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Cornell University

Office of the Assemblies

Responses | EA Staff Feedback Forum #2: Returning to Campus

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations? My concern is twofold. 1. If we return, this may lead to a spike in the # of cases. Cornell hosts students from across the United States. As of today there are 9.39M confirmed cases of COVID (Wikipedia). The United States has 2.43M confirmed cases of COVID (Wikipedia). The US has the highest percentage of confirmed cases of any country in the world. We have not done a good job of stopping this pandemic. What makes us think that we can safely bring students from across the US into one space, without increasing the # of cases?   Alternatively... 2. If we don't bring students back to campus then we will face extreme financial hardship. Our local community of businesses and workers will be heavily impacted without the students. Jobs will be lost, and some of those jobs may never come back.   What is working well that should be continued? If faculty/staff can work from home, they should opt to do so as often as possible. Tompkins County has done a great job of socially distancing and there are very few cases here. Limiting exposure to others has been going well here.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am most concerned about bringing students back to campus who were living in states that did not participate in wearing a mask and in social distancing practices. I believe students will overall follow protocol when on campus but am worried about night and weekend behaviors. Ultimately, I'm nervous about a COVID-19 outbreak.   What is working well that should be continued? I think there have been some excellent programs/workshops from a variety of campus departments, HR (Specifically CNG groups), Wellness, and SCL. It's been really nice to engage with other colleagues on campus that I otherwise wouldn't if we were on campus.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Ensuring that the virus doesn't flare up again and cause another shutdown.   What is working well that should be continued? Continued remote work when possible; use of the "Daily Check-in"

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am most concerned about large groups of people resuming activity in relatively small spaces, unnecessarily.   What is working well that should be continued? Employees who have been able to successfully work remotely should continue as such.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am not sure I feel comfortable with being around students and staff. If I was around students and staff all the time and could see who they interact with or will interact with then I would be comfortable returning to campus. My brother caught the virus from his job and he passed away April 1,2021. My brother did not expect his manager to pass on the virus to him and he worked in a hospital. Many times people do not listen and follow instructions and that is apparent when I briefly go grocery shopping. I already feel anxious spending the majority of my day at work if I am required to go back.   What is working well that should be continued? I think working from has been working well for me and many others in my office.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

People becoming compliant and slacking on things like mask wearing and hand washing.   What is working well that should be continued? Making COVID testing free and readily available for students, staff, and faculty.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am concerned about the status of K-12 schools re-opening in the fall. If they do not re-open, I will need to continue working remotely in order to home school my daughter.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

My primary concern really just has to do with the campus opening to restore revenue and prevent further job losses / cuts.   What is working well that should be continued? For me specifically working from home has been excellent. There was an initial adjustment period but now I think it's great.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

More specific details about physical distancing and other safety measures for offices as we look to have students back on campus. As a student-facing staff member, what measures are being taken besides just limiting the number of students in a classroom? If we are in small offices that there's no possibility of a student being 6 feet away, will we ever come back in person? For those in shared office spaces, is the plan more dividers/Plexiglas to separate work-spaces?   What is working well that should be continued? Frequent communication on the status of decision making is very helpful. The series of EA webinars that was published widely is very helpful! I think more communication the better.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am not concerned really with returning to campus with the staff and graduate students that are already here. I feel that we have cultivated a nice bubble of safe and healthy people here. However, I am extremely concerned with the arrival of students from different vector points of infection to our town, as well as for the safety of the mass of those students. All it would take is one group of students acting irresponsibly to infect not only other students, but also faculty and staff.   What is working well that should be continued? I am hopeful that there might be an option for rotational scheduling and working from home during regular times. I think we would all benefit from a few work from home days a semester/ year. It has been proven that we have the means to coordinate this. I would also like to see more flexibility in working hours. Some of which will have to happen if we were to extend the operational hours of the university.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

My biggest concern is an uptick in COVID cases as we open the campus to students who are coming from out of town - anywhere outside of NYS and including NYC. I was not so worried until all the spiking stated back up in other states...   What is working well that should be continued? As a staff members, most things are working well once we get settled in from a transition. For me, working from home is working out. However, the time I sit in front of my computer seems to be more. I have less reason to get up and move. Zoom meetings and webinars are starting to get to be too much. Homeschooling while working is cumbersome... there is a lot to manage and balance. There is too  much crossover between home and work, now. But it could be worse.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Spread of COVID-19 starting again   What is working well that should be continued? Remote work

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Students returning to campus spreading COVID-19 just as the region has successfully contained infection   What is working well that should be continued? Using COVID hours to pay for staff who cannot work on projects remotely in order to reduce density on campus to essential work

What is working well that should be continued?

Masks, remote work as much as possible, distancing

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

As NYS reopens and reactivation of on-campus activities take place, overall members of the Cornell community (staff, faculty, students, visitors, etc.) may think it is okay to relax efforts. However, there is still no vaccine for COVID-19 and all of the scientific evidence seems to point to the fact that hot spots within communities will almost likely occur. When students return to the area or as community members begin to travel again, the risk of community spread will also greatly increase. What happens in the community off campus, will also directly impact what happens on campus.   My biggest concern is around how we will be able to continue to minimize community spread both on and off campus during the reactivation. Specifically, what efforts will take place to enforce social distancing and the proper/correct use of face masks or cloth face coverings such as by covering both the nose and mouth?   What efforts will take place to ensure that the campus community remains vigilant in following recommendations of NYS and the CDC in regards to social distancing, wearing face masks or cloth face coverings, etc. when they are off campus? How will the university respond if there is an outbreak in the campus community?   What is working well that should be continued? Frequent and transparent communications are much appreciated and are working well. They should be continued.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Can we use any face covering like mask or shield during work time?   What is working well that should be continued? Wearing mask, Keep 6 feet, Follow personal hygiene rules

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

The most critical concern is around safety and decreasing the likelihood of transmission of COVID-19 as students return to campus. Another concern is hybrid staffing, some on campus and other working remotely and that will impact the work flow and support. As a supervisor, trying to manage staff in a hybrid coupled with my own workload is daunting.   What is working well that should be continued? The communication updates and including staff in the process is helpful.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

1. Whether people will follow the guidelines - use mask while indoor and around people.  2. Is the university going to open in phases or all at once?   What is working well that should be continued? Maintain social distancing

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

My greatest concern is that we're normalizing death.   There is no vaccine or widely available treatment yet. By reopening our campus to students, we are directly endangering the lives of our students, our staff and faculty, and - crucially - working-class members of the local community who will face pressure to return to service-industry jobs to serve these students. Based on current trends, the people most likely to die from COVID-19 as a direct result of our reopening are the Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities in Ithaca.   I'm concerned that we are only inviting students back to campus out of financial sensibilities. I am trying to see another reason for us to hold in-person instruction, but keep coming up empty. If we're social-distancing properly, in-person instruction will offer little advantage over online learning. I say this as staff in a department that uses specialized lab equipment - we can find ways to make it work online. So I'd really like to hear an answer to this - why are we bringing anyone back when we don't have a vaccine yet?   What is working well that should be continued? Optional S/U grading. (S/U-only might be better. We should consult the students.) Flexible work arrangements.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am concerned about the effects re-opening and universities returning to campus will have on the infection rate. Increasingly so, I am also concerned about the infection rate if campus does not reopen and those students who are in off-campus housing, as many of us fear they will still return to Ithaca even if classes are virtual. As a mom and co-worker, I am also concerned about the lasting effects an extended work/school from home will have on those with mental health issues.   What is working well that should be continued? Our team is working very well together, and all of our moving parts seem to mesh well even through a virtual connection. The flexibility provided by my supervisor and the team for time worked has been increasingly helpful during this difficult time.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

A resurgence of the virus due to (some) letting down their guard, and becoming lax of the due diligence to keep up the higher standards. (Which many should already have been in place...)   What is working well that should be continued? I cannot answer from first hand experience.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

The safety of those most at risk - the elderly and those with underlying conditions. I am also concerned that when students return, we will seek a spike in cases.   What is working well that should be continued? I appreciate the steps that the University and my college (CALS) has taken to keep staff informed, even when information about next steps has been uncertain.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

1. Once people begin returning from out of region, state and country I feel more concerned about the spread and less confident about my personal safety. How can we be sure that others are taking all necessary precautions and have remained safe throughout this period.   2. The University stance for staff has been that those who can work remotely should continue to do so. How do we address a supervisor or director that is insistent on our full return to campus ASAP?   3. What type of enforcement of the rules will be in place? What do we as individuals do if we see people are non-compliant?   4. Will COVID hours be scaled back and eventually eliminated once the ability to work on campus has been reinstated? I do not think it is fair to continue COVID hours for people not putting in their full scheduled hours when some people are already working full time. If they cannot work remotely, they should be on campus or unpaid.   What is working well that should be continued? Remote work has been working very well. I appreciate the option, and would appreciate continued flexibility in working remotely so long as the workload allows. I understand the need to be on campus in certain circumstances, and I will be there as needed. However, when work can be done remotely, I believe that staff should be allowed to do so indefinitely. Regular check-ins with supervisors can be used to gauge productivity.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Making sure we are taking necessary precautions to keep the entire community that is touched by Cornell safe and healthy.   What is working well that should be continued? Those who are very productive alone and in teams working remotely should continue to work remotely and allow for less congestion on campus for those who must be present in order to perform their duties. In particular, large meetings should continue to be held only remotely.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I'm most worried about people from all over the world traveling back to Ithaca, NY that may have the virus and are not responsible about a mandated 14-day quarantine.  I think regardless of where they are traveling from they should be required to quarantine when returning to the area.  The last thing we would want to do is open up our community to a spread of the virus or for us to be spotlighted as a Covid19 hotspot in NY.  I'm not sure there is a responsible way to do this w/out having a staggered approach to reopening.   What is working well that should be continued? I think working from home is working well for the most part.  I think as an administrative staff employee in this day and age, you should be able to function remotely with no real issues.  Of course there are occasional internet problems.  I do miss the ability to connect with co-workers face to face and have all of the office technology right at my fingertips (fast internet, printers, paper, pens, etc.).

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

(1) That not everyone understands the rules and regulations about social distancing, face coverings and so on. I fear that supervisors, out of fear, will impose false rules and regulations.   (2) the disparagement between hourly pay and salary. For many, working from home may have allowed for a cost savings with lower expenses (lower fuel cost and so on). However, lower level staff, who need to come back to the office will no longer enjoy these savings while their supervisors and those above them will be experiencing lower expenses.   (3) Staff traveling for vacations or visiting family and friends. We will have restrictions on our students, but what about staff?   What is working well that should be continued? (1) Keeping and encouraging as many staff as possible working from as home.   (2) The daily check-in attestation.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

A spike in COVID-19 cases that overwhelms the local health care system.   What is working well that should be continued?
  • firm statements of direction and purpose from leadership
  • email communications with the staff as more is learned and decisions are made
    • example: recent emails from President Pollack about the 3 committee findings
  • forums such as this

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

What kind of testing will be required for staff and the student body as they return to campus?   What percentage of staff will be allowed in each building?   What is working well that should be continued? Staff should be encouraged to continue to work remotely so social distancing can continue to be achieved.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

As a staff member who lives in the halls, I am concerned about what I can do to keep myself and my staff safe.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Guest policies and day to day operations in the residence halls? I'm concerned as to how are we suppose to hold students accountable to whatever new policy or rules get added to our halls. I'm concerned that if we get one student sick from COVID in one building it can compromise many other students.   Will residence halls be provided with more cleaning materials that can be left and replaced in common lounges for students to clean after themselves? What is the limit of students per lounge? How will programming be affected? Will students actually engage on online programming? How are we preparing ourselves with mental health concerns that may arise from more social isolation/distancing during the school year?

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Is the university working with local school districts to coordinate reopening? If schools remain fully or partially closed, how will faculty and staff who are parents of school-aged children be accommodated?   What is working well that should be continued? Keep people working remotely!

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I have very few concerns regarding re-opening campus operations. I would appreciate an explanation from medical personnel regarding criteria to consider when deciding whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available; the vaccine will be "so new" and developed very quickly, it gives the impression of being rushed and narrowly tested.   What is working well that should be continued? During these unprecedented times, we have found that our office is able to carry out almost all functions remotely; having personnel that can continue remote work should help to de-densify the campus but at some point the in-person element of customer service should return.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I worry that people that are happily and successfully working from home will be forced to come back to campus to work based on their management's decision, even though the staff level employees are worried about becoming sick themselves or bringing sickness home to vulnerable family members.    What is working well that should be continued? I think the staff forums have been great, and in general communication from university leadership has been as good as possible, given all the unknowns.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I have no health or safety concerns.   What is working well that should be continued? Internal automated systems and processes have worked throughout.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

The space in our office is not set up for proper social distancing sand having to wear mask from 8 am-4:30 pm is difficult for people. their is no place where we can eat lunch apart form each other.   What is working well that should be continued? Working remotely

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

People getting too comfortable with everything and not taking the right precautions (wearing masks, keeping distance and washing hands as much as they should)   What is working well that should be continued? I feel if we can continue to work from home that is great, with that being said I also think it is important to keep the right communication with the people who need your work/support for it to keep working well.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

1. Working remotely: I'm wondering when it's safe to surrender my parking permit   2. Social distancing: it is not essential for me to be in the office when my job can easily be done remotely and the building that I work in is not conducive for social distancing, it's already over-crowded with narrow halls   What is working well that should be continued? working remotely is working well for me

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am concerned that the hiring freeze will prevent us from being able to create the proper teams to support our faculty, staff and students. During this time of rapid change, it is challenging to feel like there are large hurdles in our way to hiring additional team members and/or reallocating resources quickly when needed.   What is working well that should be continued? The university is doing a good job with clear communication and transparency as plans for the fall move forward.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Our support structure for our lives (day care, school, family, getting supplies & groceries) has been upended.  I am one of the many that has a young child at home and cannot physically go back into the office until we have day care - which is incredibly hard to find now.  I'm also concerned about how the K-12 schools are going to adapt in the 2020-2021 year - there has been ideas of even shortened school days or alternating days going in.  That leaves us in a bind that I'm just unsure how it will work out - it's hard to plan our logistics when there are so many unknowns - and given that with any new outbreak or wave, we need to be able to remain flexible enough to handle any changes.   I'm also obviously concerned about staying healthy.  Our environment was such that people came to work hell or high water, sick or not sick.  I don't see any indication that attitude has changed.  This has been the healthiest period of my time working at Cornell in that I'm not sharing spaces with all the germs circulating through our less than ideal air system at East Hill Plaza.  Add the virus to our already less than ideal working area, and I'm worried about an "when not if" scenario.  This causes some very real fear that I'm doing my best to balance with the research, but it's going to be tough from a mental standpoint dealing with that daily.   We live in both a tourist and transient area - where I live near Seneca Lake, tourists are back in fairly large numbers.  If students come back to campus, that's a whole "new" population to the area.  Even if we don't bring students back, there are enough people traveling around that, while we have good numbers now, I can't see how we won't have another spike.  We need to ensure that our standards when that happens (contact tracing, social distancing, masks, etc) are strong enough to contain the spread.  It's been so easy as things reopen and we start to see people in person again to get just a little lax.  Add new people to the area who likely haven't been following our county health departments and medical leaders every day and are still getting used to how it works here (we won't even get into the science is an opinion, "facts aren't real" issues here because that's not the immediate issue we are trying to solve) - the challenge is great.   What is working well that should be continued? Working at home has been mostly working well.  I believe we've been very successful in the short term with this.  There are different needs that need to be met if we say this will be "forever" for some areas (like space, equipment, connectivity quality, etc) - however, in the short term everyone has been trying their best and being incredibly understanding and flexible - that is much appreciated.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer this past fall and am still considered potentially immunocompromised. What are the Universities plans for folks like myself whom have health concerns, and are concerned with the potential for the students to return to Ithaca and travel to places such as NY City, and bring back cases of Covid-19? A surge in cases in the area will impact my ability, as well as others in the community, to get safe and quality treatment at the hospital with upcoming appointments as well as surgeries on the horizon.   What is working well that should be continued? I have been allowed to work for a different department within my division and have had the opportunity to work remotely. That has been amazing.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

First, this should be anonymous.Second, why have staff not been given the opportunity to participate in a survey similar to the faculty and students? You want a culture of belonging but this just reinforces the notion that staff are not important. My concerns are the enforcement of policies around social distancing and the wearing of masks. Who will enforce this? The mask policy is not enforced locally--people are regularly without masks in stores and public spaces. And, these individuals tend to be younger folks. How will students be held accountable? As a staff member I do not want to be telling students to put on a mask and I certainly do not feel comfortable asking a faculty member. How will the university protect us?   What is working well that should be continued? There has been a good deal of transparency during this crisis and that should be continued. However, not providing the staff with a mechanism to share concerns about reopening was a major misstep.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

my biggest concern is the transition from work from office to work from home in the future if we have to shut down again,   What is working well that should be continued? zoom meetings and working from home should be encouraged, especially for commuters (30+ minute drive to work) I know for me personally (my drive is about 35 min one way) it has really helped my work/life balance.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Students, Faculty and staff not wearing masks, and buildings being clean.  My husband returned to work, on campus, and sees students in Clark Library sitting together not wearing masks.  There are anywhere from 2-6 students sitting together, not social distancing.   What is working well that should be continued? Keep those who can, working from home.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Even as I am deeply concerned about how reopening will, inevitably, result in the spread of Covid 19, I think the precautions the University proposes make sense. However, will these precautions actually be enacted? It all looks good and reasonable on paper, but does the University have the resources to actually put this plan in place? Finally, how on earth will we the University or the city of Ithaca keep track of, be aware of, put a stop to social gatherings that will occur (frequently and without social distancing protocols) among the students?   What is working well that should be continued? Those who can work from home should continue to work from home.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

1. The health and safety of childcare options in the region for full-time employees with young children, and the affordability of those options pending salary and staff reductions. And related, continued flexibility for alternate working arrangements to care for children.   2. The high probability of a resurgence of COVID cases in the fall and no announced contingency plan (by the state or otherwise) announced to address these potential circumstances and impacts.   3. What the long-term (Spring 2021) university plans and directives are for staff who are required to work from home indefinitely, so that these staff can plan accordingly.   What is working well that should be continued?
  • transparency of messaging in university communication
  • alignment with state guidelines
  • excellent attention to detail to maintain the highest level of safety and health for all on-campus individuals.
  • excellent resources from Cornell HR - for working families with children at home and for general well-being in this time of crisis
  • overall thoughtfulness and inclusiveness of approach, tapping university expertise and community input for ways forward
Also, I just wanted to say thank you for all you're doing to keep the community moving forward in this very challenging time. Your efforts are truly appreciated.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

When the University reopens I am most concerned about the potentially thousands of students that will be living on campus and the effect that will have on the health of Cornell employees and people in the off-campus community. How will social distancing and mask wearing be enforced? We have seen in this country alone that recommendations can be made, but some people choose not to follow those recommendations. This was a major problem in and around residence halls this Spring and I saw nothing being done about it. Asking students politely to stay six feet apart resulted in either no action from the students, or brief compliance until the person asking left the space. Students who were not roommates were seen eating together daily and in close proximity without wearing masks. I am also concerned about students going off campus. I don't know what the plan is, but I see no way to monitor when students go off campus, where they go, what they do, and who they interact with. Also, if classes are online and academic buildings are closed, students will be spending more time congregating in residence halls. Again, this was a big problem in the Spring, and putting up signs did not seem to help in any way. I hope that this is a topic that has been seriously considered and there are plans to prevent students from congregating inside residence halls.   What is working well that should be continued? The employees that can work remotely should continue to do so. Once there are thousands of students on campus there becomes a greater risk of infection in Tompkins County as employees are going to campus and coming back to their local communities.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am most concerned about making sure the right protocols are in place before we return. Also, worried about needing to return to work if schools/daycare is not reopened.   What is working well that should be continued? Not sure what this is referring to. Working from home is fine but not ideal.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

My concern is the student that will be coming here from the "hot spots" around the country.  NYS has been doing a great job flattening the curve, but my fear is that will all end when we bring people from all over the country/world to our area.   What is working well that should be continued? I think that Cornell has done a great job in keeping everyone safe and informed during this unprecedented time. The switch to working from home was swift and successful.  Kudos!

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

That some people aren’t and won’t remain vigilant to the recommended precautions such as hand-washing, social distancing, wearing masks. I don’t know what things will look like and how operations will move forward in the Fall, but as on-campus operations reactivate, vigilance on the part of everyone will be of utmost importance. I am already witnessing this happening in my own environment and we are witnessing it nation-wide. I know Cornell has some of the best people planning and strategizing as we move forward, so I feel confident a sound plan will be implemented. I guess a couple of the biggest challenges for Cornell are 1. World-class institution attracting students from all over the world, and 2. Student age group (undergrads): They tend to be risk-takers, so how might we approach this in order to keep the risks down? Some sort of contract in place is a start, and incentives perhaps? I think the best people to help formulate a workable plan are going to be our students themselves: They are smart, savvy, and know their behaviors best! Hopefully it will be possible to test out final contending plan options on them if only through virtual  focus group sessions soliciting their input! I would love to help such an endeavor. Anyhow, all the best with this. It’s success is crucial and Cornell will undoubtedly be a leader in how to do it right. Thank you for soliciting staff thoughts, and best wishes.   What is working well that should be continued? The transparency through which Cornell has been operating, and the continued dialogue with all partners, including these staff forums!

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Bringing students back from all over, and even with guidelines and "rules," I don't believe they will behave responsibly.   What is working well that should be continued? Staff who can work remotely, working remotely.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am concerned that people who are at-risk and under the wording of our guidelines are encouraged to continue to work from home will feel pressured to come in as others in their units begin to return - while incredibly difficult, there should be deep thought about effective systems to make sure that those employees are not perceived as less dedicated, or working less, than their peers on campus simply because they are working from home. Telling supervisors "Don't penalize them" is not enough, because so much of it is subtle and/or potentially unconscious biases about how we conduct work.   What is working well that should be continued? I deeply appreciate how communicative the University has been, making the committee reports available to all of us, and being clear about how decision-making has occurred. Putting us all on the same page is critical to being able to pull off a reopening that might be effective.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Now that I have a 5 month old baby at home, I am incredibly concerned about returning to campus and being amongst those who travel frequently, students, and a plethora of people who may not be taking this seriously. My utmost responsibility is to protect my daughter and fear I will be exposed myself.   What is working well that should be continued? I have enjoyed working from home immensely. I am able to work on my own timeline, which includes time in the evening when I normally may not be working. I prefer this.

 What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

my most convern is getting sick or passing it to my family whom is under high risk   What is working well that should be continued? I am able to work fully from home

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am most concerned about my staff mental health as working from home is prolonged.  All 4 have young children, which has been very challenging.  I worry about the long-term effects on both them and their children with Mom and Dad having to wear all of their hats all of the time and very little separation from work and home life.  It's not good for anyone.   What is working well that should be continued? We have been forced to put some electronic processes in place that had not yet been done.  Forms could be better, however, as several are still simply fillable pdfs, and routable on-line forms would really be best, but we don't have the resources to put them in place.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

A surge in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.   What is working well that should be continued? Employees that have been and are able to work remotely, should continue to do so.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I just hope to be left at home until things are normal. The uncertainty/stress of the daily check-ins, monitoring health, rapid change of information/anything can change at any second are off-putting. Of course things need to be done carefully and effectively, and that may mean temporary changes to how we do things, but the general effect leaves me just wanting to stay home til things are settled. I am also concerned about re-surges, concerned about herd fear, concerned about the longevity of restrictions put in place that we will all get used to, and, since my situation is fairly easy and easy for me to productively work remotely, I am concerned about other people for whom the situation is not so easy.   What is working well that should be continued? Remote-work. Other than that I really have no idea - that's what the experts are for. I'm not keeping track of what's working and what's not working. Also, how much does it matter what's working when there are state regulations that we have to follow? It doesn't matter if I or another individual think they "work" if they're mandated.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Community transmission overwhelming local infrastructure   What is working well that should be continued? Remote work and keeping staff employed even if they might have less than a full workload available.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Staff compliance with the safety measures that are being implemented, such as wearing masks, complying with 6 feet minimum social distancing, implementing HVAC measures and cleaning schedules to keep the virus from spreading   What is working well that should be continued? The measures mentioned above and others that have been carefully and thoughtfully considered, studied, and implemented by the University, such as working from home to the extent possible. We shouldn't consider a wide scale staff return to work until a vaccine is developed and made widely available.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

The common understanding throughout my college is that if work can be done from home then it should be done from home, even when we begin the process of reopening campus. However, there are whispers of having certain people return to campus despite this common understanding. Because I could potentially be exposed, I'm concerned that I'll be required to come into work before it is safe to return when very nearly everything I do can be done from home.   What is working well that should be continued? Flexibility with work hours while caring for an infant.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

uneven adherence to guidelines, availability of PPE, risk to staff members who may not be able to work from home   What is working well that should be continued? Allowing those who can work remotely to do so and thus de-densify the campus; limiting travel and in-person events.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am very disturbed by the number of people on campus who are not wearing masks and do not have them visible so they can put them on if necessary.  And this includes groups of people, who look to be students.   What is working well that should be continued? The daily online check ins are good to keep people thinking about their health assessments

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am concerned that COVID cases are recently increasing and we are planning to return. I know we are taking many precautions, but it still concerns me.   What is working well that should be continued? Working from home and meeting via zoom on a regular basis. My position still runs smoothly from my office at home.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

The buildings being cleaned properly and being kept clean. I am especially concerned with the bathrooms, as most do not have seat lids.   What is working well that should be continued? Symptom check-in

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Sanitizing buildings and requiring masks.   What is working well that should be continued? Zoom meetings, although I think there are too many of them. Questions that could be easily be asked by walking to a co-workers desk in a minute or two now seem to require zoom meetings.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Some people can’t wait to get back to “normal”, and I’m concerned that supervisors and coworkers will be impatient with those of us who feel the need to stay home to protect themselves or loved ones. Who decides if I can work effectively from home? What’s the standard?   What is working well that should be continued? Continue and further develop online forms and processes for students to mitigate the spread of the virus. It no longer makes sense for students to be walking around on campus just to get signatures on a piece of paper.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I’m most concerned about how the return of college students to Ithaca will result in a swell of COVID cases in our community, and that should we be hit hard, how our county wil be able to handle a spike in needed hospital stays.   What is working well that should be continued? Employees working from home, if they are able to do their jobs remotely, should be continued.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am worried about increased density on campus, and the mixing of populations from across the country as students return to campus. We have been operating as essential employees in a secure bubble with strict travel restrictions for months. This has kept us safe. I feel that we risk this controlled environment as campus reopens. How will we continue to feel secure?   What is working well that should be continued? Travel restrictions, mask requirements, distancing, and room capacity imitations are the optimal practices. Locked down buildings are also necessary.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

Some staff that are currently workiong on campus are not wearing face coverings consistently (or not at all) in public spaces in buildings. Some supervisors are not making it crystal clear that this is the policy and will be enforced. What will be the consequences for not adhering to this policy? (I know of a LOT of staff who have this same concern.)

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

I am still shocked at what we are deaing with, and the whole politicizig and financial implications and lack of clarity on n recommendations coming from NYS and national leaders. I am not sure how to respond to this question; and am proud NYS is doing better, but it is not 100% -we still have cases and the potential is for more no matter what. And so, the results are, we are in for devastation whether or not campus opens, most unfortunately.   What is working well that should be continued? CU is not operating as 100% yet on campus, and neither is NYS…and NYS has not been ready to move forward as was anticipate. But some impact in the right direction has perhaps been a result of face masks and other PPE measures, social distancing and limiting access points such as offices and kitchenettes, and cleaning practices seem to be working.

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

We are hearing reports about re-opening for phase 4 that would require shopping malls and other similar places to retrofit their air systems with powerful HEPA filters. Do these measures apply to any part of Cornell? What is Cornell’s plan for addressing air safety within buildings?

What are you most concerned about as NYS reopens and the university begins to reactivate on-campus operations?

One of the proposals was that all employees, etc., should get the flu shot for Fall 2020 unless they have religious or medical reasons not to. I have a medical reason not to. I could have adverse effects from the shot that could make me more vulnerable to COVID-19. There are ingredients in the shots that I should not have. When I feel ill, I just stay home and even work remotely, if I feel up to it. Do I need a doctor’s note? If so, I will need to start taking steps now to get one.