A Message from the President – COVID-19 Update #5

Due to the continuation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and subsequent guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies, Florida Atlantic University will transition to temporary remote work for most personnel no later than the close of regular business hours Wednesday, March 18. Units should begin making preparations for this transition immediately, and where possible may begin implementation before Wednesday.

This applies to all university employees, except those designated by their supervisor as performing necessary services that will remain operational until further notice.

The University is and will remain open during this time. While we encourage every employee who can to work from home, certain employees will be required to be on campus to support academics, research, student services, public safety, university facilities, and other areas. The definitions of the positions that may work remotely are subject to change as more information becomes available.

A remote working environment is anticipated to continue until at least Monday, March 30, however, personnel may be recalled prior. Expect further updates regarding how long we will operate in this status.

During this time, and where possible, supervisors will work with their teams to structure remote work environments so university operations can continue as efficiently as possible. For supervisors, this means providing guidance and setting expectations for remote work, which will include, but is not necessarily limited to, assignments, the fulfillment of duties, and work hours. All employees who access university technology systems remotely must remain connected to secured systems and follow all university policies related to access, data security, and data confidentiality.

If employees are in roles that do not traditionally accommodate remote work, supervisors will assign other work, projects or professional development that can be performed remotely to the maximum extent possible. Supervisors may contact the university’s Human Resources Department for assistance.

Employees who are not able to do their work remotely because the work requires their physical presence on campus are asked to work with their colleagues and supervisors to devise suitable solutions that support social distancing. Supervisors may consider rotating shifts and modified hours to enable employees to work at different times or to otherwise provide arrangements that will increase social distancing. Flexibility and creativity are encouraged.

During this time of remote working, all staff must be available to report for work at short notice unless they have taken approved accrued leave. An employee who is unable to satisfy this requirement or work remotely because of a family care or other issue may use accrued leave or leave without pay, to account for time away from work, with his/her supervisor’s approval. Supervisors should remain flexible and sensitive to the extraordinary personal challenges that everyone is facing now in approving all leave requests.

It is important to note that the university has not been informed of any positive cases of the virus that directly involve FAU students, faculty or staff. However, the university is implementing these steps to promote social distancing, which the CDC and other experts believe is vital to prevent the spread of the virus. For more information about social distancing, and for up-to-date information about the constantly changing situation related to the coronavirus pandemic and university operations, please visit the FAU’s dedicated COVID-19 website.

 Please remember, if you are feeling unwell, and especially if you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, please seek medical attention as soon as you can.

I am confident you will do everything possible to help FAU remain operational and continue to serve our students during this period of change.

 

Best,

John Kelly

President

Posted in Faculty Announcements, Staff Announcements, Student Announcements