UNC Gillings Pandemic Planning

Community Protective Equipment (CPE)

1. 1. • Everyone on campus must wear masks at all times except when alone in private offices. This guidance includes all UNC Gillings buildings, wherever they are located.
      • Do not remove the mask when going to the restroom.
      • Pay attention to guidance on how long each mask should last and how to properly clean and store in between use.
      • While in a University facility, all individuals must wear a University-approved face mask when in the presence of others and in public settings where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., conference rooms and common workspaces, hallways). Information about acceptable face mask options will be available at the UNC Environment Health and Safety website.

Physical Distancing

1. 1. • When on campus, all individuals must wear face masks and maintain appropriate physical distancing at all times – a minimum of six feet (200 square feet per person).
      • Assembling or convening in groups of more than 10 people poses a significant risk of viral transmission and is not permitted.
      • Individuals should avoid holding open exterior doors for others as doing so would likely compromise required physical distancing.

Classrooms

1. 1. • Please visit our Centrally Managed Classrooms webpage to see updated physical distance occupancy for classrooms and auditoriums.

Common Areas and Meeting Rooms

1. 1. • Common areas, such as break rooms, offices, restrooms, elevators and conference rooms should be used only while adhering to physical distancing guidance. For example, only one person can be on an elevator at a time. If you are able, please defer to a person who must use the elevator.
      • Departments should remove or rearrange chairs and tables or add visual cue marks in meeting rooms to support physical distancing practices between attendees.
      • All persons should wear face masks while in common rooms (even if others are not present) to provide protection in the event other people walk in.
      • Room occupancy limits must be defined and clearly stated through appropriate signage for each common area, meeting room or laboratory. Confirm that the occupancy limit has not been reached before entering a lab, meeting room or office.
      • Where possible, meetings should be convened and conducted remotely. If a meeting must be held in person, physical distancing requirements apply, and with a minimum of 200 square feet per person always.

Meals

1. 1. • Physical distancing of six feet should be observed, even when eating or talking to others.
      • Individuals are encouraged to eat meals outside, if possible, unless eating alone in a private office.
      • If common areas, such as break rooms and conference areas, are used for meals, the person using them must wipe down surfaces using a 70% ethanol or equivalent solution.
      • We no longer can serve food as we did before, for example, buffet style.

Elevators

1. 1. • Only one person will be allowed on an elevator at a time.
      • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizers upon departing an elevator.
      • Use the stairs whenever possible and do not congregate in entrances, stairways and elevator lobbies.

Transportation and Parking

1. 1. • Parking will remain available in lots throughout campus for employees and students through July 31. Permit and hourly fees for students, employees and daily visitors will not be charged through this period when parking regulations are not in effect. Fire lanes and reserved spaces, including accessibility spaces, are not available for parking without the appropriate credentials. Parking regulations for campus will go into effect on August 1.
      • UNC’s transit partners have made several operational changes, including requiring face masks and reducing occupancy. Learn more at the Town of Chapel Hill’s dedicated COVID-19 transit page or find a list of transit partners on our Roadmap page.

Labs

1. 1. • Beginning June 8, 2020, the Gillings School began a phased reopening of campus-based laboratory operations, with up to 50% onsite occupancy allowed in each lab. For more information on campus-wide guidance related to research, please visit, Resuming Research on UNC Campus and Direction and Guidance for Conducting Laboratory-Based Research on Campus.

Communication

We will communicate UNC Gillings-related COVID-19 updates with UNC Gillings constituents via email, Gillings Weekly News, COVID Conversations via Zoom and on the Return to Gillings Roadmap webpage.

For more information about Symptoms Monitoring, Work Scheduling, and Personal Safety Practices in the Workplace, please visit the Gillings Phase I Return to Campus: Draft Guidance Document webpage, dated June 19, 2020.

For more updates on campuswide guidance related to research, please visit, Resuming Research on UNC Campus and Direction and Guidance for Conducting Laboratory-Based Research on Campus.

Classes
The Fall 2020 Course Schedule was released on July 1; any final changes will be completed by July 15. The Course Schedule provides clarification about delivery methods for each class. We are installing technologies in UNC Gillings classrooms to ensure online access to in-person courses for students who need to participate remotely. Ideally, these technologies will be in place by August 10. If not, instructors will implement workarounds to allow for remote participation either through recordings or live synchronous zoom-ins.

1. 1. • School leaders are working to determine which classes will also be available in person or as a hybrid (for example, with remote lecture but face-to-face recitations). We will base decisions on University guidance, instructor and student input, class size, room availability, scheduling feasibility, and other factors.
      • If needed (due to a dangerous spike in COVID-19 cases), we will be ready to pivot any/all classes to remote.
      • We anticipate being able to accommodate students who cannot be on campus or take face-to-face classes due to an underlying health condition.

Student Employees
Student employees with an underlying health condition may request an accommodation with Accessibility Resources and Services. Those seeking an accommodation for other reasons may request permission from the lead instructor to meet their TA responsibilities remotely or from their faculty or staff supervisor. Faculty and supervisors have been asked to be flexible and accommodate such requests where feasible. If a UNC Gillings supervisor denies a student’s request for an accommodation, the student can contact their academic program director or department chair.

U.S. laws and tax regulations make it very difficult for students working internationally as RAs and TAs to be paid for such work. The latest guidance is available at UNC Global.

Fall Grading Policy
To be consistent with recommendations from the Graduate School and the College of Arts and Sciences, the Gillings School will return to traditional grading for all undergraduates who take classes at UNC Gillings, and for all graduate students.

1. 1. • To request accommodations or flexibility based on medical circumstances, employees should use the secure ADA accommodations process administered by the University’s EOC Office.
      • Employees who need flexibility for reasons other than medical circumstances (e.g., child care matters, age, caregiving responsibilities for or cohabitating with a high-risk individual) are encouraged to work with managers, supervisors and department chairs to identify solutions that balance individual needs with those of their respective schools and units, and the University as a whole. The Academic Personnel Office, Human Resources and EOC offices are available to help employees, managers, supervisors and department chairs with these discussions and decisions, as needed. 

1. 1. • Strategies to Prepare your Class for the Fall Term
      • Student Communication Templates (.doc)
      • Gillings Zoom Conferencing Resources