Dear Scripps Faculty and Staff,
In a follow-up to the Guidelines for Return to Campus communication sent on July 23, 2021 from the Office of Human Resources, we are providing additional information regarding COVID-19 health and safety measures and protocols as we prepare to return to campus over the next several weeks. Our top priority for the 2021-22 academic year is to provide the safest possible residential and in-person educational experience for our students, faculty, and staff. As we look forward to welcoming students back the week of August 25, we are pleased to report that over 99% of Scripps students and 83% of Scripps employees have been fully vaccinated and provided their official documentation.
Employee Vaccinations
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the single most important measure each of us can take to protect ourselves along with those on campus and in our surrounding communities is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. This was reaffirmed last Friday by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) officials, as Dr. Barbara Ferrer described the vaccine as a “powerful” source of protection against COVID-19. The College appreciates the high level of cooperation and response in submitting proof of full vaccination. We are aware that some faculty and staff have received at least one dose of a two-dose vaccination and expect our fully vaccinated percentage to continue to increase in the coming weeks.
This week, the College will be communicating with employees who have not submitted their vaccination information. By August 27, 2021, employees must confirm their vaccination status by completing one of the following actions:
- provide confirmation of receiving the COVID-19 vaccination,
- acknowledge intent to get the vaccine and when, or
- request either a medical or religious exemption.
If you have yet to report confirmation that you received the COVID-19 vaccination, please submit it to the College via this online form.
As a reminder, once the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) grants full use authorization to one of the vaccines currently authorized for emergency use (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson), all employees will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to approved exemptions for medical contraindications or a sincerely held religious belief. The College also reserves the right to further modify this policy and require employees to be vaccinated prior to the FDA granting full approval should we determine this to be in the best interest of maintaining and safeguarding the health of our community.
Healthfully App
All employees and students will be expected to utilize the Healthfully™, application as part of our community commitment to safety. This technology supports colleges and universities in administering testing, tracking results, and status along with delivering real-time COVID-19 education and community announcements in an easy-to-use app that can be installed on smart phones, tablets, and computers. Through the Healthfully App, the College will be able to facilitate:
- Compliance with screening, testing, and isolation
- Self-screening and attestation
- Alerts and notifications
- COVID-19 education
- Secure messaging
All employees will be required to complete a daily symptom check before coming to campus. Unvaccinated employees are required to do this via the Healthfully app. A communication will be coming out next week from Andrew Bracy, Covid Coordinator, providing more details about the launch of the application.
Mask Requirements
LACDPH reported last week that community transmission of COVID-19 has increased in Los Angeles County and the vast majority of the current cases are among unvaccinated persons. It is important for everyone to help slow the spread of the virus by wearing masks indoors. In Los Angeles County, individuals two years of age and older must wear a mask in all indoor places (including indoor classrooms), whether they have been vaccinated or not. Employees with private offices may remove their masks if the door is fully closed and there is only one occupant in the private office. Door tags have been placed on the back of every office door. Please use the door tag to designate whether an office is occupied or vacant. Wearing a mask outdoors is optional. Employees who wish to continue to wear masks outdoors may do so. The College has a supply of N95/Kn95 masks for any employee who wants to wear those types of masks.
Feeling Ill
If you are not feeling well, you should not come to campus. The CDC recommends that employees stay home if they are sick with flu-like illness until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicines (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). If you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, please contact the COVID-19 support line to clear your return to work at (909) 308-2711.
COVID-19 Exposure and Requirements
If you have been in contact with a person who has a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19 in the past 10 days, it is critical that you do not come to campus. In addition, you must contact the hotline at (909) 308-2711 to report and receive guidance on next steps, including when you may return to campus.
Testing
Last week, LACDPH officials recommended that colleges and universities conduct screening testing. Unvaccinated students and employees will be required to be tested twice a week. Consistent with the LACDPH recommendation, the College will be implementing random and potentially limited periodic testing of all vaccinated employees and students. Employees selected as part of the random pool will receive notice that they have been selected one week prior and will be required to test in their assigned week.
Supervisor Responsibility
Supervisors are responsible for understanding the various protocols regarding testing, wearing masks, and what to do if your team member is feeling ill or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19. Please make sure your team members are aware of the protocols.
Facilities Updates
Both the Facilities Department and IT have completed extensive upgrades throughout campus to provide a safe and healthy environment. Those departments will be sending out a community message later this week with more details, including a description of the HVAC upgrades and adjustments in every building on campus.
COVID-19 Training
Pursuant to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) requirements, all community members are required to be knowledgeable of and review the material provided on Inside Scripps. The material covers the following areas:
- COVID-19 basics
- Symptom check
- Face coverings/masks
- Signage
- Handwashing
- Vaccination
- Sick-leave benefits
- Safety
Mailroom
To serve the community in a safe manner, the mailroom has made some process modifications. Details will be sent out soon via email and are posted on the mailroom webpage on Inside Scripps.
The former copy center has been converted into a package center where the mailroom will place packages into lockers for pickup. The mailroom will send information about how to access the locker when package notifications are sent. As a reminder, personal packages should not be sent to the mailroom due to space limitations.
Meals on Campus
This fall, Malott Commons will be exclusively limited to Scripps students, faculty, and staff in an effort to manage the heavily trafficked site. Whenever possible, we encourage employees to use outdoor tables to reduce indoor congestion.
Compliance
Failure to comply with any of the College’s requirements to be on campus will be reported to employees’ supervisors and Divisional VP/Dean of Keck Science.
Future Updates
The Office of Human Resources will continue to provide updates for employees as more information regarding the fall semester becomes available. It is also important to recognize that official guidance is ever-evolving, and we will strive to provide updates in a timely manner.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Berklas SPHR-CA, GPHR, SHRM-SCP
Assistant Vice President, Human Capital & Risk Management