As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I want to draw your attention to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Executive Order 20-83, which was issued yesterday. The university strongly encourages all applicable students and employees to take note of this order.

The order, in part, urges persons over age 65 and those of any age with serious underlying medical conditions that place them at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 to stay home. Should you fall into one or both of these categories and are not already working from home, please inform your supervisor immediately so alternative working arrangements can be made.

Supervisors should work with any such employees in their areas to immediately complete and implement an Alternative Work Arrangement. If the employee’s duties cannot be performed remotely, supervisors should contact FAU Human Resources immediately. The department can be reached by calling 561-297-3076.

You can review the governor’s executive orders as they are posted online by clicking here.

I also would like to mention that our Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Compliance (EIC) remains open and operational remotely. Maintaining our programs and activities free from unlawful discrimination remains a priority for the university. Information on the university’s discrimination regulation and sexual misconduct policies and procedures can be found here. Our online reporting form can be accessed here.

As we move through our second week of remote learning and our first full week of remote working, I would like to express my gratitude for the efforts everyone is making to help university operations continue during this unprecedented time in our history. Your dedication, adaptability, and creativity exemplify the spirit of FAU.

We will stay in touch regularly because “We are in this together.” To see how we are coming together as a university virtually, please watch our newest video.

If you are feeling unwell, and especially if you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, please seek medical attention immediately.

If you receive a positive test result, all students must notify Student Health Services as soon as possible. The number is 561-297-3512 (after hours, please select option 3). All faculty and staff must notify Human Resources. The department can be reached by calling 561-297-3076 or by email at gzaidman@fau.edu. Your supervisor also should be notified.

Lastly, please practice social distancing, and regularly check our dedicated COVID-19 website for updates.

Best,

John Kelly

President

Based on the feedback I’ve received so far, the FAU community is coming together to maintain normal operations as much as possible during this unprecedented time of remote learning and remote working. Such positive reactions are exactly what I would expect from our dedicated faculty, students and staff.

Regarding working from home, all staff who are or will be working remotely, whether exclusively or partially, must complete a COVID-19 Alternative Work Arrangement form in consultation with their supervisor. This form is required for the university to properly document each position that temporarily will be performed from an alternative site because of the COVID-19 emergency.

The form is found in Workday. In your search bar type create request. In the next search box type COVID to locate the form titled COVID-19 Alternate Work Arrangement — Self Report. Please confirm the arrangements with your supervisor and complete and submit the form as soon as possible.

More information about remote work and answers to some of your questions are available here: fau.edu/coronavirus/faq.

As another reminder, when you come to campus, the practice of social distancing is a vital component in the overall efforts to help prevent community spread of COVID-19. Please review our dedicated COVID-19 website for more information.

Please remember, if you are feeling unwell, and especially if you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, seek medical attention immediately. Anyone who tests positive must follow the requirements of self-quarantine.

If you receive a positive test result, all students must notify Student Health Services as soon as possible. The number is 561-297-3512 (after hours, please select option 3). All faculty and staff must notify Human Resources. The department can be reached by calling 561-297-3076 or by email at gzaidman@fau.edu. Your supervisor also should be notified.

Thank you for your commitment and cooperation during this challenging time.

Best,

John Kelly

President

As the university transitions to a period of remote working, for those of you who still need to come to our campuses, either periodically or regularly, I can’t stress strongly enough the importance of social distancing.

This practice is a vital component of the overall efforts to help prevent community spread of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published guidelines of what social distancing means. Please visit our dedicated COVID-19 website to stay up to date. This website also includes a host of other resources.

I also would like to remind everyone that students, faculty and staff returning from international travel must self-quarantine. This includes cruises. It is everyone’s responsibility to help prevent the spread of this coronavirus, so please review these requirements.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s update, the State University System of Florida Board of Governors has directed state universities to cancel the traditional on-campus commencement ceremonies scheduled to be held in May. Instead, each university will develop alternate schedules or methods of delivery for these commencement ceremonies.

I want to reiterate that all students and their families who were scheduled to graduate in May will be given the opportunity to participate in a future commencement ceremony when it is safe to do so. This is very important to me, and while we must make adjustments during this time, I do not want anyone to be denied this opportunity.

In other updates, the university’s libraries have changed their operating hours. All libraries are now closed except for certain computer and study labs.

On the Boca Raton campus, the Hillel Center computer lab all-night study area (room LY 3A) remains open. This lab is adjacent to the library and is accessible to all students with card swipe.

In Jupiter, the study space (room LIB 105A) adjacent to the John D. MacArthur Campus Library is available 24 hours a day via card swipe. Twenty-six computers are available.

On our Davie campus, the Student Union computer lab (room SD 101F) is open as follows: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Friday; noon – 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

In Fort Lauderdale, the student lounge (room HE 610) in the FAU/BC Higher Education Complex, is open as follows: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday and Noon – 4:30 p.m. Friday. The Broward County main library is open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

At FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce, the study space in Link 108G is available from 6 a.m. – midnight seven days a week via card access only.

Also, our dining halls have adjusted operations. To promote social distancing, the dining halls will only serve take-out meals. In-dining seating is no longer available until further notice. Dining Hall hours on the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses are as follows: Monday to Friday — 7:30 to 10 a.m. for breakfast; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch; 4 to 8 p.m. for dinner. Saturday and Sunday — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch and 3 to 8 p.m. for dinner.

Some food-service venues in the Food Court remain open. Starbucks and Outtakes are open 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Friday. Wendy’s and Pollo Tropical are open 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Friday. Subway, adjacent to FAU Stadium, is open 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. All these venues are closed during weekends. Like the dining halls, these venues are open only for take-out. No in-dining seating is available.

Please remember, if you are feeling unwell, and especially if you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, seek medical attention immediately. Anyone who tests positive must follow the requirements of self-quarantine.

If you receive a positive test result, all students must notify Student Health Services as soon as possible. The number is 561-297-3512 (after hours, please select option 3). All faculty and staff must notify Human Resources. The department can be reached by calling 561-297-3076 or by email at gzaidman@fau.edu. Your supervisor also should be notified.

Best,

John Kelly

President

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