Organizational Adjustments and Response
This information is archived as of May 26, 2020, and is saved here for reference. See latest health information.
March 19, 2020
Dear Members of the Campus Community,
I continue to be so appreciative for your patience during a time of careful reflection, evaluation and decision-making. The fluidity of our current national and regional situation due to the spread of the COVID-19 Virus makes planning especially challenging. Our aim has been to ensure organizational stability in the college to preserve its future, while also being responsive to rapid change. Our first priority is the well-being of everyone in our community. That certainly includes health-related risk, but also potential financial impacts and stress related to varying family situations. The complexity can be overwhelming. Still we need to make thoughtful and balanced decisions that are consistent with our values.
In the paragraphs that follow, I will outline a set of organizational adjustments that seek to be responsive to differing work and family situations while maintaining the overall capacity of the college. No approach in these difficult circumstances can be a perfect fit, but by combining flexibility with clarity, we hope to do our best. We will begin to employ these changes beginning Monday, March 23, through Tuesday, March 31. We will then evaluate the situation on a week-to-week basis, notifying everyone in a timely manner of any changes along the way. We hope for a return to normal operations in the not-too-distant future.
Alternative Work Assignments. The normal work activities for some of our staff will be significantly impacted by the absence of students on campus. We are planning to arrange alternative work assignments for those affected and temporarily redeploy individuals as needed to advance the college’s interests. In some cases, this might mean playing a different role within the college for the time being. For others, it might mean taking on special projects that will enhance our operations. Our Vice Presidents and Athletics Director will be working with supervisors to outline alternative assignments where appropriate in the coming days. Our intent is to ensure that everyone employed at Central is meaningfully and productively engaged in the ongoing work of the college.
Alternative Work Settings. We are using three categories for permitting flexibility in determining the appropriate work setting:
Work From Home. Some of our staff are in a position to work entirely from home during this period given the nature of their assignments and access to technology.
Hybrid On-campus/Work From Home. Some of our staff need limited access to our campus to effectively work but can spend considerable time also working from home. We will seek to ensure that those in this category feel safe coming to the campus as needed.
On-Campus Work. Some of our staff can only carry out their assigned work on campus. Their safety is maximized by reducing the overall number of employees accessing the campus daily.
Our vice presidents and athletics director will work with supervisors to determine how members of the staff can effectively work in each of these contexts. Such decisions will take into consideration the individual circumstances of each employee.
Alternative Work Schedules. It may be that the daily schedule for our work will be a factor in each of the settings described above. Social distancing may be enhanced by arranging access to the campus at alternative times. It may also be necessary or appropriate for some to work outside of normal business hours. It should be noted, however, that we still must maintain an active and energetic presence during the typical workday to be responsive to students, parents, partners and vendors. We also need to be widely available for each other during business hours for video or tele-conference meetings. I urge everyone to be active and responsive in maximizing business continuity during these days.
Travel. All college-related business travel, both international and domestic, is now prohibited. Exceptions may be granted upon the recommendation of the relevant vice president or athletics director and with the approval of the president. I urge everyone to also avoid personal travel that would expose others in our community to potential risk.
Emerging Federal and State Regulations. Both federal and state authorities are developing new legal or regulatory provisions to support employees during this time of national crisis. The college will fulfill its obligations related to quarantine orders, family medical leave and other related policy frameworks. Please contact Human Resources if you become ill, think you may have been exposed to the COVID-19 Virus or to consult on any personal matters of concern.
The circumstances we are facing are unprecedented. Accordingly, I ask everyone to maintain a calm and flexible spirit as this situation unfolds. Please be generous to each other. Support each other in our shared work and be responsive to requests for help. Let’s ensure that our communication with each other is cordial and constructive. Above all, please maintain good practices in hygiene by washing your hands and keeping surfaces and equipment clean. Thank you for your dedication to our campus community.
Mark L. Putnam
Central College President