Date: February 4, 2021
From: Lisa Brommer and Rick Culliton
Subject: Information for Returning to Work on Campus
Dear colleagues,
Welcome to the spring semester. Tomorrow, students will begin arriving back in Middletown. After consulting with public health officials and carefully reviewing and refining our health and safety protocols, we believe we have a clear plan for students to safely return to campus. As always, we will rely on all students, faculty, and staff to do their part in following safety guidelines at all times throughout the semester to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Because the COVID positivity rate in Connecticut and across the United States is higher than when we began the fall, we will need everyone’s renewed attention to these guidelines.
Employees should continue to consult with their Cabinet members on work plans. Staff who need to request special consideration due to medical conditions, childcare, or other concerns, should complete the Special Considerations form.
While some employees have been here for weeks preparing for the new semester—and others never left—we know many of you are now planning your return to working on campus. Below are some important reminders:
- Regular testing schedules for employees will resume between February 9 and 19 depending upon when your work returns you to campus. Testing appointments must be scheduled in advance through the online booking app. As a reminder, on-campus testing is open to employees and students only. If you are experiencing symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to COVID, you should not come to campus but should instead get tested at a local urgent care facility or drug store.
- Faculty and staff who are working remotely, with only occasional brief visits to campus, are not required to be tested. If they haven’t already, they should fill out the “COVID-19 Testing Opt-Out” form in their WesPortal, under the “COVID-19 Resources” bucket.
- On any day they come to work on campus, faculty and staff must check in and affirm they have no symptoms of COVID or illness in general via the form in their WesPortal.
- Finally, please review the Community Agreement, which outlines measures that all faculty, staff, and students are expected to follow to promote the health and safety of the community.
Thank you for your efforts toward a successful semester. We look forward to seeing many of you around campus!
Sincerely,
Lisa Brommer
Associate Vice President for Human Resources
Rick Culliton
Chair, Pandemic Planning Committee