December 15, 2020
Spring checklist for Employees
To our faculty and staff,
As we move toward winter break, we would like to share details about how La Salle University is planning for a safe and successful start of the spring semester.
Updates and new information related to the return-to-campus plan will continue to be sent to your La Salle email and posted on the return plan site. Important links as well as information about wellness resources available to employees are located on the Faculty & Staff tab of the portal under Employee Resources/COVID-19.
To that end, here is what you need to know before returning to campus in January:
Phased return-to-campus plan for faculty and staff
The University has developed a Phased Return-to-Campus Plan for Faculty and Staff which is under way and extends through the start of February. The phased plan begins by first bringing back those who are responsible for preparing campus for the arrival of students. Divisional leaders will communicate with department heads to determine in which phase of the plan specific offices and/or positions will return to campus.
Preparing for your return
The following are important measures to complete prior to returning to campus:
- Receiving a flu vaccine: The University is asking every member of our community who plans to live, learn, and/or work on campus in Spring 2021 to receive a flu shot prior to returning to campus in January. If you have not done so already, please complete the Employee Flu Vaccine Certification Form as soon as possible. We ask that all employees, including those who will not have any presence on campus in the spring semester, still complete the form.
- Pre-arrival modified quarantine: Fourteen days prior to arriving on campus, students and employees should follow a modified quarantine to limit their exposure (i.e., if you are arriving on Jan. 3, begin modified quarantine on Dec. 20). These practices include:
- Avoiding all gatherings with individuals outside of your household and wearing face masks when around those from outside your household.
- Maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet in all settings.
- Washing your hands frequently and for at least 20 seconds.
- Disinfecting frequently used surfaces in common areas of your household.
- COVID-19 online training: All students and employees will be required to complete an online COVID-19 health training. This is an updated version of the training you completed in the fall and must be completed prior to your return to campus. You will receive an email in early January from “Canvas @ La Salle University” with instructions for completion.
- Monitoring your health daily: All faculty, staff, and students will be asked to complete an online Daily COVID Check-In, whether or not you are coming to campus. Adopt a routine of taking your temperature each morning. If your temperature is 100.4° F/ 38° C or higher, do not enter campus or leave your campus residence and contact your health care provider, whether or not you are presenting symptoms. Beginning in January, you can anticipate daily text message reminders to complete the Daily COVID Check-In.
- Make the Explorer Promise: The Explorer Promise is La Salle’s call to everyone in the University community to act respectfully and responsibly, in support of a return to campus this spring.
Entry testing
Entry testing must be completed before you begin to work on campus in January. You will soon receive notification from the University to schedule a COVID-19 entry testing appointment and a subsequent reminder with pre-appointment instructions as well as what to expect during your appointment. Testing should be your first stop on campus on your first day back after break—even before you go to your office or classroom. If you test positive for COVID-19, you will receive specific instructions about isolation and the timeline for your return to campus.
Testing exemptions
As stated above and in the return-to-campus plan, all faculty, students, and staff who plan to live, learn, and/or work on campus in Spring 2021 will need to undergo entry testing.
Employees who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 prior to their return to campus in January might be eligible for exemption from on-campus entry testing and ongoing surveillance testing for a designated period of time, provided that appropriate documentation is shared with the Office of Human Resources.
Wishing you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you on campus in the new year.
Sincerely,
Kristin Heasley, M.S., PHR, SHRM-CP
Assistant Vice President of Human Resources