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 3 of Governor Inslee’s Healthy Washington plan. The Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma campuses are in Healthy Washington Phase 3. Face coverings are required and telework is strongly encouraged. Learn more about the UW’s plan. 

Returning to Campus

• As of 3/22/2021, UW Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses are in Phase 3 of COVID-19 recovery in accordance with Healthy Washington and the Campus Reopening Guide. 
  • Face coverings are required for all campuses even if you’re fully vaccinated
  • Majority of courses are remote in spring quarter; additional guidance on study spaces and expanded in-person activities will be released next week.
  • Telework is supported through Sept. 10, 2021 for employees who can telework and for whom telework will not impede operations, and all on-site work must adhere to unit prevention plans and the On-site Work Decision tree. 
  • Updated guidance for vaccinated individuals 
• EH&S updated event guidance for Phase 3 including:
  • Increased capacity limits to align with Phase 3
  • Campus Events guidance updates and Events Permit flowchart
  • Guidance for planned food service
  • Reference to state requirements for stadium and ballpark spectators
• The WA Notify COVID-19 exposure notification app is live, enabling participants to utilize smartphone technology to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 
• 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

• On 3/22/2021, the UW released Back to the Workplace guidance extended through September 10, 2021.
  • Telework flexibility has been extended through September 10. If an employee can telework but prefers to come to campus, unit leaders may authorize employees to return provided it is safe and operationally feasible and must also follow these guidelines. 
  • Guidance is relevant regardless of Phase 3 or 4 status, but if the health situation deteriorates units should prepare to return to prior phases as directed. 
  • Guidance for autumn quarter and beyond will be provided as state guidelines are released and vaccination progresses.
  • Physical distancing requirements are still in place with six feet of physical space in the classroom or workplace and regardless of vaccination status. 

• The CDC updated guidance for vaccinated individuals’ quarantine requirements and timeline.
  • You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
  • You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
  • If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms UNLESS you live in a group setting, in which case, if you are exposed to someone who has COVID-19, you must quarantine from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.
• In person meetings and gatherings may occur so long as:
  • Space occupancy is met as dictated by health guidelines
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor is available to monitor compliance and building coordinators have reviewed building readiness guidelines to ensure safe meeting spaces
  • Employees are not required to come to work unless it is to support critical unit operations
  • See updated event guidelines also in Returning to Campus above.
• 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

• On 3/22/2021, the Office of Research provided the following updates on Phase 3 adjustments that impact research:
  • Virtual meetings are strongly encouraged but in person meetings may occur under guidelines outlined above in Returning to Work

• Guidance for field work updated on 3/22
• Office of Research’s Guidance for Returning to In-Person Research.

Returning to School

• Guidance for graduation and additional resources will be released in the coming weeks. 

• The Office of Student Life has announced My SSP, which provides students access to real-time, confidential mental health and crisis intervention support, available 24/7 and in multiple languages. Available at: 1.866.743.7732, online chat, via the My SSP app as well as on the mental health landing page on the Husky Health and Well-Being website. 
• 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.