Return To Campus Update

It seems like summer is flying by. We hope you’re enjoying yourself and staying safe and healthy. We’re excited to have everyone back on campus and the Return to Campus Teams are making great headway in outlining our fall plans. Below are some of the decisions we have in place as of today. Most are regarding the return to work process and there are still many more to come. 

Return to Work

The university hopes to have all employees back on campus by Aug. 17. Individual supervisors will determine when their employees will return and on what dates, based on their assessment of the department’s needs. They will be required to notify each of their employees the expected return-to-work date before the end of July. Supervisors must also notify HR of any alterations to an employee’s work arrangements as soon as possible.

Some of you may be requested to return before Aug. 17. For example, those of you involved with our orientation programs may need to be on campus before then to ensure their successful delivery. 

Whenever possible, you’ll be notified via email by your supervisor a minimum of two weeks before you are asked to return. It’s each employee's obligation to check their email on a daily basis for updates. Keep in mind your schedules and office arrangements may shift based on need and physical-distancing guidelines. Prior to returning to campus, employees will need to complete COVID-19: What You Need to Know, a training module based on CDC guidance. 

All Bradley University faculty and staff are expected to adhere to the university’s expectations and guidelines for working on campus. These outline the guidelines regarding facial coverings, symptom monitoring, elevator usage, building access, meeting protocols, cleaning and disinfecting processes, and more. There is also a list of best practices for you to review as you prepare to return to work.

The committee is working on more items, including a FAQ page that will be updated regularly, and several other key decision points like work expectations after Thanksgiving and for the spring semester, how we might pivot if circumstances change and decisions regarding facilities activities. We will post additional resources on the Return to Work team site once they are determined; many will be directly communicated to you.

Supervisor Information

Supervisors: You know your departments and areas better than anyone. We trust and rely on your recommendations for preparing and establishing your workspaces when your staff returns. To help make those determinations, we’ve created a supervisor checklist detailing office, personnel and other factors to consider. You’ll also need to review the sample Return to Work Notice and send it to each of your employees when their return dates are confirmed. 

Changes to Academic Timing 

As we previously communicated, Bradley has canceled the traditional fall break and will instead hold classes on those days. Students will not return to campus after Thanksgiving and we will transition to online learning for the remainder of the fall semester. These decisions will reduce some risk factors associated with travel during these times. The Return to Class team will be providing more details soon.

The Return to Campus site will be your best source for decisions made and reference materials. We’ll continue to communicate with you as more details are outlined and more scenarios unfold. We are also closely monitoring local, state and federal health and safety guidelines. Everything is still evolving and the campus is hard at work preparing for a successful fall.  Thank you for your patience as we continue toward this goal.

–Sent to the Faculty and Staff on 06/11/2020