Dear Ithaca College Faculty and Staff,
We appreciate your patience as we have worked to ready the processes to support the return of our community to campus. I am writing to update you on several new requirements that will be in place this fall for employees in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This communication shares more details about the testing and daily screening requirements for those planning to access campus this fall, plus the Community Agreement which all members of our college community must sign regardless of whether you plan to have an on-campus presence this fall. Please review the communication in its entirety so that you are aware of the details associated with each of these requirements.
COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19 testing will be required for all employees returning to campus. Employees may not access campus unless they have been tested and cleared by Cayuga Health System to access campus. Essential employees already working on campus were scheduled to be tested today, August 14. Pre-registration for the testing of essential employees unable to be tested today and faculty and staff who need access to campus to prepare for fall instruction prior to August 28, 2020, will be available early next week. Please continue to check your email for additional communication regarding next week’s testing and additional testing dates. If you were tested today, you do not need to be re-tested. Please remember, if you do not need to access campus, you do not need to be tested.
Daily Health Screening
New York State has issued guidance that mandates daily health screenings for all higher education employees accessing their campus. Each day employees plan to access campus, they must confirm via the daily health screening that they are symptom-free and have not had recent exposure to someone with COVID-19. A link to the daily health screening will be delivered via Ithaca College email each morning. Employees who will not be accessing campus on that day do not need to complete the screening.
Community Agreement
Ithaca College aims to deliver its mission while taking reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff members and the broader Ithaca community. As a member of the Ithaca College community, you are required to sign the Community Agreement. In signing the Agreement, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by the applicable public health instructions and guidelines as required by local, state, and federal law, as well as all subsequent health and safety requirements implemented by Ithaca College. You also agree to act in a manner that demonstrates respect and consideration for the health and safety of all community members.
To read and acknowledge the Community Agreement, click HERE.
Once again, we appreciate your patience as we prepare to support the health and safety of our campus community. Please contact the Office of Human Resources at humanresources@ithaca.edu if you have any questions regarding these requirements.
Sincerely,
Hayley Harris
Vice President for Human Resources and Planning
