SAFER STETSON

Weekly Update, July 15

Reminder: Webinars with President Roellke, PhD

As a part of his accelerated "listening and learning tour," President Roellke will be conducting a series of weekly live and interactive webinars for students, staff and faculty. As he described in the message he sent July 7, the goal is to engage our community as transparently and consistently as possible. The first webinar is Thursday, July 16, 1-2 p.m., and additional webinars are scheduled for Thursday, July 23, 1-2 p.m., and Thursday, July 30, 1-2 p.m.

To register for these webinars, visit Messages from the President.

Safer Campus Task Force Updates

Dining Services

Returning Hatters will see changes in the Lynn Dining Commons, Coffee Shop and HatRack that are designed to keep everyone safer and healthier. Changes will be evident as soon as you walk into the CUB, and extend throughout the dining spaces, as well as upstairs to the Stetson Room and outside around the CUB. A few of those changes include

• Students will enter the Lynn Commons through the doors in the South Lobby (near the Coffee Shop) and will exit through the doors in the North Lobby (near the Bookstore). Both the entry and the exit will be one-way only.
• The Commons itself will be closed to everyone besides students. Faculty and staff will still have access to the Faculty and Staff Lounge and all retail options.
• Launching late August/early September, there will be a mobile ordering system (called Boost) for all retail dining outlets: Einsteins, BYOB, the Coffee Shop and Lynn Commons.
• You will be able to use a credit card or your student ID, but not cash. Dining Services has been cashless since March.
• Because of the limited seating in Lynn Commons, the Stetson Room upstairs in the CUB will be used for dining seating throughout Fall 2020. A food service line will be added in the Stetson Room.
• Increased outside seating around the CUB.
• Increased safety protocols for Dining staff, including daily temperature and wellness screenings, masks and gloves.
• Read more changes.

New FAQs

New frequently asked questions for the Hollis Center are now posted in FAQs under the Wellness and Recreation category.

Testing Pilot

As we mentioned last week, Family Health Source, a local, not-for-profit, primary medical-care agency, will provide a COVID-19 Pilot Testing Program for Stetson students, faculty and staff during July. This pilot is intended to help us understand COVID-19 in our current community and inform practices for the fall.

Family Health Source will provide diagnostic nasal swab PCR testing for students and employees:

• At College of Law
• Gulfport, Thursday, July 16, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Tampa, Thursday, July 16, 4-6 p.m.
• In DeLand at Rinker Field House
• Tuesday, July 21, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 22, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Please watch for information and instructions from Family Health Source on how to make an appointment to be tested. Appointments will respect physical distancing.

• Staff and faculty who are in the area should get tested at this time.
• The test is done at no cost to the individual. If you have health insurance, you will be asked for your insurance card.
• Stetson will assist with needs related to residential student isolation and community tracking and tracing for those who test positive. Results are available in four to five days.

Additional Information

Money Matters

Tuition payment schedule

In an attempt to provide additional support, the university has agreed to allow our students extra time to satisfy their financial obligations. For Fall 2020, students have until Nov. 15 to pay their student account balance in full. It is our hope this extra time will relieve additional financial stress during these unprecedented times.

Additionally, for the fall semester, we will not be canceling class schedules due to non-payment, and no additional late fees will be assessed.

Payment plans

Any student who wants to utilize a structured monthly payment plan option will still have two opportunities to do so:

• Five monthly installments – enroll no later than July 18
• Four monthly installments – enroll no later than Aug. 18
• All remaining balances will be due as of Nov. 15
• Stetson has waived the $75 application fee for the Fall 2020 term

International Students

The United States’ recent settlement of a case with two universities has resulted in a change for students with F-1 visas. A summary of an important section of yesterday’s legal transcript can be found at NAFSA.org. It means that Stetson’s international students can continue to take Stetson classes from their home countries. If Stetson is forced to move to 100% online learning later in the semester, our international students living on campus or nearby will not be required to leave the country.

This change provides international students with much needed flexibility. WORLD sent an announcement out to international students yesterday and is hosting a webinar for international students and their families on Friday, July 17, 2 p.m. EDT. Please reach out to WORLD@stetson.edu for more information on how to participate in the webinar.

July 8, 2020 Weekly Update 8

Webinars with President Chris Roellke, PhD

As a part of his accelerated “listening and learning tour,” President Roellke will be conducting a series of weekly live and interactive webinars for students, staff and faculty. As he described in the message he sent yesterday, the goal is to engage our community as transparently and consistently as possible. The first webinar is Thursday, July 16, 1-2 p.m., and additional webinars are scheduled for Thursday, July 23, 1-2 p.m., and Thursday, July 30, 1-2 p.m.

To register for these webinars, visit Messages from the President

Last Week’s Webinars Online

Last week’s webinars have been posted to the website. You can find them online here:

• Faculty webinar, Tuesday, June 30, 11 a.m.-noon
• Staff webinar, Tuesday, June 30, 1-2 p.m.
• Returning students webinar, Wednesday, July 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
• Incoming students webinar, Wednesday, July 1, 6-7 p.m.

Safer Stetson Task Force Updates

Testing for COVID-19

With the leadership of Stetson Health Service and Stetson’s Safer Campus Task Force, Family Health Source, a local, not-for-profit, primary medical-care agency will provide a COVID-19 Pilot Testing Program during July. We are hopeful that this pilot will help us understand COVID-19 in our current community and inform practices for the fall.

Family Health Source will be on the College of Law Gulfport and Tampa campuses the week of July 13 to provide diagnostic nasal swab PCR testing for students and employees. They will be on the DeLand campus the week of July 20 to provide the same testing. The test is done at no cost to the individual. If you have health insurance, you will be asked for your insurance card.

Family Health Source will be sending out information and instructions on signing up for an appointment. Appointments will respect physical distancing. We highly encourage students, staff and faculty who are in the area to get tested at this time even if you are asymptomatic.

Stetson will assist with needs related to residential student isolation and community tracking and tracing for those who test positive. Results are available in 4-5 days.

Facility Air Quality

In terms of airborne disinfection, ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) describes three collective technologies for disinfection of airborne pathogens like coronavirus: ventilation, filtration and UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation). For some years, Stetson has been installing UVGI light in the HVAC systems across its campuses. Working with engineers, Facilities Management is taking additional steps to reduce the transmission of airborne pathogens through supplemental devices for classrooms and traditional residence hall rooms. This proactive action by the university has increased the wellness of buildings and set a foundation to limit the airborne transmission of pathogens.

Face Shields

Any faculty or staff member can request a face shield by contacting their Building Coordinator (BC). The BC can include these requests with all the other PPE items for their area. Some BCs have already picked up the PPE items for their area and were given washable masks for faculty and staff. If a faculty or staff member prefers a face shield instead of a mask then the BC can trade the unused mask for a face shield when they pick up the signage for their area.

Hollis Center

Plans are being made to re-open the Hollis Center on Aug. 3, and the Stetson community will see changes designed to help keep students and employees healthy while working out. If you plan to work out in the Hollis Center, please read about the changes on the Wellness & Recreation website and download the Stetson University W&R app to schedule an appointment.

Travel Mindfulness

Stetson students, staff and faculty are asked to be extremely mindful of their personal travel plans. Per the CDC, travel increases your chance of contracting and spreading COVID-19. Every time a member of our community leaves campus and returns, they bring with them new germs and exposures. Stetson will follow current isolation/quarantine requirements per the CDC, DOH and Florida executive orders. This request for travel mindfulness is in addition to those mandates. If you must travel:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
• Wear a face covering such as a mask or shield.
• Avoid crowded spaces (like bars).
• Avoid transportation in which physical distancing is impracticable (like crowded airplanes, buses, or subways).
• Avoid travel to areas with significant COVID activity.
• Practice physical distancing.

Community Expectations

Being on campus this fall is a community social contract built on trust. The expectation is that all students, staff and faculty will make health and safety a top priority in all their actions. Every member of our community, as well as their families and loved ones, are counting on each of us to keep them safe as we interact on campus.

Compliance with public health measures is mandatory. You may have heard that DeLand requires masks to be worn in all public spaces. Stetson has its policy on face coverings as well. To prevent widespread infections and potential campus closure, our community must take these measures seriously. Anyone who puts others at risk by violating these expectations will be subject to corrective measures.

If you have comments/questions/suggestions, please email SaferStetson@stetson.edu. While we are not able to respond to every email, we do read all of them and appreciate your feedback.

July 1, 2020 Weekly Update 7

Independence Day Holiday Weekend
We wish you a safe holiday weekend, and we want to thank our entire Stetson community for their dedication to supporting our students, faculty and campus during these difficult times. Please take care of yourselves and your families this weekend, and thank you for the grace and space you have provided for academic and administrative leadership to make difficult decisions needed to prepare for very different potential scenarios for Fall 2020. 

Florida’s spike in COVID-19 cases
The Safer Campus Task Force, including faculty and staff from both Gulfport and DeLand, and the university administration are as concerned about the spikes in Florida COVID-19 cases as you are, and focused on the safety of our faculty, staff and students. We will continue to work toward reopening in a healthy and safe manner, realizing that all of that could change based on orders or guidance from state or local government, or the Florida Department of Health. If that happens, we will adjust as needed. We are using the time we have to prepare for both in-person and remote learning and to implement the safety guidelines and policies we believe we need.

For more information and guidelines from the state, visit the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 website. Additionally, CNN has a site that allows you to search for information by zip code, as does the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Dashboard.

Webinars
Academics
Provost Noel Painter expressed his gratitude to faculty and staff for their support in the many working groups and task force meetings that have been taking place to address the issues the university is facing:

• Budget
• Academic schedule, safe face-to-face education, academic policies planning
• Safer Campus Task Force and its additional working groups

In alignment with the work of the Safer Campus Task Force, the provost indicated the community will be facing a different campus when we return in the fall. There is still ongoing work addressing standards and guidelines for music performances and athletic events, and even limits on class size, as well as class timing to allow for additional cleaning between classes.

Budget
EVP and CFO Bob Huth provided updates to faculty and staff during the webinars regarding the recent Board of Trustees Budget Announcement. A few of the most common questions during the webinars were:

• Are the pay reductions temporary?
  • Yes. They are intended to be temporary during the current pandemic, but the university can’t tell you when that will end.
• When will the pay reductions take effect?
  
  • For faculty and staff making more than $40,000, pay reductions are scaled and banded between 2% and 7%; they go into effect on Sept. 1.
  • For President Roellke, VPs, deans and other administrators on the president’s cabinet, the pay reductions are scaled and banded up to 15%; they go into effect July 1.
  • In all cases, higher salary employees bear the majority of the salary reduction.
• Will merit raises not given this year be considered in the future?
  • Merit increases not offered this year will be taken into account as university finances improve or stabilize.
• Are retirement benefit reductions temporary?
  • Reductions in retirement benefits also are designed to be temporary and will be addressed as university finances improve or stabilize. 

Requests for Accommodations
Members of the Stetson community have asked about the university’s policy on providing accommodations for faculty and staff concerned about COVID-19 and its impact on them and their families. We thought it would be helpful to review how the university responds to requests for accommodation and/or adjustment to work arrangements. This topic was addressed in a recent email to employees from Human Resources.

Employees seeking accommodations due to medical concerns for themselves or their family member(s) should follow Stetson’s ADA and FMLA processes. This process is initiated by submitting the COVID - 19 Reasonable Accommodation Request Form to Human Resources.

A process for students to request accommodations will be finalized and published next week.

The Tuesday faculty and staff webinars will be posted as soon as possible on Stetson’s COVID-19 Communications website under Faculty and Staff Updates (see left navigation).

Updates and reminders from SCTF
Meetings and gatherings
With the exception of class meetings or FSEM’s, anyone planning an in-person gathering or meeting in early fall, your maximum number of participants should be 10 or less. This is in alignment with the Virtual Tier of Stetson’s tiered system describing mitigation and response efforts at different levels. This applies to all non-academic meetings or groups scheduled by students, student organizations, staff, employee meetings, faculty casual gatherings, etc. We hope to progress to larger group sizes based on how our Stetson community is managing COVID-19 as well as local numbers. 

Outside groups, camps and clinics
All outside groups, camps and clinics that commence on or before the conclusion of Tier 1 are canceled, postponed or should be converted to a virtual experience. This includes athletic camps and clinics, music camps, programs organized through the Office of Continuing Education and Outreach, and facility rentals.

Hollis Center
Lynn Schoenberg, Dean of Students, announced that plans are in the works to reopen the Hollis Center gym and facilities in a limited fashion for students, faculty and staff participation in fitness activities – gym, classes, outdoor fitness – in the near future. The reopening plan was recently reviewed and approved and more information will be coming out soon. This is limited to only current students, faculty and staff participation at this time. 

Addition to Face Coverings Policy
The Face Coverings Policy now includes more clarification about when you must wear a face covering (mask or face shield) and when a face covering is not required. 

New and updated FAQs

• New frequently asked questions have been added for student-athletes and others in the Athletics Department under the category Athletics.
• Answers to questions under the Residential Living/Move-In Day category have been updated.
• A list of frequently asked questions specifically for international students on F1 visas is available on the WORLD website. You also can contact WORLD@stetson.edu if you have a question that isn’t answered there, or visit the World Blog to see all their updates.

Stetson-sponsored domestic travel
All Stetson-sponsored domestic travel is significantly restricted through the end of the calendar year 2020. Athletic travel is also being significantly reduced from previous years through conference and institutional initiatives, but not eliminated. The university cabinet, which includes vice presidents, the athletic director, deans and the president, are responsible for defining required travel for their areas and questions should be directed to the appropriate cabinet member.

June 26, 2020

In a virtual meeting Thursday, June 25, the Stetson University Board of Trustees approved temporary reductions to the university budget to protect the university’s financial resources and strength, and support Stetson’s outstanding educational experience from the impact of the economic downturn and uncertainty in student enrollment caused by COVID-19.

The board approved a 15% cut in the 2020-2021 operating budget for Stetson University’s DeLand campus, or approximately $17 million; and a 10% reduction in the budget for the university’s College of Law campus in Gulfport, or nearly $2 million.

"Through May and part of June, the university had a COVID-19 Budget Prioritization Working Group meeting twice a week for nearly six weeks to review the university’s finances," said Bob Huth, EVP and CFO. "This group included faculty, staff and student leadership, and through careful consideration they provided a blueprint to help us achieve the necessary reductions while protecting the community."

Temporary Budget Measures

To balance the DeLand campus budget, the Budget Prioritization Working Group recommended several levels of temporary budget actions to reduce the budget by 5%, 10% and 15%. The group’s final recommendations include plans for rolling back budget reductions if the university’s enrollment and finances stabilize or improve during the year. The group’s proposals were submitted to President Libby and President-elect Roellke for review on June 12, and together, their recommendations to the budget were included in the document submitted to the trustees. After a discussion and recommendation from the board finance and executive committees earlier in June, the board approved a budget that reflects a 15% overall reduction.

"The 2020-2021 budget represents some of the most difficult work yet with relation to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Wendy B. Libby, PhD, president. "I offer my thanks and appreciation to the Budget Prioritization Working Group for its hard work and dedication to a difficult process."

"The financial landscape in higher education has been deeply impacted by COVID-19 and the difficult decisions made by Stetson University are necessary," said Chris Roellke, PhD, president-elect. "Despite these challenges, we will always preserve the core of a Stetson education—a rich and vibrant set of experiences both within and outside the classroom. As Stetson’s new president, I am grateful to all of the faculty, staff and administrators who continue to work diligently in preparation for Fall 2020 and beyond."

Budget Reductions

Beginning on July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, the university will implement the following reductions in DeLand:

• A hiring freeze (with limited exceptions to support academic programs and critical positions)
• No salary increase for 2020-2021
• Increasing endowment support
• Reducing replacement and renewal (maintenance and upkeep) expenses
• Operating expense reductions
• Limiting overtime, with the exception of Public Safety
• Temporary reductions in retirement plan contributions to 0% (a shared reduction with the College of Law starting Sept. 1, 2020)
• Voluntary furloughs beginning in July
• Salary reductions on a banded rate scale with more weight toward higher-paid personnel:
• President-elect Roellke is immediately volunteering a number of compensation and benefit reductions, including up to a 15% reduction in base salary as of July 1.
• Administrator pay reductions account for nearly 35% of overall savings and start on July 1.
• Staff and faculty reductions range from 1% to 4.32%. starting Sept. 1.
• No reductions will be made for those making $40,000 or less

For the College of Law, the overall 10% reduction is achieved through:

• Reductions in operating expenses
• No salary increase for 2020-2021
• Temporary reductions in retirement plan contributions to 0% (a shared reduction with Stetson University’s DeLand campus starting Sept. 1, 2020)
• Pay reductions (depending on salary levels)
• Dean's pay reduction starting July 1
• Only if the overall reduction needed exceeds 10%, then the following will be implemented:
• Staff and faculty reductions starting Sept. 1
• No reductions for those making $40,000 or less

June 24, 2020 Weekly Update 6

As you are aware, Stetson is planning a return to campus in August, and bringing our community of students, staff and faculty together again. Stetson's Budget Priorities Working Group, Safer Campus Task Force and the academic working groups (schedule, face-to-face and policies) are making great progress toward a safe, fall return to campus. This is consistent with what many other colleges in Florida and around the country are now planning. Stetson’s plan is contingent on the current health situations in our local areas, and on our ability to prevent the spread of disease on campus by following CDC and Florida DOH guidelines as well as our own mitigation strategy.

Stetson's Safer Campus Task Force is utilizing Stetson’s tiered system to help us contextualize our mitigation and response efforts at different levels of COVID-19 climate on campus and in the region. Currently we are moving from the Virtual Environment to Tier 1 for Fall Orientation.

Our goal with Stetson's overall strategy is to use multiple measures, which taken together will reduce the likelihood of disease transmission within our community. Mitigation efforts are most successful when practiced consistently by all members of the community, and when used in combination. Our plan will include some combination of

• Face coverings
• Physical distancing
• Regular self-screening assessments for students and employees
• Testing
• Contact tracing
• Protocol for rapid responses to ill or exposed community members
• Environmental restrictions (for example, one-direction stairways)
• Limiting guests
• Altering the academic calendar and class schedules
• Limiting group sizes and events
• New, enhanced cleaning protocols by both facilities staff and community members
• Regulating traffic in high exposure areas (Lynn Dining Commons)
• Community education and more
• Increased access to hand sanitizer
• Reconfiguration and reassignment of classroom spaces

None of these things will work alone, and we will continue to evaluate new options as they become available and are supported by research and organizations like the ACHA and CDC.

The health and safety of our students, staff and faculty are our top priority. For the fall semester, you can expect a robust COVID-19 screening program that is currently under construction, along with best practices for testing, contact tracing, self-quarantine, and isolation for students who may be exposed or test positive for COVID-19, as well as protocols for face coverings, physical distancing and limited-density activities.

The revised Fall 2020 Academic Calendar shows classes begin on Thursday, Aug. 13, and final exams ending on Tuesday, Nov. 24, before Thanksgiving. Students who leave campus at Thanksgiving will not return to campus until the start of the spring semester in January 2021. More information on the calendar is at the link above.

As we return to campus in August, we should all be aware of the anxiety this period of uncertainty brings, and we know you will come together with compassion, creativity, flexibility and a willingness to care for and collaborate with each other and with our students.

There will be more information in July. In the meantime, thank you for all you are doing in these challenging times. We are honored to be working with colleagues who are so deeply committed to building and sustaining a genuinely caring learning community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please visit the FAQs which have been updated on Stetson's COVID-19 Communications website. We will update these questions and answers regularly as more information becomes available.

Budget Priorities Group

Now that the Budget Priorities Working Group has submitted its report (see Executive Summary) to the Board of Trustees, its work is completed. The email, budgetpriority@stetson.edu, will no longer be monitored.

If you have comments/questions/suggestions, please email SaferStetson@stetson.edu. While we are not able to respond to every email, we do read all of them and appreciate your feedback.

June 19, 2020

There have been three consistent messages from federal, state and local health authorities about the best measures to keep yourself and the community safe.

• Wearing a face covering
• Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds (or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when washing hands is not possible)
• Physically distancing at least six feet

Stetson University Policy on Face Coverings

Stetson University's Safer Campus Task Force and university leadership have approved the following face covering policy for the university:

Wearing of a cloth face covering is required on all Stetson University campuses, including all indoor and outdoor spaces.

WHEN TO WEAR A FACE COVERING OR MASK

• All face-to-face interactions (Indoors AND outdoors)
• Face coverings should be worn in any common areas, whether indoors or outdoors
  • Examples: hallways, stairs, restrooms, Library, lobbies, classrooms, physical meetings with multiple people, in the CUB, dining facilities, administrative buildings, kitchens, etc. 
• Outdoors while in trafficked areas and outdoor seating areas in proximity to others (less than 6 feet)

WHEN A FACE COVERING OR MASK IS NOT REQUIRED

• Face coverings are not required in private spaces
  • Examples: an office space at least 6 feet away from others, private offices, individually used study rooms, residential rooms
• Face coverings are not required outdoors when physically remote from others (recommended to be at least 10 feet or more from others)
• Face coverings are not required in the gyms or athletic facilities during training, but only if participants are able to physically distance at least 6 feet and protective measures are in place (do not share equipment, disinfect equipment between users)
• Face coverings are not required in public spaces while eating or drinking, but users should seek to physically distance 6-feet and to return to use of face coverings when not eating or drinking
• Face coverings are not required in residence hall restrooms, but users are asked to physically distance 6-feet within the space.

The university's Safer Campus Task Force is continuing to work on the issues associated with face coverings and this message will continue to evolve along with health and safety standards. The university assumes students, faculty and staff will exercise common sense to keep the community safe in all circumstances.

Additional Information

Why Face Coverings?

Widespread use of face coverings among the Stetson community, in conjunction with other protective measures, is designed to lessen the risk of community transmission of COVID-19. The CDC recommends the widespread use of face coverings due to the possibility of transmission by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic carriers of COVID-19. The use of face coverings may help prevent a carrier from spreading the virus to others, and should be utilized in conjunction with other protective measures. Face coverings are not a replacement for physical distancing and increased hygiene measures. Even if you are not concerned about community transmission, widespread use of face coverings may also help to alleviate anxiety of others in the Stetson community.

Face coverings should cover the nose and mouth, and may include cloth face coverings or clear face shields. Stetson University has purchased one cloth face covering for every member of the community, but community members may need to supplement with additional face coverings if they cannot wash the coverings regularly as recommended by the CDC. Learn more information on cleaning face coverings. The university has also ordered additional personal protective equipment for members of the community whose work requires such items.

It is important to properly wear a face covering. The CDC recommends washing hands before putting on a face covering, ensuring that it fits properly, removing the face covering without touching the face, and washing hands after removal. The CDC’s detailed guide for proper use of face coverings is available.

Bystander Intervention

Bystander Intervention is our best strategy to help our community be mindful about wearing face coverings. We encourage community members to calmly suggest a face covering be worn if someone is not wearing one in a public shared space (always assess your own safety first). You could start by asking the person if they have a face covering with them. If they don’t- remind them that they can obtain a face covering from the university. With face coverings, it helps to point out that you wear a face covering to protect other people and that COVID-19 can be transmitted when someone is not demonstrating any symptoms of infection. You may also report concerns about community members not wearing face coverings to

• Report It
• humres@stetson.edu or EthicsPoint (to report concern regarding DeLand employee)
• studentaffairs@law.stetson.edu (to report concern regarding College of Law student)
• hr@law.stetson.edu or EthicsPoint (to report concern regarding College of Law employee)

While disciplinary action may be a possibility for the refusal to wear a face covering, our primary focus is on promoting awareness of the reasons for face coverings in order to encourage personal responsibility and voluntary compliance with our face covering policies.