Fall 2020: Information for Faculty and Staff

• Continue to check your BW email and this page frequently as we announce details for required, ongoing COVID-19 awareness and safety training, instructions for daily health check-ins using a smartphone app and the BW Be Safe commitment.
• Faculty and staff are expected to wear reusable or disposable masks (facial masks required, face shields optional) when entering and moving through campus buildings and during one-on-one meetings where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained. Individual employee offices and closed workspaces may be mask optional. Employees who work in cubicle settings with low walls are expected to wear masks. Come to work self-prepared to wear masks, BW has provided two washable masks at the start of the semester.

• Respect a 6-foot physical distance between people in workspaces and while traveling through campus.
• BW has implemented thorough cleaning protocols and asks you to wear a mask and practice strong personal hygiene discipline, particularly when indoors.
• BW has provided two reusable cloth masks and managed access to campus facilities to maintain physical distancing and minimize COVID-19 risks.
• Employees are asked to clean personal workspaces and wash hands frequently throughout the workday.
• Faculty, staff and students assume personal responsibility for cleaning personal classroom spaces for their use before each class begins. Faculty and staff are asked to help clean shared objects (e.g., lab equipment, computer equipment, desks and other items) before and between uses with wipes provided. The use of shared objects should be limited when possible or cleaned between use by the user.
• Students are asked to clean their classroom desks upon arrival with supplied cleaning materials or they may use personal supplies.
• An outline of student health and safety expectations in the classroom setting has been provided in the syllabus link on all Blackboard course sites, which allows for faculty enforcement as necessary, including possible eviction or class cancellation.
• Faculty and staff need to keep their personal items (e.g., cell phones, other electronics) and personal workspaces clean.
• When a meeting is necessary and cannot be conducted virtually, individuals may be scheduled in a space where 6-foot physical distancing can be maintained. Masks are required. The number of participants permitted for in-person meetings is limited to revised facility capacities that maintain physical distancing and utilize approved seating configurations. View updated meeting/event guidelines.

The primary goal driving the COVID-19 health safety protocols that have been implemented for fall 2020 is to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus for the entire BW community. To achieve that goal, everyone in the BW community must do their part, which means complying with all health safety protocols. Any students, faculty or staff member who undermines the well-being of our community will be subject to a non-compliance resolution process appropriate to their role.

Implementation Phase

The implementation phase of BW's health safety protocols was launched prior to the start of the semester and continued through the first two days of classes. The primary activities in the implementation phase involved learning the health safety protocols, adopting behaviors consistent with the health safety protocols, and giving and receiving corrective feedback to and from others when necessary.

ALL community members are responsible for each other’s well-being and every member of the BW community should feel obligated to offer respectful corrections to others who are not complying with the health safety protocols, regardless of the others' roles or positions at the University. When receiving corrective feedback, one should accept it with appreciation and grace. While education, encouragement and shaping are the main goals of this phase, attempts to prompt compliance with health safety protocols that are met with inappropriate responses may result in formal complaints being submitted to Student Conduct.

Enforcement Phase

The enforcement phase began on the third day of the first week of classes and will continue for the remainder of the semester. In the enforcement phase, demonstration of behaviors consistent with the health safety protocols is expected. Occasional, unintentional instances of non-compliance can be resolved with immediate compliance with the safety strategies when reminded. However, repeated or willful failure to comply or belligerence when asked to comply will result in a report to Student Conduct.

Any member of the BW community can submit a report online at bw.edu/report-violation.

• In more formal settings (e.g., classrooms, recreation center, residence halls, library, etc.), faculty and staff members should submit reports of non-compliance of students. Faculty and staff should submit reports of non-compliance of other BW employees. Reports can be submitted online at bw.edu/report-violation.
• Students can share concerns/submit reports about non-compliance of faculty or staff with any faculty or staff member with whom they feel comfortable. Faculty or staff members receiving such reports should then forward the report to BW's Office of Human Resources at hr@bw.edu. Students may also submit the report online at bw.edu/report-violation.
• Students should file reports of non-compliance of other students with anyone in authority on campus, including RAs, Residence Hall Directors, faculty, staff, Campus Security, etc. Anyone receiving these reports must submit them to Student Conduct at bbeyer@bw.edu. Students may also submit the report online at bw.edu/report-violation.

Student Non-Compliance Resolution Process

Students making their first appearance with Student Conduct for non-compliance with health safety protocols will be placed on probation and issued a sanction commensurate with the magnitude of their infraction and degree of acceptance of responsibility for their non-compliance. These sanctions may include a written warning or loss of specific privileges. Students will also be warned that if another report of non-compliance is submitted about them, they will face suspension for the remainder of the semester. Given the risks to the health and well-being of the student and the BW community, parents/guardians and coaches (if applicable) will be informed of the student’s probation (including warning of suspension).

Students should be aware that they are obligated to follow the University’s health safety protocols while they are both on and off campus. For those students who live in near-campus housing, the Berea Police are working cooperatively with the University and will inform BW about students who they have cited for any offenses (e.g., underage consumption of alcohol, noise violations, etc.). Failure to wear masks or to maintain physical distancing may also be indicated in police reports, which will initiate the Student Conduct process for all students involved and for all students whose names are listed on the lease. Finally, any student in near-campus housing who disregards or responds inappropriately to requests for safety compliance by Julie Candela, BW community liaison, will receive a referral to Student Conduct.

It is clear from the experiences at other universities across the country that the greatest threat to the well-being of campus communities is non-compliance with safety protocols at large events (involving more than 10 guests), most often held at off-campus residences or other off-campus locations. Therefore, during the coronavirus pandemic, the following actions will result in a referral to Student Conduct:

Organizing and/or hosting, either individually or with others, an event, party or other gathering, or attending such an event, where the attendees are not required to, or willfully fail or refuse to, adhere to the requirements of the BW Be Safe Pledge or of state or local public health laws, regulations or orders, including but not limited to the requirements to maintain appropriate physical distancing (6 feet based on current public health guidance) and wear an appropriate face mask. This applies to events that are organized and/or held on or off campus.

Employee Non-Compliance Resolution Process

Upon receipt of a complaint regarding employee non-compliance with BW’s health safety protocols, BW's Director of Human Resources will forward the complaint to the appropriate supervisor of the employee. A written warning and possible additional sanctions will be issued commensurate with the magnitude of the infraction and degree of acceptance of responsibility for the non-compliance. If the employee continues to exhibit non-compliance with the health safety protocols, more severe sanctions will be imposed, up to and including termination.

• Employees who become symptomatic while at work should immediately isolate and seek medical care.
• In the case of positive COVID-19 diagnosis, you or your health care provider should contact the local health department for proper protocols. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health can be reached at (216) 201-2000.
• Contact BW Health Services at (440) 826-2178 and your BW supervisor so they can coordinate with the Health Department on any necessary response.

All professional, academic and student travel requiring approval and booking prior to October 1, 2020, is canceled, with the exception of enrollment and philanthropy travel. Travel planning and booking after October 1, 2020, will be determined based on budget review prior to October 1.

BW offers flexibility for at-risk staff to work remotely, based on the latest available public health guidance and the ability to provide an accommodation within the requirements of a particular job.

• Staff should email their supervisor and VP and provide any private supporting documentation to Sam Ramirez in HR.
• Full-time faculty who wish to petition to teach online should send an email to hr@bw.edu. HR will forward the request to the Provost's office, which will work with the deans, associate deans and chairpersons to develop an appropriate accommodation plan.
• Part-time faculty who wish to petition to teach online should email the Provost's office and copy their department chair and (associate) dean. The Provost will work with the deans, associate deans and chairpersons to develop an appropriate accommodation plan.

Campus Updates

View the latest information on:

• Plan for a safe and healthy campus
• BW daily health check-in
• Testing, screening and contact tracing
• Sustaining a healthy and safe campus

Remember to check your BW email and revisit this page often for updates.