Bulletin No. 3

Date/Time sent: 06/01/2020 8:04 am

Businesses are beginning to reopen and the call for physical distancing measures will likely reduce, however, we must be mindful that COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities. Hence, it is our responsibility to implement modifications to our daily operations in order to reduce the risk of transmission on our campus, thereby increasing the safety of our UH West Oʻahu ʻohana. To maximize the health and wellness of employees and students on our campus, in preparation for return to work (and return of students on campus), we begin with this set of queries (derived from the work at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2020):

What functions can be moved online ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and quality effort/work and academic-student programs/services?
To what extent can we limit the number of people (e.g., employees, students, visitors) that interact in-person during daily business operations?
To what extent can we limit travel (e.g., inter-island, to U.S. Continent, international)?
How can we reset our classrooms, labs, seminar rooms, offices and other public spaces to ensure physical distancing (minimum of 6 feet)? How does that impact our daily educative and business operations?
How can we modify and/or limit or cancel large meetings, conferences, functions and events?
How can we modify our facilities to limit physical contact between employees, employee and client-visitor/student, and others (e.g., in the library, food service, bookstore, student services, etc.)?

These queries help the CORE Task Force and our Work Groups to determine “when” and “how” we re-open and expand our campus services. In the end, we are looking to modify, and, in some cases, change our practices to mitigate/reduce the risk of spread at the individual level while at the same time maintaining quality delivery of educational services. Change and modifications require shifts in policies and practices/processes, physical structures, and a lot of re-training. Hence, your input/feedback, participation in the solution, and patience is greatly appreciated. Until a vaccine and treatment are developed and available to all we must take into account the evolving nature of the pandemic. If there is a resurgence in our community we will need to pivot and change our operations to limit spread. Those triggers are currently being discussed and plans in the event of resurgence will be designed.

Symptom Monitoring Requirement

We are currently discussing UH Systemwide policies and possible waiver for all employees and students that holds us all to workplace expectations and guidelines (policies, protocols, etc.). For example, the CDC strongly recommends symptom monitoring on a daily basis, so, to what extent can we implement this for all employees and students prior to coming to campus? We have not yet determined a way to do this but we are discussing this topic now.

To start, we need to ask everyone to be responsible for their individual, personal safety practices. We reference the CDC and Duke University, Guide for Returning to the Workplace, 5/7/2020, and other resources as guides. The UH System is currently creating COVID Policies that will address a variety of items to include:

Personal Safety Practices	Mental and Emotional Wellbeing	Workplace Scenarios
Face covering Social distancing Hand washing Gloves Goggles/Face Shields Personal Disinfection Coughing/Sneezing Hygiene	Personal Assistance Student Assistance	In classrooms Transportation – Arrival/Departures and “rush hours” On-campus transition times to reduce congestion Working in Office Environments Using Restrooms Using Elevators Meetings Meals Laboratory

What we are working on now

Campus Management:

Management is working on defining campus policies & processes that guide safe activity that is aligned with and informed by UH System Policies. We are also putting together a timeline that will describe the action that UH West Oʻahu has taken since early March 2020 in response to COVID-19.
A team consisting of Chancellor, HR: Nancy Nakasone and Janice Sunouchi, and Compliance: Bev Baligad have received guidance on general legal requirements for bringing employees back into the workplace. Guidance is based on both Federal and State guidelines as well as guidance from CDC and EEOC (includes ADA, Families First Coronavirus Response Act/FFCRA, mental health). This will assist us in generating and implementing best practices as we bring employees and students back to campus.
In light of State and UH System fiscal and personnel restrictions, management (e.g., Human Resources, Budget & Finance) is streamlining processes as well as including current required information (e.g., justifications).
The Emergency Operations Committee is working to update our “Emergency Operations Manual” to include how we address/manage pandemics. We will be discussing the composition of our Crisis Management team/center that will monitor UH West Oʻahu during the pandemic.

Communications:

Please check in with the COVID-19 website that provides all updated information and guidelines.
Working to develop short video reminders regarding safe practices on campus.
Continuing to message information to faculty/staff and students regarding Return to Campus.

FEIS (Facilities, Equipment & Supplies, IT, Safety/Sanitization):

Working on Sanitization Protocols
Working on upgrading all classrooms with IT/Online capacities. Inventory will be developed.
Please note that classroom set-up and IT inventory supports scheduling of classrooms.
Princess Soares is working with this work group.

SAS (Student & Academic Services):

Working with OVCSA and OVCAA on recruitment and retention of students. Our enrollment (both head count and tuition revenue) is critical to our campus.
Working on prioritizing academic year course offerings with VCAA, AVCAA, and Division Chairs.
Working on developing “pilot” July Summer Session II hybrid courses (with MMTL).
Working with MMTL on defining job descriptions for instructional student teaching assistants, IT student assistants, student ADA and student tutor support staff.
Working with MMTL work group to design & deliver professional development.

MMTL (Multi-Modality/Teaching & Learning):

Defining methods of hybrid course delivery and professional development.
Working with SAS on defining job description for instructional student teaching assistants, IT student assistants, student ADA and student tutor support staff.
Working on developing “pilot” July Summer Session II hybrid courses (with SAS).
Working with SAS work group to design & deliver professional development.