Protect the health and safety of all members of our community: undergraduate and graduate students, staff, academic staff, and faculty.
Empower agency whenever possible.
Prioritize the research and creative opportunities as well as flexibility particularly for those coming up for reappointment, promotion, and tenure.
Preserve jobs, equity, and benefits.
Strategies
Decisions related to safety and health should be based on the best medical expertise available and supported by relevant and accurate data on equity issues in higher education and aligned with the core values of the College of Arts & Letters.
Support people’s needs to stay safe and healthy both physically and mentally.
Reorganize and redesign space in campus housing, classrooms, shared office spaces, and any close quarters.
Add dividers when in-person interaction is called for
Provide open meeting space as much as possible with free flow of outside air.
Provide supplies such as masks and sanitizers.
Set up support and health resources and networks.
Plan events to be delivered virtually unless campus re-opens and the events can be safely delivered using masks and social distancing practices.
Ensure robust tech support and online resources for those teaching, learning, and working from home.
Effectively communicate to all students the resources available through CAPS, OFA, etc. Expand to prepare a list of talking points that respond to student safety and fears. We need to be proactive and not only reactive to upper administration.
Provide guidelines for graduate student fears as they relate to seeking help as well as health and safety as instructors and graduate assistants.
Recognize that many of the efforts to minimize risk will be eroded by students socializing and having parties outside of class both on campus and outside of campus.
Foster flexibility with regard to working from home, particularly for managing safety, work-life balance, and family pressures.
Current conditions and projections for the future suggest that remaining off campus may be best for the health and safety of all.
Consult closely with the WorkLife Office, GenCen, and LBGT Resource Center with regards to promoting gender and LGBTQ+ safety and equity within the College.
Consult closely with MSU’s Chief Diversity Officer and relevant campus groups with regards to promoting safety and equity for people of color within the College.
Provide guidelines and support for research and creative endeavors.
Pay attention to unique disciplinary practices that require activities that exist outside of the traditional lecture-based classroom (physical, vocal, ensemble-based learning, etc.) in conjunction with campus peers in KIN, MUS, RCAH, etc.
Avoid layoffs and loss of benefits
Engage with MSU EAP to provide assistance for all members of our community during times of job uncertainty.
