Overview
In the face of the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, Jackson State University’s priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our entire campus community. We are operating in an entirely different environment, and we must carefully plan how we will return to the workplace.
Our plan will be strategic and aligned with the guidelines from the State of Mississippi, Mississippi Institutions Higher Learning (IHL), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the federal government.
The following three-phase plan has been developed to safely return faculty and staff to campus over the next several weeks. We began to initiate the plan with our Management Staff. The remainder of the return to work process will continue as we gradually bring in critical business operations and end with the faculty and students’ arrival at the beginning of the fall semester.
The plan is flexible and takes into account the specific needs of many units across the campus.
Normal Operations: To remain flexible under the ‘New Norm’ as faculty and staff return to campus. Continue to enhance mitigation strategies to provide a healthy campus, including proper sanitation of office equipment/areas, use of technology in conjunction in-person gatherings, replacing paper processes with electronic processes.
July 20, 2020
All departments and campus buildings will be open, and employees are expected to report to work at their pre-COVID-19 work schedule from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
August 12, 2020
The faculty will return to work.
- Limited visitors and students will be allowed to visit the campus before the start of the 2020 Fall Academic year.
- Employee reporting to work must wear a face mask or face covering and maintain 6ft of social distance.
The following options are available to employees.
- Reasonable Accommodations Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
According to the CDC, individuals with certain conditions may have a higher risk of COVID-19 infections. These conditions may include:
- Older adults (aged 65 years and older)
- People with HIV
- Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
- Chronic lung disease
- Diabetes
- Serious heart conditions
- Chronic kidney disease being treated with dialysis
- Severe obesity
- Being immunocompromised
Employees who have concerns about returning to work due to a medical condition that place them in a higher risk group, including those who are pregnant and wish ADA Reasonable Accommodations related to returning to work, should contact the Department Human Resources.
EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
The Latasha Norman Center for Counseling Services offers up to two (2) consultations to faculty and staff. After the second consultation, if additional mental health services are warranted, a referral will be made to one of the agencies listed below. This is to ensure that a dual relationship and conflict of interest are not developed, which is unethical due to the possible negative impact these things can have on the working relationship between counselors and faculty/staff.
JSU Campus Ministries: jsuwwesleyfoundation@yahoo.com
Hinds Behavioral Health Services: 601-321-2400
Central Mississippi Health Services: 601-957-6776
Live Beyond Existing (Ashley Franklin, LPC): 601-706-9611
Marion Counseling Center: 601-956-4816
Global Treatment Clinic (Dr. Alanna Wright): 601-373-1766
The Latasha Norman Center for Counseling Services is developing content for monthly 5-10 minute wellness webinars for faculty and staff to take advantage of during the workday. These webinars will take place via Google Meets. A sign-up link is being developed, which will be placed on the center’s webpage. Self-help resources are available on the center’s website as well at www.jsums.edu/latashanormancenter.
SYMPTOM MONITORING
Employees who are returning to the workplace should conduct symptom monitoring before reporting to work. You should be free of ANY symptoms potential related to COVID-19.
At this time symptom, include one or more of the following:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fever
- Chills
- Runny nose or new sinus congestion
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- New GI symptoms
- New loss of taste or smell
Employees experiencing any of the above symptoms should not report to work. Instead, you should log in to PAWS and complete the COVID-19 Self-Reporting Form. Once the form has been received and reviewed, you will receive a call from the JSU Health Center for an assessment of symptoms and COVID-19 testing.
PERSONAL SAFETY PRACTICES to Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19
Our ability to sustain and increase our on-campus presence and activities depends on our community’s commitment and cooperation.
- The University will provide one cloth facemask for all employees. The facemask or covering must be worn by all employees working on campus when in the presence of others and in public settings where other’s social distancing measures are challenging to maintain.
- If you are ill, please stay home or go home.
- Practice social distances and keep at least 6 feet of space between you and others.
- Minimize contact among employees, students, and visitors by replacing face-to-face meetings with virtual communication. Do not gather in groups of 10 or more.
- Discontinue nonessential travel between buildings and offices.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or touching your face. If soap is not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 70% alcohol.
- Do not use other employee’s phones, desks, offices, tools, supplies, and other equipment.
- Maintain a regular and routine cleaning and disinfecting for common areas and equipment (i.e., breakrooms, door handles, copy machines, etc…)
- Consider getting a flu shot.
- Check your temperature before reporting to work.
Employees requesting Emergency Paid Sick Leave should complete the survey using the link below.
https://jsu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0JTS6yQL0NXih4F
POSTIVE COVID-19 TEST
|
Effective Date: |
April 1, 2020 – December 31, 2021 |
| Policy #
|
Policy #006 |
| Administrative Division:
|
Office of the President |
| Unit: | Human Resources
|
| Employee Category | Faculty and Staff |
If you test positive for COVID-19 at a facility other than the JSU Health Center, you should report your results to the Health Center immediately. The University Physician and Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management will determine what additional precautions may be warranted for the campus.
The anonymity and confidentiality of person with COVID-19 will be protected during this process. However, you will be asked to report any person you may have come into contact with recently before and after the onset of symptoms and identify the areas of campus that you may have visited. Please note that these actions are being taken to protect the health and safety of the campus and its faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
Just like with any other illness in which you are not able to report to work, you are required to contact your supervisor to inform them that you are unable to report to work.
FACE COVERING
|
Effective Date: |
July 1, 2020 – December 31, 2021 |
| Policy #
|
Policy #007 |
| Administrative Division:
|
Office of the President |
| Unit: | Human Resources
|
| Employee Category | Faculty and Staff (Also applies to Students, Visitors, & Contractors) |
Individuals inside of University buildings, classrooms, or in common areas of the University are required to wear a face covering that covers both nose and mouths at all times.
Employees working alone in their individual enclosed offices do not need to wear a face covering. Employees working in offices with open floor plans will need to wear a cloth face covering.
This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, contractors, and visitors on University property.
NOTE: COVID-19 is a complex, challenging, and fluid situation that continues to evolve rapidly. All information on this document is subject to change as deemed necessary by University leadership in accordance with guidance and recommendations issued by federal, state, and local public health and government officials.