Greetings,
Thank you for your participation in the efforts to get us Back to Campus safely and efficiently. You will find an archive of past digests at our website.
King and Pierce counties are in Phase 2 of Governor Inslee’s Safe Start Plan; UW Seattle Campus is in Phase 2, and the College of Engineering is in Phase 2. Phase 2 does not change significantly from Phase 1, meaning that those working remotely will continue to do so, with the exception of designated critical employees, and applies to the College of Engineering and all related departments.
Returning to Campus
- On 9/14/2020, the UW announced details about its public testing program, Husky Coronavirus Testing. UW students, faculty and staff can enroll in the program beginning Sept. 24. Please encourage all UW community members who will be on campus at least once per week to enroll. The program is voluntary and available to Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma campuses.
- On 9/16/2020, California Governor Gavin Newson announced that Washington state and Oregon will be joining California in adopting the joint Apple/Google contract tracing app after pilot testing concludes later this fall.
- Beginning 9/21/2020, some EH&S staff will be available from 8:00 - 8:00 pm, 7-days a week, in anticipation of an increase in reported COVID-19 positive cases on campus in the coming weeks.
- HFS is installing health and safety vending machines on September 28-29 at the following initial locations:
- Health Sciences complex (2)
- IMA
- Center Table
- Local Point
- Recent changes to public health guidance by Oregon and California state indicate football (and other mens and womens sports) may also be re-instituted for the year. PAC-12 leaders announced on 9/18 that they would make a decision on the possibility of reinstating games before Jan. 1 on 9/24.
- The Burke Museum will be reopening at 25% capacity beginning September 25.
- EH&S has launched a dedicated phone hotline for UW students, faculty and staff to call with questions or to report on positive test results: 206-616-3344. All messages are logged and retrieved daily with appropriate follow-up provided by EH&S staff.
We have received reports of employees not being aware of the required online training or attestations prior to returning to campus. Please ensure this information is shared with all supervisors across your unit to inform relevant staff.
- EH&S requires this online training for all persons on campus (faculty, staff, and students), even if they have already been working onsite as a critical employee, prior to returning to campus.
- Daily attestations are required for all staff and academic personnel coming to campus.
- For staff and student employees/supervisors
- For academic personnel, including faculty, librarians, medical residents and fellows, postdoctoral scholars, and academic staff
Returning to Work
- Under updated guidance for family care emergency absences, staff can use accrued sick time off for caregiving needs related to child’s school or place of care for any health-related reason. A school or place of care is considered closed if the physical location is closed, even if some or all instruction is provided online.
- New guidance is available for departments with widespread telework for requests of equipment and furniture for work-at-home use.
- Results are now available from the COVID-19 caregiver and manager surveys as well as on the Child care options & resources page.
- Pre-registration is required for on-campus flu shot clinics this year as part of COVID-19 safety protocols.
- Information about the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program can now be found on UWHR’s Information about unemployment benefits webpage as well as ESD’s Lost Wages Assistance.
- Temporary layoff policy, Unemployment FAQs, and Furlough FAQs have been updated to include unemployment options when a temporary layoff has been extended.
- Unit/site-specific COVID-19 Prevention Plans are required for University workplaces.
- The UW has convened a Back to the Workplace Task Force reviewing and updating University protocols for how more UW employees can return to in-person work on our campuses.
Returning to Research
- Office of Research’s Guidance for Returning to In-Person Research.
Returning to School
- On 9/18/2020 , the Office of the Provost sent all faculty, instructors and academic personnel the message “Preparing for autumn quarter.”
- Move in week begins 9/21/2020. This week the UW will implement one (of 4) COVID-test programs, supported by UW Medicine, focused on the ~4,000 students living in UW housing.
- Testing is expected to begin on 9/22/2020.
- The UW’s Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct, a Division of Student Life, has published a Guide to Face Coverings, developed specifically for instructors to safeguard their classrooms and students .
- The UW has convened a Back to School Task Force reviewing and updating University protocols for campus spaces including residences, classrooms, labs and libraries.
Visit uw.edu/coronavirus for the most up-to-date communications and information for our UW community.
If you have info for us to share in the digest, or feedback or questions, you can email us at engineeringuw@uw.edu. Please note, the contents of this email do not represent the full breadth of information and resources available. If we missed something, let us know.
Thanks,
Kristin & Lisa
College of Engineering COVID-19 Response WG