Coming Back Safe and Strong Update
What You Need to Know, When You Need to Know It
Student testing, employee screening, safety, and masks. As we get closer to the next phase of return to the workplace starting August 12, find out more of the latest details in this edition of the Coming Back Safe and Strong (CBS&S) Update. And please remember to visit our dedicated Coming Back Safe and Strong website for the full stories, latest FAQs, guidance, and contact information.
COVID-19 Testing for Resident Students
To ensure the health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff this fall, students who will be living on campus will need to complete a COVID-19 PCR test within 14 days of their move-in date, produce a negative test result, and submit this result when they move onto campus. On Thursday, July 30, we shared this, and more detailed information for resident students, in two important communications.
President Maurie McInnis sent a high-level message to the entire campus stating, “We want to be able to create a safe, healthy space on our campus while still enabling freedom and access to all of those within our community." Read the President’s full message here.
Later that day, resident students received an in-depth email from Student Affairs with detailed information on their testing requirements, along with contact information for those with more questions about COVID-19 PCR testing.
We will continue to provide all the latest updates to campus community members as time progresses and the situation unfolds.
The Latest on Health Screening
Human Resource Services (HRS) is working with IT to provide supervisors with two views for the Daily Employee Health Self-Screener -- one providing a direct reports view and the second providing a more comprehensive view of the organization. The paper screener is also now available in English and Spanish.
Please remember that all employees -- even if you’ve remained on campus -- need to complete the daily screening. Employees who do not have a thermometer at home should contact the COVID-19 Telephone Information Line at 631.632.5000. Stony Brook University Hospital or HSC staff can come to the main Hospital entrance and take their temperature with the non-contact infrared (IR) temperature scanner.
Students will also be required to perform daily screenings. The student screener is being worked on, with details to follow.
Face Mask Communications and News
- In addition to providing ongoing updates and more multimedia resources on the Coming Back Safe and Strong website, new signage is being installed around campus, stressing that masks must be worn 100% of the time in classrooms.
- A “Wear Your Mask” series of short public safety videos are being released across our University content channels. They include two new videos -- one from friends and colleagues in the Division of Student Affairs, and one featuring some familiar faces of our University faculty. You can find them both in a new multimedia section of the CBS&S site, along with the recently released video on social distancing in the classroom. Take a look and feel free to share these videos across social and other digital platforms. Videos will be added as they are completed and launched.
The MarCom team is still recruiting campus volunteers to participate in this “Wear Your Mask” campaign. Those interested in 15 minutes of fame for this worthy cause should contact University Visual Storyteller Dennis Murray at dennis.murray@stonybrook.edu.
- The Coming Back Safe and Strong planning team has taken the extra initiative to help keep the members of our community safe by designing and purchasing 100,000 “Stony Brook Strong” cloth face masks. They should be on campus the week of August 10. Two of each will be made available to all students, faculty, and staff – distributed by campus residences and building managers. Watch for an update soon.
- Forgot your mask or need another? Vending machines will be placed around campus for the convenient purchase of face masks.
- Stony Brook University Hospital is educating recently named face mask champions on what to do, and what to say, when they encounter faculty/staff/students without a mask. Following their innovative lead, West Campus is about to launch its own face mask champions campaign through Healthier U. Watch for details in our next update.
Mandatory Return To Work Training Updat
In keeping with New York State and Stony Brook University requirements, individuals are required to complete the “Return To Work Training video” before coming back to campus. This requirement applies to those who have been working remotely, as well as essential employees who have remained working on campus. The video is less than 30 minutes and contains important information needed to support continuous safety for our campus community.
To watch the training video:
- Log into SOLAR
- Go to ->For Employees->Learning & Development->Return To Work Training
- Check the completion box and hit save
Thank you for supporting the well-being of our campus!
Please Remember...
Working within the guidance provided by the NYS Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and our State of New York (SUNY) colleagues, we are updating the policy language related to social distancing and mask wearing requirements. In the meantime, please continue to follow these simple guidelines to keep yourself and those around you safe:
- Keep at least six feet between yourself and others
- Wear your face mask
- Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds
- Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available
- Clean, then disinfect, frequently used surfaces
- Avoid touching your face and stay home if you’re sick!
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