Dean’s Update 6/23/20
FACS ZOOM MEETING and ARCHNEWS WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR FALL SEMESTER INSTRUCTION
A Zoom meeting will be conducted by Patti Hunt-Hurst, associate dean for academic programs and Sheri Worthy, FHCE Dept. Head outlining the focus on health and safety and changes in pedagogy to support social distancing. Mark your calendar for Friday, June 26, 10:00 am. This presentation will be recorded for repeated viewing or if you miss the scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96867900664?pwd=c0M3NUdDR3hXQ2tkUEtObmhQNGxDZz09
Meeting ID: 968 6790 0664
Password: 288479
In addition, watch your email inbox for a detailed ArchNews to provide direction to you as faculty and staff who support our academic mission as we prepare for instruction in Fall 2020.
WORKPLACE AND EMPLOYEE SAFETY UPDATE
Protect UGA: COVID-19 Required Training for Supervisors is available in UGA’s Professional Educational Portal PEP. The supervisor course will take about an hour to complete and includes information on measures that UGA is taking to create a healthy and safe workplace. It should be completed by June 30. This training provides guidance and resources for supervisors to navigate a safe return for their staff/faculty and the reopening of campus. As referenced in the Return to Campus Guidelines for Faculty and Staff, along with the supervisors, each employee and student will be required to complete training within PEP. More information and additional communication is forthcoming!
Resources and web sites:
Regarding face-coverings: In the training materials, it is asked that departments/units only order at this time the number of masks needed for employees returning June 15. Departments can order face coverings (two per employee) at a later date for employees returning in July when the date of Phase II return is announced. Distribution is through the departments/units.
Departments/units may order additional face covers, in addition to the two being provided by the University, and other types of PPE if needed via regular Procurement purchasing processes using their own department funding. The additional face coverings are available in the UGAmart PPE punch out.
Masks and face coverings protect others from asymptomatic shedding of the virus, but they do not lessen the importance of social distancing.
Risk Assessment Supervisor Resource Document for supervisors is helping us prepare the work environment and be compliant with the health and safety recommendations https://hr.uga.edu/_resources/pdf/Risk_Assessment_Supervisors.pdf
Building hours have been established for the return to campus based on phases:
Dawson Hall
Phase One – Keycard Only
Phase Two (date TBD) – 8 am to 5 pm
Phase Three – 7 am – 7 pm
Barrow Hall
Phase One – Keycard Only
Phase Two – TBD
Phase Three – 8 am to 5 pm
Charles Schwab FP Center
Phase One – Keycard Only
Phase Two – Keycard Only
Phase Three – 8 am to 5 pm
The PEP supervisory training is very useful for understanding the leave and human resources options:
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) https://hr.uga.edu/ffcra_request/
Fill out the online form to request the Expanded FMLA. A number of our faculty and staff have questions about childcare. The new law provides FMLA coverage for employees with at least 30 days of service who are caring for a son or daughter under 18 years of age whose school or childcare provider is closed or unavailable due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus public health emergency.
Employees who work for the University of Georgia normally perform their work on University premises. Phase 3 of the Return to Campus Guidelines is described as coinciding with the start of the fall semester and that all faculty and staff return to campus with appropriate training. Employees previously working staggered/rotating weekly scheduled and/or telecommuting should now be operating a regular, in-person scheduled on campus with only limited exceptions in Phase 3. Exceptions may be permitted according to the guidelines https://policies.uga.edu/Human-Resources/Hours-worked/Telecommuting/. In the college, the Telecommuting Agreement between Employee and Unit Head (supervisor) must also be approved and signed by the Dean and filed in the employee’s Personnel File. What we have been doing now, “remote work,” was in response to shelter-in-place and does not constitute a telecommuting arrangement.
Flexible work arrangements https://policies.uga.edu/Human-Resources/Hours-worked/Flexible-Work-Arrangements/ are alternative work schedules that differ from the University’s regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phase 3 of Return to Campus Guidelines for Faculty and Staff assumes all faculty and staff except those few validated as being at high risk. Individuals in those populations defined as at risk, who have applied with appropriate documents for ADA accommodation and who cannot be given arrangements to return to campus with few exceptions. Telecommuting is allowing individuals to work away from campus one or more days a week. Telecommuting for exceptions (1) ADA accommodation approved by HR; or (2) justified business case.
Not eligible: employee still in probationary period or employee with unsatisfactory performance. Faculty don’t qualify for typical telecommuting per the policy. However, UGA has asked faculty to apply for ADA accommodation during a public health emergency guidance when necessary.
As employees, graduate assistants can apply for ADA accommodation https://hr.uga.edu/employees/workplace-concerns/disability-services-accommodations/ada-supervisory-resources/. The deadline is July 15.
Fundamentals of Telecommuting: Telecommuting is not an employee right, guaranteed benefit, or requirement. It can be terminated by supervisor at any time without notice. Decision makers in the college are the immediate supervisor and the dean. To apply during the pandemic, the longest period of time in the FACS College will be to consider a request through Dec. 31, 2020. See Telecommuting policy and application https://hr.uga.edu/supervisors/supervisor-resources/telecommuting-guidelines/ and flexible work arrangements https://policies.uga.edu/Human-Resources/Hours-worked/Flexible-Work-Arrangements/
Non-ADA deadline for initial review of flexible work arrangements or telecommuting for planning purposes is Monday, July 6, 2020. Talk to your immediate supervisor.
Please note: This dean’s update is not a substitute for the required supervisory training program and, if anything, this Update should catalyze you to prioritize your time to watch the two videos and read all the Power Point slides with links to related online documentation.
Thanks, and, as always, remain flexible, patient and empathetic as we learn more and implement the steps for return to campus.
A “coffee hour” with the dean will occur the week of July 6, time TBD.
FY21 BUDGET UPDATE
I shared with the department heads and leadership team that we still don’t have an official budget as the legislator, governor, and USG are still working through the fiscal year FY21 allocations. The AJC https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/kemp-releases-new-revenue-estimate-seeks-reduction-school-cuts/GlhhQPGhyhPcwGuQRUPxPM/ noted “The governor recommended dropping the reduction to basic school funding by $53 million and having university and technical colleges take a 10% cut instead of 11%, as they’d expected. The same is true for the rest of state government.” This and other news articles may have gotten your attention about the reduced level of cuts to education in Georgia. I caution everyone to not read too much into how those budget decisions will be translated at the USG and institutional levels. Please continue to be patient for official news on UGA and college budgets for FY21. I anticipate and the college leadership has planned for an ~8% reduction. More information will be communicated to the College in July.
SCHEDULE (Dean’s travel and purpose during the next two weeks):
- Remote work contact: 706-224-6086 (cell call or FaceTime)
- The next Dean’s “Coffee Hour” Zoom meeting will be scheduled the week of July 6
- The next Dean’s Update will be the week of July 6, or earlier.
Sincerely,
Linda Kirk Fox
Dean
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia embraces a commitment to diversity by modeling for the state and nation a community of individuals and programs which seek to reduce prejudice, disparities, and discrimination and build a supportive environment for all.