What to know
We can collectively slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus by three actions:
- STAY HOME– that is the guiding principle whenever possible in both your work and personal lives.
- SOME ESSENTIAL IU SERVICES ARE REQUIRED– For IU faculty and staff, use judgment in this time of risk, and stay home if at all possible without imperiling critical research or essential services that cannot be achieved in other ways.
- DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS AS A RULE– By presidential order for anything that is not essential. Period.
What does this mean?
Stay home. This is the guiding principle for everyone related to both work life and personal life. Indiana, as well as most of the nation, is at a critical point in its fight against this accelerating public health crisis. Your actions today will make a difference. The sooner everyone takes personal action, the better able our healthcare system will be able to handle the needs of those who get very sick, which could be anyone. There are now many reports of those in their late teens and early 20’s being hit hard by this virus and needing intensive care.
For students, staying home means no gatherings for parties or any other reason, including studying or remote learning. Physical distancing from others is essential to prevent further spread of the virus. These types of gatherings not only put the individual at risk but everyone that person may come in contact with including parents, grandparents, first responders, medical professionals, etc.
All IU employees should now be working at home if at all possible until further notice. This is to protect the health of employees as well as the communities around IU’s campuses. As a rule, do not come to any IU campus.
There are some essential services, however, that must continue at IU and some employees who will continue to come to campus to perform these essential tasks. These employees are working hard to ensure all IU campuses are maintained during this period of remote teaching, learning and working and, for this work, the university is extremely grateful.
COVID-19 policy
To further guide the university’s essential work during the course of the pandemic, a new COVID-19 policy outlines a number of measures to provide for the health and safety of the campus community while allowing IU to continue providing educational services, conducting essential research, providing medical services and performing other essential services.
The policy includes assurance that all employees required to conduct essential services on campus will be provided a safe working environment, which could include the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) or N95 masks depending on the task. It also outlines what essential services are and how decisions will be made as to which employees need to be present on campus.
Access to campus buildings
While IU’s campuses remain open (universities are designated as essential infrastructure for continued operations), many buildings will be locked and not accessible. While some essential employees will be able to access buildings, it will be to perform the essential service only. For example, if a faculty member is deemed an essential employee in order to continue research, he or she will only be able to enter the building for that reason. The faculty member should not also go to his/her office to perform other job functions like teaching a course, planning coursework, etc.
Travel restrictions extended until further notice
In light of the wide community spread of COVID-19 across the world and the U.S., the travel restrictions put in place by IU in early March have been extended until further notice. This includes all university-affiliated travel outside of Indiana (domestic and international). The university continues to strongly discourage travel for any reason.