Preparing for Coronavirus?

[apl68]

A staff member with a daughter still in college (in-state SLAC) said that their school is going to try the short semester option.  They will not come back from Thanksgiving Break until the new semester in January.  The last two classes of the fall term will be fully online.

They're also going to mandate masks, hand sanitizer, etc. on campus.  And are seriously limiting gatherings outside of classes.

[hmaria1609]

Yesterday, parts of Maryland entered Phase 2:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/06/maryland-coronavirus-update-june-3/
I saw that self-service drinks (hot and cold) were available at the local gas station.

Also, I went back to work at the library yesterday. We'll be starting curbside service at select branches on Monday.

[Vkw10]

Face masks are mandatory on campus in any area where we can't maintain six foot distance beginning June 8. If employees don't comply, supervisors are to use progressive discipline system to enforce.

We're struggling to get disinfectants, hand sanitizer, and masks for essential employees who are on campus now. Essential employees are concerned that our contracted janitorial service isn't using masks and gloves, even when cleaning the few buildings that have remained open.

Face-to-face classes resume in July. Expectation seems to be that vast majority of employees will go back to normal on-site work schedule. University says there will be a process for accommodating high risk employees who have specific reasons for not coming onsite.

I hear there's a betting pool for when we'll have an outbreak on campus.

[paultuttle]

Face masks are mandatory on campus in any area where we can't maintain six foot distance beginning June 8. If employees don't comply, supervisors are to use progressive discipline system to enforce.

We're struggling to get disinfectants, hand sanitizer, and masks for essential employees who are on campus now. Essential employees are concerned that our contracted janitorial service isn't using masks and gloves, even when cleaning the few buildings that have remained open.

Face-to-face classes resume in July. Expectation seems to be that vast majority of employees will go back to normal on-site work schedule. University says there will be a process for accommodating high risk employees who have specific reasons for not coming onsite.

I hear there's a betting pool for when we'll have an outbreak on campus.

I would bet--both appropriately and additionally--that there's more money on "sooner" than on "later."

[apl68]

Yesterday, parts of Maryland entered Phase 2:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/06/maryland-coronavirus-update-june-3/
I saw that self-service drinks (hot and cold) were available at the local gas station.

Also, I went back to work at the library yesterday. We'll be starting curbside service at select branches on Monday.

Hope that goes well!  I've guess you've got a quarantine protocol for returned materials.

How about summer reading?  That's turning into a real challenge this year.

[marshwiggle]

Yesterday, parts of Maryland entered Phase 2:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/06/maryland-coronavirus-update-june-3/
I saw that self-service drinks (hot and cold) were available at the local gas station.

Also, I went back to work at the library yesterday. We'll be starting curbside service at select branches on Monday.

Hope that goes well!  I've guess you've got a quarantine protocol for returned materials.

At our local library, which is starting curbside pickup next week, they're implementing 72 hour quarantine for returned materials.

[mythbuster]

Our admins seem to be waiting for it all to go away. Nothing has changed since the original shutdown back in March. There has been no word on research labs, and all summer classes are remote/online. They did form several task forces but in negotiations this week our BOT negotiator would not sign on to a written statement that we would follow CDC guidelines. This even though the larger system has made a statement about following said guidelines. So that's rather depressing.
    Some folks have been coming in to do some light research, but officially we are all still waiting for magical "guidance".

[hmaria1609]

Starting Friday, restaurants can resume indoor dining at reduced capacity in MD:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/06/maryland-coronavirus-update-june-10/
A companion article:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/06/maryland-counties-phase-two-reopening-june-11/

Northern VA and Richmond enter Phase 2:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/06/virginia-coronavirus-update-phase-two/
There's a section on the upcoming school year.

[secundem_artem]

Looks like furloughs and salary cuts are going to happen over the summer and into the fall.  They already announced pausing uni contributions to our TIAA-CREF plans.  If this keeps up, I expect they will ask me to pay to teach my classes.

[nebo113]

Looks like furloughs and salary cuts are going to happen over the summer and into the fall.  They already announced pausing uni contributions to our TIAA-CREF plans.  If this keeps up, I expect they will ask me to pay to teach my classes.

Is it legal to pause contributions?

[Caracal]

Looks like furloughs and salary cuts are going to happen over the summer and into the fall.  They already announced pausing uni contributions to our TIAA-CREF plans.  If this keeps up, I expect they will ask me to pay to teach my classes.

Is it legal to pause contributions?

I think unless there's a union contract, yes. Things like pensions and retirement benefits aren't mandatory. I suppose there could be state laws regulating some of this, but generally I think it isn't considered any differently than salary.

[nebo113]

Looks like furloughs and salary cuts are going to happen over the summer and into the fall.  They already announced pausing uni contributions to our TIAA-CREF plans.  If this keeps up, I expect they will ask me to pay to teach my classes.

Is it legal to pause contributions?

I think unless there's a union contract, yes. Things like pensions and retirement benefits aren't mandatory. I suppose there could be state laws regulating some of this, but generally I think it isn't considered any differently than salary.

Yikes.  My CC had a pretty good union.

[hmaria1609]

Hope that goes well!  I've guess you've got a quarantine protocol for returned materials.

How about summer reading?  That's turning into a real challenge this year.

Sorry I didn't see your post earlier! Our summer reading program is online with gift cards from local businesses as prizes. We've been using Beanstack for the past few years.

One of the 1st floor conference rooms is being used to quarantine returned materials. The 72 hour quarantine is the common practice for public libraries. Patrons can drop off their materials in the oversized bin (from the exterior book drop) in front of the library and it will be emptied throughout the day. The bin will be rolled back inside at the end of the day.

[Anselm]

Fine, they can go ahead and cut my pay and benefits.  Then I will just cut my efforts and start calling in sick more often.

[AmLitHist]

Fine, they can go ahead and cut my pay and benefits.  Then I will just cut my efforts and start calling in sick more often.

I'm right there with you, Anselm.  And if they refuse to let at-risk folks like me teach fully online, that's fine:  go ahead and keep me on the F2F schedule for 2 classes on TR.  I'll call in sick every day--I have the hours to use, and they can't demand a doctor's note unless I miss 3 consecutive calendar days, per board policy and the union contract.  And if it would come to that, I can get the doctor's note, too.  (By the way, these are both classes that I've successfully taught online for years.)

If it does come to this, the college will end up double-paying for the instruction:  my FT salary/time off, plus getting subs all semester. They couldn't hire an adjunct if the class were already assigned to me as part of my load (which it currently is). Not in my students' best interests, probably, but if push come to shove, I've got to look out for myself if nobody else is going to do it.