CLASSIFICATION Welcome to the Board of Visitors Virtual Meeting 9 June 2020 CLASSIFICATION
CLASSIFICATION COVID-19 Response and Reconstitution Chief of Staff, COL Senn CLASSIFICATION
Background -In response to COVID-19, NIU began degraded operations (social distancing, limiting the number of students in a room, maximized teleworking) on 13 Mar 20. -On 17 Mar 20, NIU decided to suspend most academic operations. -Students not permitted on campus -Provost switched 3 rd and 4 th quarters, making then current quarter (less than two weeks old) into research quarter. -Part time students not expected to graduate in 2020 and delivery of certificates put on hold until further notice. -NIU workforce reduced to mission essential personnel, no more than 25 percent present at any one time. -Maximum telework encouraged, especially for high risk personnel, those with high risk family members and / or those with childcare concerns. -On 18 May 20, NIU resumed academic operations and began delivering the final quarter of instruction for the Class of 2020 virtually.
Current NIU Guidelines (as of 1 Jun 20) -Mission essential personnel only at NIU; NIU organizations maximize telework opportunities and manage workforce to ensure no more than 25% present at any one time. -Social distancing guidelines in place. No more than 8 people in any one area, no congregating, conduct all business by phone or email, maintain six feet of separation from other individuals at all times. -NIU common areas currently off limits -Masks must be work in any NIU common area (i.e. an individual’s private office is the only place that a mask is not required). -All non-essential travel / TDY suspended until further notice.
Mission NIU conducts reconstitution operations in order to re-establish NIU’s full capability to execute its tripartite mission while maintaining employee and student health and public safety
Facts -Strong leadership, effective communication, and attention to physical distancing protocols will be required to assure employees and students returning to NIU is safe and to address their concerns -Reconstitution must be done in accordance with National, DoD, OPM, DIA and ICC-B published guidelines, taking into account local government and Consortium university measures. NIU will adhere to specific measures detailed in the DIA Reconstitution Plan (1 May 20) and DIA OPORD 20-003 (7 May 20) -NIU’s facilities do not have adequate space to accommodate a full return of the workforce and student body as long as physical distancing guidelines remain in place -NIU will not only execute mission critical TDYs for the remainder of the FY and the foreseeable future
Assumptions -NIU will not receive detailed guidance on how and when to reconstitute. DIA has pushed maximum decision making, including the ability to recall personnel, down to Directorates and Special Offices -NIU will not allow students back to campus for organized activity until DIA begins to bring back its workforce. -COVID 19 will “rebound” at least once and remain a constant threat for the near future. As a result, NIU may have to degrade operations again even after reconstitution has begun -MSCHE and the Department of Education will continue to support and work with NIU as we take short and long term measures to reconstitute
Assumptions -Employees and students will have different expectations moving forward. These include: Increased and sustained telework, especially for high risk individuals and those with high risk family members Personalized mitigation measures for high-risk employees and students Work and class scheduling flexibility due to childcare obligations -NIU will not fully know who has been exposed, is infected, or immune but will have to diligently track and conduct tracing as cases become known. Supervisors and faculty will have to monitor employees and students for symptoms -NIU will need to make physical modifications to the student lab and classroom spaces before students are allowing back into the university to attend class
Reconstitution Phases Phase One – Degraded Operations (Current) Continue mission essential functions with minimum staff on-site, maximum telework flexibility -Workforce: Mission Essential Only, no more than 25% on campus at any one time -Students not permitted on campus Phase Two – Hybrid Operations Set conditions for return of workforce and students to campus and, when conditions permit, begin reconstitution Workforce: Return is capability vice numbers based. Continue maximum telework, especially for high risk personnel. Students: Regulated return to campus to attend class when conditions are set and environment allows Phase Three – New Normal Return workforce and students, complete reconstitution and resume full operations Workforce: All employees permitted in workplace, telework flexibility for high risk personnel and those with childcare needs. Students: Unrestricted access to campus, accommodations for high risk and those with childcare needs
Considerations -Maintaining COVID situational awareness, to include possible resurgence locally and regionally as well as COVID cases and transmission within NIU’s workforce and student body -Need to collect COVID information on NIU personnel and report to the DIA Surgeon General -Awareness: supervisors conduct daily welfare checks on all employees; faculty members and advisors conduct daily welfare checks on all NIU students -Requirement for workforce and students to follow all DIA, ICC-B, and NIU published guidance for maintaining health and safety in the workplace (e.g. wear of masks, social distancing)
Specific Actions -Development and implementation of a plan for workspace configuration and parameters to NIU’s workspace that ensure NIU’s workforce and students are able to maintain proper social distancing -Developing a template for total number of individuals in NIU spaces using physical distancing guidelines provided by DIA Office of the Surgeon General. -Development and implementation of a plan for proper sanitization of NIU common areas. -Development and implementation of a plan to screen NIU employees and students for symptoms of COVID before entering the university. -Development and implementation of a plan for contact tracing for the NIU workforce and students -Identification and acquisition of Personal Protective Equipment and cleaning supplies that NIU needs to maintain a healthy and safe workplace
End State -NIU operating at full capacity and executing tripartite mission -University has identified and institutionalized new and improved practice and process based on lessons learned -Continued prioritization of safety / health of workforce and students -University postured to return to degraded operations in event of COVID-19 resurgence (within NIU or in the local region)
CLASSIFICATION Academic Plans for Fall 2020 Dr. Terrence Markin, Provost CLASSIFICATION
Academic Plans for Fall 2020 • Review of Recent Developments • Need for Flexibility • The “33 Percent” Model” • Plans for Special Courses • Plans for Return to Normalcy • Plans for Next Summer
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