Return to Campus Letter #8 Remote Work Policy for College Staff
Return to Campus Letter #8
May 19, 2021
Dear Brooklyn College community,
This Return to Campus Letter is the eighth in a series designed to help you understand our preparations for a gradual return to campus in the fall and our focus on health and safety in that work. In my last letter, I discussed mask wearing, contact tracing, and complying with COVID safety rules on campus. In this letter, I will discuss how staff members who are currently working remotely will return to campus.
CUNY has announced that remote staff will begin to return to campus on August 2. However, their work schedules starting in August and throughout fall semester may differ from their schedules on campus before the pandemic. The CUNY Office of Human Resources has established a remote work policy, entitled CUNY Flexible Work Guidelines. Those guidelines cover flexible work arrangements, the tools and rules for remote work, and reasonable accommodation requests.
Starting on August 2, almost all administrative departments and offices on campus will be open with an in-person presence during regular business hours in order to serve the on-campus community. In-person presence does not mean that all staff members in an office will be onsite at the same time, but rather that at least one staff member (or more, as appropriate) will be available in each office during regular business hours. Many offices will function by appointment only to limit the number of people in one office at a time.
Other than for medical accommodations, almost all staff members will have a rotational schedule, with some predictable portion of their work each week on campus and some portion at home. Within a department, staff members will share the responsibility for in-person service fairly and equitability to the greatest extent practicable. Throughout their time on campus, staff members will maintain social distance from others, and staggered work schedules will help everyone maintain that distance.
Within one week, we will issue guidance on how remote employees and their supervisors can collaborate to develop on-campus work schedules. On June 3 at 2 p.m., we will host a meeting specifically for supervisors to answer questions about developing on-campus work schedules. On June 10 at 2 p.m., we will host an open forum for all remote staff to answer any questions about returning to work in person.
This is an exciting time when things are slowly returning to normal. To continue that momentum, I urge everyone reading this message to get vaccinated. The science is clear: Vaccines are safe and effective, and they will protect you and your loved ones from serious illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19.
I will issue Return to Campus Letter #9 next week. Take good care of yourself until then.
Yours sincerely,
Michelle J. Anderson
President, Brooklyn College
