A limited number of faculty and staff will return to their usual workplaces June 1, a careful first step in the phased process of resuming Iowa State's on-campus operations.
President Wendy Wintersteen outlined broad strokes of the summer resumption in a May 8 message to faculty and staff. University human resources (UHR) will release guidance on the details in the coming days. Supervisors will contact employees as plans develop.
Returning employees will be expected to maintain social/physical distancing, including staying at least 6 feet from other people and avoiding gathering in groups or crowds. In some workspaces, that could require rotating schedules due to capacity issues.
Employees who want to continue working from home after June 1 should discuss options with their supervisors, who should be flexible with workers with child care challenges or high-risk health concerns. If a supervisor requires an employee to return to their usual workplace, they must provide a two-week notice.
Faculty and staff are urged to continue limiting face-to-face interaction when possible, connecting by phone calls and videoconferencing instead of in-person meetings. They also should monitor their health and stay home if sick or showing illness symptoms.
The forthcoming UHR guidance will include information about face coverings and facilities plans. Buildings shut down since limited operations began in mid-March will need some attention before they are occupied again. Most campus facilities will remain locked and accessible only by keycard after June 1.
Additional information about increasing research activity on campus will be shared May 18, following up on the April 23 guidance from the office of the vice president for research.
