University Responsibilities

PHASED RETURN TO CAMPUS

To reduce the density of employees on campus, the University of San Diego will employ a phased return to work on campus for our employees, which is coordinated at a department level with approval of the dean or vice president. The phases take into consideration the mission-critical roles based on the operations on campus at the time, the ability to provide appropriate physical distancing in the workplace, proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and the county or state testing capabilities for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As these phases evolve, some employees will continue to work remotely, others may work alternate days or staggered hours on campus, while others will be on campus full-time. More detailed procedures and protocols will be communicated in the coming weeks. Supervisors Supervisors will work with their staffs regarding their on-campus, remote or hybrid work schedule.

MULTI-FACETED APPROACH

Until a vaccine is widely available to prevent COVID-19, no single strategy will prevent the spread of the virus. As a result, USD is implementing a multi-faceted approach with strategies that build on each other to help reduce the chance of a significant outbreak on campus. This multi-faceted approach requires all members of the USD community to wear face coverings, participate in the daily screening processes, maintain physical distancing in classrooms and other gathering spaces, and follow increased hand-washing protocols. Also included is the recommendation, based on the testing availability and the employee’s healthcare provider’s recommendation, that all students, faculty and staff be tested prior to their return to work on campus. If a student, faculty or staff member is already on campus, they should be tested as soon as possible.

TESTING AND SCREENING

Currently, COVID-19 is spread mainly from person-to-person. For this reason, the university worked with the County of San Diego to set up a testing site on campus, where employees may be tested before returning to campus. The university is also making plans for all students to be tested for the virus before returning to campus. If an employee or a student tests positive for the virus, USD will respond with its established protocols and procedures.

Daily temperature evaluation is a county requirement. Therefore, USD is planning to take the temperature of each employee as he or she arrives on campus. Multiple stations will be set up around campus to make this a quick and easy process. Employees with a temperature of 100°F or higher will be sent home.

Supervisors Supervisors will be responsible for confirming that employees have had their temperatures checked and completed their health screening questionnaires upon arrival to campus and before beginning work. If an employee has a temperature at or above 100°F or reports having symptom(s), supervisors will contact the Employee Relations team in Human Resources at hr@sandiego.edu or (619) 260-4594.

COVID-19 CASE MANAGEMENT

If a member of our faculty, staff or administration learns they have tested positive for COVID-19 or has been exposed to COVID-19, they or their supervisor should contact Human Resources for assistance and further instruction by emailing hr@sandiego.edu or calling (619) 260-4594. Human Resources will initiate protocols. Employee Has Tested Positive for COVID-19 If an employee has tested positive for COVID-19, Human Resources will:

• Ensure the employee is at home and is seeking guidance from a medical professional; • Provide information about county guidance and clearance; • Initiate contact tracing to determine who the employee may have had contact with while on campus; • Contact those individuals, if any, and instruct them on an appropriate course of action; • Determine with the employee if they are feeling well enough to work and, if so, coordinate with their supervisor to assess whether work can be done remotely; • Provide information about how pay will be managed if the employee is unable to work; and • Coordinate appropriate space cleaning protocols with Facilities Management. Employee Has Been Exposed to COVID-19 If an employee is believed to have been exposed to COVID-19, Human Resources will:

Speak with the employee to conduct a COVID-19 Risk Assessment Questionnaire; Instruct the employee on an appropriate course of action based on this risk assessment, which could include quarantine and contact tracing; and Assess if additional investigation, contact tracing and/or cleaning may be necessary if exposure is believed to have happened on campus.

While faculty, staff and administrator cases will be managed through Human Resources, student case management (including student employees) and contact tracing will be conducted through the Student Health Center.

P H Y S I C A L D I S T A N C I N G

USD has taken steps to improve physical distancing measures. Entrances to classroom buildings will be controlled to allow physical distance. The number of students has been reduced in each classroom. Classroom seating has been modified to ensure at least 6 feet of distance between students. Similar measures have been taken in the various dining and residential facilities and other high-traffic areas across campus. Supervisors Supervisors will work with their staffs to ensure work areas allow for physical distancing.

C L E A N I N G A N D D I S I N F E C T I N G

Although, according to the CDC this is not the primary way the virus spreads, it may be possible that a person can contract COVID-19 by first touching a surface or object that has been contaminated with the virus and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. To mitigate this risk, USD has increased its cleaning and disinfecting schedules. This includes surfaces that are either touched regularly (e.g. door handles, sink handles, light switches, drinking fountains, hand railings, bathroom stalls and dining hall tables), as well as objects that shared (e.g. lab equipment, computer equipment and desks).

In addition, USD intends to provide portable hand-sanitizing stations at all high-traffic buildings, with classroom buildings being the top priority. It is also USD’s intention to provide disinfecting wipes for students to clean and disinfect their desks or work surfaces. If disinfecting wipes are not available, we will provide an alternative, such as spray bottles and paper towels for faculty and students to use in the classrooms. Custodial staff are committed to cleaning classrooms between classes, as frequently as is reasonably possible, especially when there are gaps in the day during which classrooms may be empty. Supervisors Supervisors will work with their staffs to ensure work areas are clean.

FACILITIES Dining and Retail Areas New and enhanced practices have been instituted throughout campus dining and retail areas. Contactless transactions will be supported with a variety of order and payment technologies. Hygiene and handwashing will be supported with real-time contamination feedback. Entrance signs encourage customers and staff to follow COVID-19 guidelines for safety. Entrances to dining and retail spaces will be controlled to allow physical distance. Floor markings will designate 6-foot increments of space where lines typically form. Plexiglass sneeze guards provide a layer of protection when transactions require people to stand closer than 6 feet apart. Personal protective equipment supplies will be available to the community when appropriate use is required. Seating in public and dining areas will be reduced or spread out, per local and state guidelines. All food will be served as individual portions rather than buffet-style. Ventilation Building ventilation (HVAC) systems are the primary means by which fresh air is introduced into a building and continuously exchanged throughout the day. The HVAC technicians on USD’s Facilities Management team have performed extensive predictive and preventive maintenance to ensure our building ventilation systems are not only well-maintained and running properly, but are also operating according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and AirConditioning Engineers recommendations and CDC guidelines. Rooftop air-handlers, indoor air-handlers, variable air volume units, fan coils, exhaust fans, chilled-water actuators and heatingwater actuators have been inspected and serviced and all filters have been, and will continue to be, replaced as scheduled. In addition, automated building control systems have been programmed to provide maximum airflow per CDC guidelines that recommend increasing the fresh air brought into buildings through air handlers.

Plumbing USD building plumbing systems are sealed or closed-loop systems with treated water provided by the City of San Diego, whose tap water supply meets all state and federal health standards. While many employees have been working remotely the past few months, it is not the case that our buildings have been completely vacant or that building systems have been unattended. Facilities Management's building maintenance technicians have been working (and running systems) in virtually every building across the entire campus. As a further precaution, to ensure against the possibility of stagnant or standing water inside any building system, Facilities Management's housekeeping and custodial staffs have been continually running water through the buildings by flushing every toilet and opening faucets at least once per day.

RESIDENT STUDENT MOVE-IN

During resident student move-in, each student will be limited to two additional people to assist. One must stay with the car at all times. The other will be allowed in the residence hall to help move materials. To help reduce the risk of exposure on campus, we recommend that the people assisting with move-in are tested prior to coming to campus. Student Affairs may follow-up with the student’s self-reporting COVID-19 results for residence hall check-ins.

International students living in the residence halls may quarantine in the residence halls.

MANDATORY TRAINING

Human Resources will provide training for all employees and supervisors. The Employee Relations team in Human Resources is available to assist with any specific concerns. The strength of our USD community lives within our deeply held values and our commitment to addressing challenges together. Employees play a critical role in the health and safety of our community. All employees and supervisors will be required to complete an online COVID-19 wellness and safety training. Employees will receive an email with a link to the training in the coming weeks. This training is mandatory for all employees, whether working on campus, remotely or on a hybrid schedule, to ensure we all have an understanding of our shared responsibilities for one another.