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3/18/2020 1:33 PM

TO: Faculty and Staff
SUBJECT: 2020 COVID-19 Interim Procedure for Campus-Location Space Management

Dear UIU Faculty and Staff,

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide interim procedures to Upper Iowa University (UIU) employees based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) interim guidelines for Administrators of US Institutions of Higher Education.

Interacting with Others:  All student meetings will be restricted to ZOOM, phone, email or other virtual platforms.

Social Distancing: If no one is showing any symptoms, our goal is not to isolate, but to ensure social distancing. The University is following guidelines set by the CDC, which indicate six feet of space around people when interacting in person. The CDC has also recommended any public gatherings with 10 or more people be cancelled or postponed in the United States for the next eight weeks, a recommendation by which we will abide. Effective March 16, 2020, all large group gatherings at UIU have been suspended until April 30, 2020.

Specialized Campus Facilities:

The Fayette campus is currently open for employees and approved students. For employees, we will continue to maintain social distancing. For students, many are unable to return home or prefer the safety of the Fayette campus. Some of these students have requested access to certain facilities. Examples include athletic facilities, research lab, special computer lab, library, or the Peacock Arts and Athletics (PAAC) facility. This will be allowed but a plan needs to be approved ahead of time. In general, the University is allowing use of these spaces to support our students with limited options (i.e., international students, students with families living in COVID-19 high risk areas, students who believe they are safer remaining in Fayette).

The approval process consists of the department/program/office with the specialized space developing a written plan for that space. The plan should include the following:

  • How you will limit the number of students in the facility to 10 (i.e., a sign up roster managed sign up for a time slot)
  • How you will enforce social distancing between people in that space.
  • How you will clean and sanitize the area between users, if applicable.
  • How the department/program/office will monitor the space to ensure these practices are being followed.

The plan for a space needs to be approved by the supervisor and then by the respective Dean or Vice President for that space. Once approved, the respective Dean or Vice President will communicate with the Director of Facilities to ensure appropriate signage is put in place for this space and confirm that sanitizing products are accessible.

Please continue to visit https://uiu.edu/coronavirus/ to review all updates, prevention, UIU formal communications to stakeholders, updates, symptoms, concerns, state/national information, and FAQ’s.

Thank you for your attention to this special announcement.

Sincerely,

Bill

William R. Duffy II, Ed.D., Ed.S.

President

Upper Iowa University