, college and unit to identify the level of staff needed to support classes being held on Monday, Sept. 7, and notify staff accordingly about expected work schedules. Exempt staff members who work on Labor Day will be allowed a different day off and non-exempt staff members who work that day will receive holiday pay (or overtime pay if applicable).

Staff members with questions about their work schedule should contact their immediate supervisor. Faculty can reach out to their deans for further guidance.

In light of COVID-19 relief rules recently issued by the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Labor, and guidance issued by the University’s insurance carriers, certain employee and retiree benefit notice, election and claims deadlines have been extended.

Notifications include:

• Extension of special enrollment deadlines for group health plans;
• Extension of the 2019 health and dependent care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) deadlines;
• 2020 mid-year FSA election changes and increase in carryover amounts;
• 2020 FSA reimbursement of over-the-counter medicines and menstrual care products;
• Extended plan claim and appeal deadlines under the University’s group health and disability plans;
• Premium payment relief for certain employees and former employees enrolled in group life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), as well as an extension of deadlines to request rights or benefits under the plan; and
• Extension of the COBRA election deadline, COBRA premium payment deadline and the deadline for qualifying event and disability notices.

View the Human Resources COVID-19 Benefit Notifications webpage for further information. If you have any questions on how these notifications may apply to your specific situation, contact HR Shared Services at hrservice@syr.edu or 315.443.4042.

Syracuse University Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation Mike Haynie is hosting a series of weekly virtual update sessions to assist University community members in preparing for the Fall 2020 semester. A new video will be added each week through August 14.

Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community:

Earlier today, the State of New York announced the addition of three states, Illinois, Kentucky and Minnesota, as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, to the New York State Department of Health’s existing travel advisory and quarantine order.

Today’s announcement expands the list of travel advisory states to 34, increasing the number of Syracuse University students who must quarantine for 14 days in New York State (or in another non-travel advisory state) prior to the start of the semester. We anticipate this list to continue to evolve as COVID-19 cases spike in various regions.

This latest news is yet another reminder of the fluid and rapidly changing circumstances the global pandemic is creating. We are working quickly to determine how many students are impacted and how the University may be able to support them in achieving the quarantine requirement.

We are sensitive to the enormous stress and anxiety caused by the ever-shifting circumstances. We hope to have more information to share with you, and more specifically, the students and families from the states added to the travel advisory, as soon as possible.

As a reminder, please be sure to visit Syracuse.edu/fall2020 for the latest on our planning efforts.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Amanda Nicholson
Interim Deputy Senior Vice President, Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience

Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community:

A short time ago, the State of New York announced the addition of 10 states to the New York State Department of Health’s existing travel advisory and quarantine order.

Specifically, the states added to the travel advisory today include Alaska, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia and Washington; one state (Minnesota) was removed from the list. This is in addition to the states already included in the order: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.

Today’s announcement expands the list of travel advisory states to 31 and significantly expands the number of Syracuse University students who—as a requirement of the New York State Department of Health—must quarantine for 14 days in New York State (or in another non-travel advisory state) prior to the start of the semester.

As we have said previously, we expect this list to continue to evolve in the weeks to come. We recognize that for our students and their families in these newly added states, planning for the return to campus just became significantly more challenging. Please know that we continue to engage with New York officials—alongside many of our peer colleges and universities statewide—to advocate for safe alternatives to the existing 14-day self-quarantine requirement.

We will share more detailed information on quarantine options for this expanded population of impacted students as soon as possible. In the meantime, Syracuse University will continue to do everything it can to support the safe return of all our students to campus. We remain chiefly focused on safeguarding the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and our neighbors throughout the Central New York region.

Sincerely,
J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Amanda Nicholson
Interim Deputy Senior Vice President

Staff and faculty are invited to attend a virtual event to learn about what student services, resources, spaces and activities will look like for the Fall 2020 semester as new health and safety guidelines are in place for COVID-19.

The “Fall 2020: What to Expect for Student Engagement Symposium” will be held Wednesday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is required. Those interested in attending must register by the end of the day on Monday, July 27. Live closed captioning will be provided.

The event will be recorded and available later for viewing.

The symposium will provide staff and faculty with information on changes to student-facing services pertaining to COVID-19 and the expectations for creating a safe and healthy community.

The symposium was organized by the training group members of the Student Engagement and Experience subcommittee, one of nine subcommittees formed as part of the Fall 2020 Open Working Group to ensure a safe and smooth return to residential instruction for the entire campus community.

The subcommittee is led by Amanda Nicholson, interim deputy senior vice president in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, and Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, with Meredith Davis, associate vice president for student engagement, and Cory Wallack, Barnes Center at The Arch executive director.

Representatives from student-facing units and services will take part in the symposium, including the Barnes Center at The Arch, Food Services, the Office of Student Living, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, and the Office of Student Activities.

“The ultimate goal of the symposium is for people to get a glimpse into the shift of services, programs, resources and spaces available for students as we prepare for the Fall 2020 semester in this time of COVID-19,” Davis says. “The subcommittee has been working since the spring on the policies, spaces and training necessary to bring students back together safely and still have a valuable on-campus student experience.”

The symposium topics are:

• 10 a.m.: Health Guidelines and Testing for Students
• 10:30 a.m.: Student Events and Programs
  • Student Centers
  • Student Activities
  • Fraternity and Sorority Affairs
  • The Student Dining Experience
• 11 a.m.: Health Services and Recreation
• 11:30 a.m.: Residential Experience
• Noon: Social Compact/ Dean of Students Office

Each session will last thirty minutes, with time for questions and answers from participants.

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families,

This is a critical time of preparation as many faculty and staff return to campus this summer, and as we plan to welcome back thousands of students next month. You will continue to see evidence of the work being done by teams across campus to implement new policies and procedures to ensure the safety and well-being of our campus community. This work is often made more complicated by the evolving nature of the global pandemic, and as we receive new recommendations from public health authorities and government officials. We will continue to adapt our planning efforts in response to this dynamic environment.

I’ve heard from many of you related to our operations and plans to reopen Syracuse University safely. It is right and expected that many members of our campus community will continue to have questions about our plans for the fall. It’s also true that our community is uniquely positioned to contribute valuable insights related to our planning and preparedness. For that reason, beginning this week and extending throughout the remainder of the summer, we’ll be hosting weekly virtual update sessions, where you can ask questions and offer feedback in real time. More information on these update sessions is below. I’m very much looking forward to engaging with our campus community in this way.

Today’s campus update includes new information related to our ongoing planning for the fall, and policies and resources relevant to faculty, staff and students throughout the summer and beyond.

For Our Community:

• SU Safe Weekly Roundup Virtual Update Sessions
• New York State Travel Restrictions
• Daily Health Screening Questionnaire Requirement
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Cleaning Supply Request Guidelines Available
• Mask Guidance for Individuals with Disabilities

For Students and Families:

• Updated COVID Testing Information
• New Parent and Families Virtual SUmmer Series

For Faculty and Staff:

• Fall Course Preparation Resources, Services and Tools for Faculty
• Phase Three Return to Work Underway

For Our Community

SU Safe Weekly Roundup Virtual Update Sessions: Starting this Friday, July 10, I will host “SU Safe Weekly Roundup,” a series of weekly virtual update sessions to assist University community members in preparing for the Fall 2020 semester. The hourlong Zoom sessions will be held on Fridays from 1 to 2 p.m. and will feature myself and other University leaders and subject matter experts speaking on such issues as public health, the student experience, teaching, learning and researching during a pandemic. These meetings seek to provide clarity on the path forward to in-person instruction for the Fall 2020 semester; answer questions and address concerns of community members about returning to campus; and to receive feedback and suggestions. The meetings will be captioned and will run in a “webinar” format. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions via the chat function. The sessions will run weekly from July 10 through Aug. 14, and can be accessed through this link using an syr.edu email account. Each session is limited to 500 attendees. For those unable to participate live, the link to the video will be posted on Syracuse.edu/Fall2020 and on the University’s campus social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter.

New York State Travel Restrictions: On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that three more states have been added to the previously announced travel restrictions. Individuals traveling to Central New York from 19 states experiencing high infection rates of COVID-19 will be expected to self-quarantine for 14 days. This action, announced in partnership with the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut, will impact how Syracuse University accommodates students, faculty, staff and others traveling to campus from other states around the country. This restriction currently applies to individuals traveling to Syracuse from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and share more information on this subject once New York State provides additional detail.

Daily Health Screening Questionnaire Requirement: To comply with New York State requirements, anyone coming to campus for work or research (including faculty, staff and students) must complete an online Daily Health Screening Questionnaire prior to arriving on campus each day. The questionnaire has two questions related to exposure to and symptoms of COVID-19. Within the questionnaire, instructions are provided as to how those working on campus should proceed if they, or any member of their household, has been directed to self-isolate or quarantine or they are experiencing symptoms. Faculty and staff who have returned to campus will also receive reminder emails to complete the questionnaire on a daily basis.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Cleaning Supply Request Guidelines Available: As more faculty and staff return to the campus workplace over the summer and the University prepares for fall reopening, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety Services has released new guidelines for requesting PPE and cleaning supplies, including masks, disinfectants and hand sanitizer. Schools, colleges and departments are encouraged to compile their initial COVID-19 supply needs and make one request via the COVID-19 supply request form. The request should be made by a dean, senior leader or their designee with leadership approval. We ask that you do not stockpile supplies and request only what is needed. Schools, colleges and departments are encouraged to follow guidelines and request only what is needed for the resumption of on-campus operations this summer and the initial campus reopening in August (not the entire Fall 2020 semester). More supplies can be requested, especially as supply chain availability improves. Excessive requests will be flagged for review by University leadership. Visit news.syr.edu for additional information and resources.

Mask Guidance for Individuals with Disabilities: Wearing a face mask may be difficult for some people with a disability. The Southeast ADA Center and the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University have released guidance offering answers to questions about the issue of face mask policies; reasons why a person with a disability might not be able to wear a face mask; information on the legal rights a person has under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and a listing of reasonable modifications that businesses and government agencies may make in their face mask policy to accommodate an individual with a disability. The Southeast ADA Center and BBI’s ADA and Face Mask Policies brief is available online.

For Students and Families

Updated Testing Information: As detailed in prior messages, Syracuse University plans to test all returning students for COVID-19 at the start of the semester. The plan for testing all student upon arrival remains unchanged. However, we want to make students and families aware that we are enhancing our testing program to add a pre-travel testing requirement. Specifically, given the increasingly availability of COVID testing in communities across the U.S., Syracuse University will require that all students be tested for COVID-19 before traveling to campus in August. We are incorporating this enhancement to our testing program based on recommendations of public health experts, and given ongoing consultation with peer institutions in New York state and across the U.S. The University will provide additional details in the coming weeks, related to how soon (prior to travel) this test should be accomplished and how to document a negative test result with the University prior to travel.

New Parent and Families Virtual SUmmer Series: The Parent and Family Services Office has organized a series of live Zoom sessions to provide new parents and families with information on multiple facets of the student experience, as well as share how to support a student transitioning to college life. Each session will cover a specific topic area and feature staff who will present and answer attendees’ questions on their respective topic. Topics covered include homesickness, healthy relationships, resiliency and more. Each live session is 7 to 8 p.m. ET and most will be recorded for future viewing. New parents and family members can learn more about each session and register on the Virtual SUmmer Series page.

For Faculty and Staff

Fall Course Preparation Resources, Services and Tools for Faculty: All faculty teaching this fall are highly encouraged to utilize the University’s suite of Fall Course Transition Services. No matter what format will be required, you can plan for a successful semester and get a running start on the first two weeks of classes. Use the Fall 2020 Preparedness Checklist as a starting point, then consult the Fall 2020 Align Your Course for Any Format for helpful resources on designing objectives, assessments, assignments, weekly activities and running class sections in a mixed formats. If you teach a large course session with TAs, consider working with them now to begin planning for their fall sessions as well. The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Online Learning Services and the Center for Online and Digital Learning can help—complete the brief Fall Course Development Form to get started.

Phase Three Return to Work Underway: For those involved in Phase Three of the University’s Return to Campus Plan for Faculty and Staff, the Wellness Initiative has compiled a list of mental and emotional well-being resources to facilitate a smooth transition. And please remember to complete your Daily Health Screening Questionnaire each day before you leave home.

The Wellness Initiative invites faculty and staff to register for the Real Food Challenge. The challenge runs from July 13-31 and involves each day swapping one fake food (heavily processed, packaged foods containing chemicals and additives) for one real food (any food that is minimally processed or not processed at all). Replacing fake food with real food provides your body with the nutrients to sustain a healthy weight, healthy mind and healthy brain function.

And registration is open for the THRIVE! series sessions “Working with Worry” (July 21 from noon to 1 p.m. or July 22 from 1 to 2 p.m.) and “Real Time Resilience” (July 28 from noon to 1 p.m. or July 29 from 1 to 2 p.m.). Sessions are offered via Zoom.

Thank you for remaining attentive to the evolving situation, as external forces continue to have an impact on our planning and procedures. We continue to add resources in programming and services to ensure a smooth transition for return to campus for the thousands of students, faculty and staff who truly define the Syracuse University experience both in-class and online. We will keep you informed through these updates.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

Anyone coming to campus for work or research (including faculty, staff and students) must complete an online Daily Health Screening Questionnaire prior to arriving on campus each day.

The online questionnaire is secure, HIPAA-compliant, and includes just two questions related to exposure to and symptoms of COVID-19. The questionnaire must be done before coming to campus. Within the questionnaire, instructions are provided as to how those working on campus should proceed if:

they, or any member of their household, has been directed to self-isolate or quarantine due to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 exposure; or
they have a temperature or are otherwise experiencing symptoms.
Completing this mandatory online Daily Health Screening Questionnaire is not only a New York State requirement, but the right thing to do for the health and safety of everyone on campus.

For easy daily access, bookmark the Daily Health Screening Questionnaire on your computer or mobile device. Faculty and staff who have returned to campus will also receive reminder emails to complete the questionnaire on a daily basis.