Returning to Campus
Can I return to work on campus?
While some research and teaching activities have been approved for on-campus work, all faculty and staff should continue to work remotely until you are notified that you are permitted to resume on-site working arrangements.
If approved to return to work, visit Returning to On-site Work.
If approved to return to campus, what safety equipment do I need and how do I get it?
Please visit the Minimum Requirements to Return to On-site Work page for more information on required safety equipment.
If you need specialized PPE equipment, please email Procurement Services at procurement-inbox@andrew.cmu.edu.
How do I know if I'm allowed back on campus?
Prior to returning to on-site work, employees must receive university approval and health clearance.
Please visit the Minimum Requirements to Return to On-site Work page for more information on mandatory steps for returning back to CMU facilities.
If permitted to return to campus, what safety precautions should I take?
Everyone on campus is required to follow precautionary measures, including the use of facial coverings, and other necessary changes to routines and behavior in order to adhere to physical distancing guidelines. Faculty and staff can find more information on the Returning to On-site Work page.
Additionally, all students, faculty and staff must complete an online self-assessment every morning before coming to campus. Faculty and staff will receive a daily email reminder with a link to the form. The assessment for students will be available soon.
What is the Daily Self-Assessment?
As a member of the CMU community, each of us has a responsibility to support the health and well-being of our entire campus. As a result, all students, faculty and staff must complete the Daily Self-Assessment every day before coming to campus.
The online form consists of a few “yes or no” questions that allow individuals to share information about their daily symptoms and potential exposure to COVID-19. Immediately after submitting responses, you will be directed to a webpage that will either confirm you are permitted to come to campus or provide additional guidance.
Faculty, staff and students will receive a daily reminder with a link to the form. Additional information is also available on CMU’s COVID-19 Health & Wellness web page.
If I’m not coming to campus, must I complete the self-assessment?
While not required, it is strongly encouraged that faculty and staff working remotely should complete the self-assessment each day, even if you’re not planning to visit campus.
Are the results confidential?
The university tracks log-ins to the Daily Self-Assessment for the purpose of determining if individual employees and students have completed the form on a daily basis. Responses are tracked at the aggregate level for purposes of assessing the health and well-being of our university community. The university does not link individual responses with personally identifiable information.
How long does the self-assessment take to complete?
After taking your temperature, the self-assessment takes less than a minute to complete.
Where can I find the Daily Self-Assessment?
Faculty and staff receive a daily email reminder with a link to the form. Additional information is also available on CMU’s COVID-19 Health & Wellness web page.
Are facial coverings required on campus? Are there exceptions?
Everyone must wear a facial covering (sufficient to cover the nose and mouth) at all times — both inside and outside of buildings.
Exceptions include: While eating or drinking, if working outdoors during hot and humid conditions, or when alone in a private space, such as an office, assigned residence hall room or enclosed vehicle. When outdoors, facial coverings are expected to be worn whenever physical distancing of 6 feet or more cannot be maintained. If you cannot wear a facial covering due to a medical condition, please contact either the Office of Disability Resources (students) or HR Disability Services (employees) to request an exemption as an accommodation. Individuals who are granted a medical exemption from wearing facial coverings are expected to access university programs, activities, and courses remotely or through other contactless methods (e.g. pick-up / delivery) whenever reasonably possible.
What are the quarantine requirements for students returning to campus for the spring semester?
The university is implementing a required 14-day modified quarantine period that every student coming from outside Southwestern Pennsylvania must complete in their residence hall or in the Pittsburgh area prior to joining in-person coursework or engaging in other on-campus experiences. Southwestern Pennsylvania includes the City of Pittsburgh and the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland.
The modified quarantine period begins once you have moved into the local location where you will be residing during the quarantine, and have obtained all of the essential items (such as groceries, supplies or medications) that you feel you will need during that time. Students completing their quarantine period from another location in Southwestern Pennsylvania prior to moving into a fall residence near campus are expected to uphold these guidelines for two weeks prior to joining in-person coursework or engaging in other on-campus experiences, and may do so while living in the other Southwestern Pennsylvania location, in your on-campus or off-campus residence or a combination of the two.
If you cannot arrive to the area two weeks before your in-person classes begin, the hybrid model of education is intended to allow you to participate fully in your education until your quarantine period is completed.
Please note that as announced in the Jan. 19 update email, we have decided to delay the start of in-person instruction by one additional week. This means that the first two weeks of classes for all students (both graduate and undergraduate) will be remote-only (February 1-12), and in-person classes will begin on Monday, February 15, 2021. This change from our original plan is an added precaution as we begin the semester given the elevated prevalence of the virus in the Pittsburgh region.
Our modified quarantine approach permits specific types of in-person interactions and outdoor activities to support social and emotional connections that maintain positive mental health and well-being. Specific information and tips on how to manage the expectations for the modified quarantine are available on the COVID-19 website.
How do I get into my office, classroom or lab if I need to get into it for a one-time access?
Please visit the One-Time Campus Access Request Process page for more information on getting one-time access.
If I'm a supervisor and someone is feeling ill, what do I do?
If an employee is experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the supervisor should notify University Health Services.
Employees who suspect they may be sick should not come to their designated work location, but stay home and consult their health care provider. If employees begin to feel ill while on-site, they must leave the premises, notify their supervisor immediately and consult their health care provider.
If I need a space cleaned, what do I do?
Please refer to the “Sanitation and Disinfection” section of the Minimum Requirements to Return to On-site Work page for more information.
What is a pandemic safety officer? How do I locate my pandemic safety officer?
Please refer to the “Pandemic Safety Officer” section of the Minimum Requirements to Return to On-site Work page for more information.
If someone in my group gets sick, will we have to shut down our operation?
Please refer to the “What Happens in My Workspace/Building if a Positive COVID-19 Diagnosis Is Reported?” section of the Symptoms & Reporting page for more information.
When authorized to return to campus, how can eligible faculty and staff request a workplace accommodation from the Office of Disability Services?
Consistent with CMU’s commitment to maintain the health, safety and welfare of its faculty and staff, the university will provide a reasonable accommodation to eligible faculty and staff who, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, require workplace accommodations to enable them to perform the essential functions of their job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.
More information on the process can be found at the Human Resources website.