Ithaca College

Dear Staff, Faculty and Student Employees: 

I am writing today to provide information and resources — see COVID-19 HR Employee Resources — as we work together to meet the challenges of the current COVID-19 crisis. For now, we are focusing on plans to meet the needs of the campus community over the next few weeks. As the situation evolves, we will provide additional guidance as it becomes available and will be updating the website on a regular basis.

Our campus is not currently in a “closed” status: We need to continue to maintain business operations and support the small number of students who remain on campus, as well as the faculty and students engaged in remote learning and our recruitment activities for next year’s class. However, our goal for the next several weeks is to enable as much social distancing as possible in order to prevent the spread of the virus. 

Effective Tuesday, March 17, staff should not come to campus unless they have been designated as essential personnel and have supervisory and VP/Dean approval to do so.

Our Information Technology department has been working to support the needs of those who can work remotely, and more information is available on the Remote Work Guidelines page. Our work plans will continue to develop, and we will share additional information as it becomes available.

For employees who cannot typically work remotely, we will be completing an assessment over the next few days to determine options. For some, this may be a time to engage in professional development activities or work on long-term projects related to our strategic plan. Others may be reassigned to duties that can be performed remotely. Our plan is for all regular, benefits-eligible employees, including exempt and non-exempt, both full-time and part-time status, to continue to receive their regular pay during this period of remote instruction currently scheduled through April 5. 

We are also completing an assessment of student employee positions and will be in touch directly with student employees with more information.

Please take particular note of the instructions in our Employee Resources related to quarantine and isolation. The health and well-being of our community is of primary importance, and no employee should feel that there are obstacles to taking actions that will support the greater good. 

Thank you in advance for your patience as we continue to work through the myriad questions and issues arising from this situation. If there is something we are missing, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can address it. Above all, please take the necessary measures to keep you, your families and our community safe and healthy and let us know if there is anything we can do to support you. 

Best, 
Hayley Harris 
Vice President, Human Resources and Planning