To: Wellesley College Staff
From: Piper Orton, Vice President for Finance and Administration, and Carolyn Slaboden, Chief Human Resources Officer
Re: Revised Campus Protocols for Summer
Date: June 17, 2021
In light of the declining COVID-19 infection rates, increasing vaccination rates, and the state’s new guidance, we are writing to share some updated health and safety protocols for summer. While the College is relaxing some guidelines, we continue to take a cautious approach, as we have throughout the pandemic, recognizing that a significant number of community members remain unvaccinated. (After you are fully vaccinated, please take a moment to record that information in the Spring Toolbox.)
Testing
Staff who are working closely with students on campus should continue to test on a weekly basis. Dining staff working on campus this summer should continue to test twice a week. Anyone who expects to be working closely with students and is not already confirmed in the testing pool should contact Carolyn Slaboden. Testing is taking place in the College Club on Mondays and Thursdays from 7 to 11 a.m. and from 12 to 4 p.m.
Returning to campus over the summer
Staff who have been working on campus since the start of the pandemic will continue to do so. Staff who have been working remotely and who are interested in working on campus during the summer should first seek approval from their manager. Staff in positions for which an on-campus presence is not essential and whose work can continue to be performed remotely may continue working remotely for now. We will send out more information in July regarding the future of work and plans for fall staffing.
Given the lower number of faculty and staff working on site this summer, academic and administrative buildings will be cleaned on a weekly basis. Staff should be prepared to take their trash and food waste to an outdoor trash receptacle because of the limited summer cleaning. Temperature settings may be higher than normal.
All faculty and staff working on campus should continue to complete the Daily Health Check.
Masks
Masks are still required inside all campus buildings, except for summer students when they are in the Stone-Davis dining and residence hall. (The approximately 130 students living in Stone-Davis this summer are fully vaccinated.) Staff are not required to wear masks when alone in private offices. The College recommends maintaining physical distancing to the extent possible if groups are gathered indoors.
Staff may eat by themselves in their individual offices, and union members can continue to eat in break rooms following the same physical distancing and occupancy guidelines as in the spring. Otherwise, all shared meals should be eaten outdoors.
Masks are not required outdoors, except at gatherings of more than 50 people. Staff who are fully vaccinated can invite no more than five guests who are also fully vaccinated to visit with them in the outdoor areas of the campus. Masks are not required for outdoor areas and eating is permitted. No off-campus visitors are allowed inside any building on campus.
Vaccinations
The College is not currently requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated, but we do strongly encourage vaccination as a vital component of our campus health and safety plan. The level of community vaccination will determine what policies are enacted in the fall. We ask that all staff, and particularly those currently working remotely who wish to come to campus this summer, record their vaccination status in the Spring Toolbox in Workday.
Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave
Through September 30, 2021 (or earlier as may be determined by the commonwealth), employees are eligible to apply for up to 40 hours of emergency paid sick leave for specific reasons related to COVID-19. Please review the details of this state program, including information about eligibility. If you have questions regarding this new program, please contact JoAnne O’Beirne in Human Resources.
Parking
To limit the number of visitors to campus this summer, gates at the Davis Parking Garage and Founders Lot will be activated. Please carry your Wellesley ID with you at all times on campus in order to enter parking lots and some buildings.
Travel
Please complete the travel tracker for business and personal travel outside Massachusetts (note that any business travel requires permission from your manager). Avoid travel to CDC Level 4 international locations.
In addition to complying with any applicable state or CDC requirements, staff members must comply with the following requirements before returning to campus:
- If you are unvaccinated: Following travel, unvaccinated people should quarantine for seven days and take a PCR test sometime during days three to five following your return to the local area. Please provide test results to your supervisor prior to your return to campus. If you do not take a PCR test, you must quarantine for 10 days prior to your return to campus.
- If you are fully vaccinated: There are no special requirements for return to work following domestic travel. Following international travel, you should plan to test sometime during days three to five following your return to the local area. You must provide a negative test result to your supervisor before your return to campus.
