Dear NYU Silver Union and Administrative Staff and SSLT Colleagues—
Lifting Restrictions
Beginning today, the temporary Omicron-related restrictions established by the University’s COVID-19 Prevention and Response Team will be gradually lifted, with dining halls already having resumed regular service, athletic facilities opening on Monday, February 7, and the Fall 2021 guidelines for events and gatherings resuming then as well. The Provost has also advised that in-person instruction will be the expectation for all classes, effective this Monday. The University is hopeful that the booster requirement, coupled with the mask mandate and required use of the daily screener for all NYU community members accessing campus, will make it possible to resume an ever-growing number of in-person activities as the spring progresses.
Transitioning Back to Hybrid
We anticipate the need for in-person coverage in all NYU Silver offices to increase along with the volume of on-campus activity. Accordingly, starting this Monday, February 7, we are asking all supervisors to begin transitioning their teams back to the hybrid work arrangements that were in place for the majority of Fall Semester 2021.
With the understanding that returning to those earlier arrangements on such short notice may be challenging for many, where possible, we are also encouraging team leaders to use the following three weeks to gradually phase back into 3-day in-person/2-day remote schedules for all team members, with Monday, February 28, as the target date for the resumption of Fall 2021 hybrid schedules. We will be reaching out to Senior Leadership team members for those updated schedules in the coming weeks.
Booster Requirement
As we have communicated before, it is critical that all NYU employees meet the University’s vaccination/booster requirements. All members of the NYU community—students, faculty, administrators, staff, and campus visitors—are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to upload proof of their vaccination, and to have that vaccination documentation verified by NYU. All eligible NYU community members were required to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination and upload proof of the vaccination by January 18, 2022, (or within seven days of when they become eligible).
Importantly, the guidance on non-compliance has been updated since our last message, and failure by any faculty, administrator, or staff employee to comply with the vaccination requirement and/or secure an approved medical or religious exemption will now result in being prohibited from being on campus and being placed on unpaid leave. Please reach out to Evelyn Kleinbardt, Director, Administrative Services and HRO, if you need additional information
Being on Campus: Masking, Events and Gatherings, and Eating and Drinking If it’s been a while since you’ve been on campus, you may want to re-familiarize yourself with basic requirements, protocols, and best practices. You can find the most essential guidance summarized in the Being on Campus FAQ for Spring 2022.
Note: Guidance regarding in-person activity may be different for teams located on the St. Thomas Aquinas College and Sarah Lawrence College campuses. Questions can be directed to Coordinator of the Westchester and Rockland Campuses, Dr. Aminda Heckman.
Here are a few key things to remember:
- Masks: The University has updated its mask guidelines, which include wearing KN95 or N95 masks, or double-masking (surgical with cloth) while on campus; the University has surgical masks available at Campus Safety desks across campus. At this time, Silver is providing *one* KN95 mask for all faculty, students, and staff; here is more information regarding how to get a complimentary mask at the Washington Square, Rockland, and Westchester campuses.
- Events and Gatherings: The resumption of events and gatherings at Silver will start gradually, with strict attendee limits. Where possible, groups should continue to focus on engaging in virtual events and activities (workshops, career coaching, alumni panels, DEI trainings, etc.). Please refer to the University’s general guidelines for events and gatherings.
- Eating and Drinking: With teams starting to return to campus next week, we will also be resuming the pre-Omicron approach to eating and drinking indoors. The University’s general guidance is that indoor eating should be minimized, with eating outdoors as a default when possible, and otherwise happening only in designated areas and for very limited periods of time. Please refer to the University’s protocols.
We also want to remind you that Room G13 at 1 WSN is set up as a “designated eating area”; please refer to our guidelines about access.
In closing, we want to emphasize how grateful we are for everyone’s continued efforts throughout the uncertainty and the frustrations created by the pandemic. It is no overstatement to say that NYU Silver could not have continued to function without each of you and your collegiality and dedication.
We know that transitioning to in-person work after this latest surge will present additional challenges, and we offer both our appreciation in advance for your perseverance, as well as an open invitation to share your feedback, ask questions, and request resources and alternative solutions. You can write to either of us directly and/or pose questions and suggestions via the AY 2021-2022 Question Form.
Best,
Sandra and Andrew
Sandra Kim
Associate Dean, Finance and Administration
Andrew C. Davis
Chief of Staff