Updated July 1, 2020, to reflect the University's Facial Covering Requirement, which goes into effect Monday, July 6.
Dear Campus Community,
With this announcement, we look forward to transitioning the entire MSU community to on-campus work schedules. We appreciate everyone’s attention and adherence to the items in this letter. While some of these measures may at first seem inconvenient, they are critical to our continued health and safety. These measures will allow us to establish a culture of health and safety over the summer months as we prepare for an in-person fall semester for our students.
We also welcome your suggestions as we work as a community to identify areas for improvement and make any necessary adjustments for the fall.
Beginning June 15, MSU will move from Phase I (Shelter in Place) to Phase II (Restricted Campus). Phase II is where MSU operations, where practical, are conducted in-person. Instruction continues to be offered remotely. During Phase II, the campus will observe the following:
- Beginning July 6, 2020, and continuing until further notice, MSU Texas is implementing a mandatory facial covering requirement for our campus community.
- Employees should avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 individuals; group size limits are subject to change in accordance with state and local guidelines. Group meetings and conferences should be conducted virtually.
- Maintain social distancing, to the greatest extent possible, of 6 feet between individuals.
- Any employee who believes their workspace does not provide for adequate social distancing of 6 feet should contact their supervisor, Human Resources, or the respective Vice President.
- Retail spaces, such as dining facilities and the MSU Bookstore, may operate at 50% of established occupancy.
- Some facilities have specialized plans, consistent with the Governor’s Strike Force and CDC recommendations, such as the Wellness Center, Athletic Facilities, and Housing and Dining Facilities.
- During the week of June 1, essential employees as listed on the March 26 communication, who have not already done so, should transition to working full time on-campus or speak with their supervisor if that is not yet possible.
- Faculty may continue to access campus as coordinated with their respective department chair and dean.
- By Monday, June 15, the following employees should transition to full-time on-campus: coordinators, managers, specialists, assistant directors, associate directors, and the support staff for these offices.
- By Monday, June 29, all remaining employees should transition to working full-time on-campus.
- Prior to, or within the first week of returning to campus, employees must complete re-boarding training.
- Employees who fit the classification of vulnerable to a return to on-campus work during these phases may continue to work remotely with notification to, and approval from, Human Resources and their respective Vice President by completing the Telecommuting Accommodation Request Form.
- Current federal guidelines define vulnerable individuals (previously termed at-risk by the CDC) as those over 65 years of age and those with serious underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity (body mass index >40), asthma, and those whose immune system is compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer and other conditions requiring such therapy.
- Additional information can be found in MSU Policy 3.340, Americans With Disabilities Act.
- Any employee or supervisor who has concerns or questions regarding these guidelines may contact the Human Resources Department for assistance.
Faculty and staff returning to campus are strongly encouraged to undergo daily health screening assessments, which include temperatures being monitored per the Governor’s employee screening criteria. Although there will be no institutional monitoring of these suggested actions, it is expected that any individual who does not successfully pass the screening NOT report to work. Individuals who do not pass the screening may utilize sick time for their absence. Individuals with known exposure to, or diagnosed with, COVID-19 should contact Human Resources for emergency leave options.
Screening may occur via one of the following vehicles:
- The MSU Safety App will have a COVID-19 screening assessment available mid-June. This assessment will email the results to the individual completing the screening. The MSU Safety App is available on the Apple Store or Google Play App Store.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a Coronavirus Self-Checker. If taking the survey from your phone, the best way to capture the results is to take a picture or screenshot. If taking from a computer, you can screenshot the results or save as a pdf file.
Finally, all employees are strongly encouraged to take the following steps to reduce the transmission of communicable diseases in the workplace:
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Wash your hands frequently with soapy water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your mouth with tissues whenever you sneeze, and discard used tissues in the trash. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into your elbow or upper sleeve, not into your hand.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick with respiratory symptoms.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Use telephone and video conferencing instead of face-to-face meetings.
- Refrain from shaking hands.
On behalf of the Return to Campus Task Force, thank you for your attention to these processes as we all work to do our part to provide a safer campus community.
James Johnston, Ph.D., R.T.(R)(CV), FASRT
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Keith Lamb, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs