Important Reminders for Faculty and Staff

Dear Faculty and Staff Companions,

It is so good to see increased activity on our campus, with families touring, student leaders moving in and more faculty and staff back in their offices. As our campus population increases and we prepare to begin the academic year, we want to send some important reminders.

Pandemic Protocols

• We are encouraged by the many people that we are seeing who are diligently observing our pandemic protocols, which include mask wearing and physical distancing. However, we are dismayed at the number of people we have seen ignoring these policies meant to decrease opportunities for the spread of COVID-19. You have likely seen what is happening in other parts of the country, where schools are opening without adherence to safety protocols only to close again when there is a spike in cases. We want to do all we can to avoid this happening at Rockhurst. 
• Masks or facial coverings are required when in indoor spaces on campus and when outdoors but unable to observe social distancing. Masks or facial coverings are not required when eating or exercising, when alone in one’s residential room or office, or with an approved exemption from the Office of Human Resources (employees) or Disability Resource Center (students). Students, faculty and staff will also be expected to observe six feet of social distance in shared areas, and adjustments have been made to campus furniture to promote observation of these guidelines.
• Eating or drinking will not be allowed in classrooms so that face masks will not have to be removed. Students and faculty are encouraged to hydrate and eat meals or snacks prior to coming to class or during breaks.
• All faculty, staff and students must comply with our protocols. Please remember that for a mask to be effective, it must cover your nose, mouth and chin. 

Culture of Compliance

• Know that if you see someone not following University requirements for masks or social distancing, initiating a friendly conversation can be the most immediate step toward prevention of further exposure. Here are some tips for having what might sometimes feel like difficult conversations:
  • Remind the person that these are not only the University’s requirements, but they represent some of the best ways to prevent transmission of the virus according to scientific evidence compiled by the CDC.  It is also an order from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.
  • Make sure the other person/people understand that the ability to live and learn on campus safely this semester depends on everyone — faculty, staff and students — following the rules.
  • Frame your comments in the context of everyone being part of the community of Rockhurst. For example: “Our ability to learn and work on campus depends on all of us following protocols and trying to prevent the spread of the virus. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to contribute to us needing to go back to remote learning and working.”
  • Recognize that mask wearing and social distancing can feel unnatural or uncomfortable at times and acknowledge the other person or people might not have realized what they were doing.

Say you would feel more comfortable if the other person wears their mask (or wears it properly, completely covering their mouth and nose).

• Should a person in violation continue to push back after you have politely asked them to comply, let them know you will need to file a non-compliance report with the University (if you know the person) or contact the Department of Safety and Security (if you don’t know the person) by calling 816-501-4010.

Monitoring Your Health

• Rockhurst University will use CampusClear, a mobile app available now for free for both Android and iPhone, as a tool to facilitate daily self-assessments. Faculty, staff and students will all be required to complete a Campus Clear assessment each day as a “fast pass” to access campus public spaces. If you do not have access to an Android- or iPhone-compatible phone, then please visit the Rockhurst portal where you will find an online version of CampusClear. If you have questions about how Campus Clear will be implemented in your department, please consult your supervisor. 
• When you perform your daily health assessment, you will receive either a green, yellow or red screen. Green means you are cleared to come to campus. Yellow means you may have to answer additional questions, consult a physician, and/or stay home for a day. Red means you will not be allowed to come to campus and may need to quarantine and complete an illness reporting form. If you are unable to come to campus but are asymptomatic and have supervisor approval to work remotely, you will not need to record sick or vacation time.
• If you become ill with COVID-19 and have notified the University using the illness reporting form, you will be contacted by a case manager, a trained Rockhurst staff member, who will advise you on next steps.

Already, we are hearing from our student leaders who have returned that they are excited to be back on campus and are very much looking forward to beginning the semester. We know this semester will be very different and that we all must adjust our daily habits and ways of working and teaching. We appreciate all of your efforts to keep our campus open and safe this year and we wish you the best as we look forward to Aug. 24!

Sincerely,

Matthew D. Quick, Ph.D. 
Dean of Students/Vice President 
Student Development and Athletics 
 
Douglas N. Dunham, Ph.D. 
Provost and Senior Vice President 
Academic Affairs