August 5, 2020
Dear Pace Faculty and Staff,
Thank you for joining Monday’s session to discuss our plans for a safe and effective fall semester. We answered many questions, but we know we haven’t covered everything. This email will provide more of the information you’re seeking.
First, you’ll find answers below to the questions most commonly asked in the chat feature during the webinar. Below that, we’re including a list of web links that were mentioned during the conversation. Finally, we’re providing guidance on where to go for further information. Many of the questions asked were specific to certain programs, schools, and situations, and those questions can best be fielded by the relevant offices. Additionally, we rely on your feedback about our Community Briefings; if you have suggestions or comments, please send them to universityrelations@pace.edu.
Because the situation regarding the pandemic is always changing, our plans may change, too. We’ll continue providing updated information as we move toward the start of the fall semester, so be sure to check your Pace email regularly. You can also find all of our up-to-date policies and announcements here. The most up-to-date and accurate information is on the website.
Stay safe, and we’re looking forward to seeing you soon.
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COMMUNITY BRIEFING TOP QUESTIONS
Are staff and faculty required to get tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus?
No. A COVID-19 diagnostic test is highly recommended in the 14 days prior to arriving on campus. Check your state and local area for turnaround time for test results, which varies greatly. Remember that the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut require anyone who has traveled to a restricted area to observe a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon return to the tri-state area. You can review our Testing and Quarantine Policy here.
Where must face coverings be worn, and how will we enforce this policy? Is there a protocol in place for students that refuse to wear a face covering in class?
Face coverings must be worn in common areas such as classrooms, meeting rooms, hallways, stairwells, elevators, etc. If a student comes to class without a face covering or refuses to wear one, you may ask them to leave the classroom. Pace’s Security team has disposable face coverings available for those without one.
How will responses to the daily questionnaire on the PaceSafe app be monitored, and how will I know if I am approved to enter a campus building? Is there an alternative method for completing the daily questionnaire if I don’t have a smartphone?
After completing the screening tool's daily questionnaire, a red or green graphic will appear on your device indicating that you are either approved to come to campus or barred from coming to campus and should seek medical advice. Upon entering campus buildings, you will be required to show this status indicator to Security. University Health Care and the Coronavirus Coordination Officer will be reviewing all responses daily. If you do not have a smartphone and are unable to use the PaceSafe app, you can access a web-based daily health questionnaire at healthscreener.pace.edu.
What steps are being taken to improve ventilation and air circulation in the classrooms and other indoor spaces?
Fresh air will be circulated through our ventilation systems 10 times per hour, per guidelines from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Additional measures to improve the quality of the air in our buildings include, bipolar ionization, increased air filtration, and UV technology inside the duct work, particularly in cooling coils. We will also be increasing outside air utilization where possible, as well as doing an air purge to flush the system. Changing and upgrading of our air filters to MERV13 is currently underway.
How will faculty know which students will be physically in the classroom and which will be online?
It is your responsibility as an instructor to communicate with the students in your courses and develop a schedule of in-person and remote dates for them. One way to think about this is to consider what the most essential on-campus learning experiences are for your course and how you can provide the most number of students access to that experience.
How will faculty and staff receive our reusable cloth face coverings?
All students, faculty, and staff will receive two reusable cloth face coverings and a container of hand sanitizer. For staff and full-time faculty, these items will be delivered by Mail Services to department offices for your supervisor to distribute once you return to campus. Adjunct faculty will receive their face coverings and hand sanitizer from designated campus distribution locations. Details about face covering and hand sanitizer distribution will be sent by email shortly.
WEB LINKS
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Information on the HyFlex modality, including room capacity for HyFlex classrooms: www.pace.edu/HyFlex
FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS
We know that we may not have gotten to your specific question, but we encourage you to reach out to the experts directly.
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For questions about returning to the office and planning for staff schedules, please contact Human Resources at employeerelations@pace.edu.
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For specific questions regarding academic matters such as instructional modalities, syllabi, or general planning strategies for the fall, please contact the Faculty Center at facultycenter@pace.edu. For questions regarding academic technologies or the HyFlex modality, please contact Academic Technology at acadtech@pace.edu. For general questions about modalities and planning, you may contact Joan Walker at jwalker@pace.edu or Hillary Knepper at hknepper@pace.edu.
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For questions regarding cleaning, sanitation, and updates to our infrastructure, please contact Aisha Moyla at amoyla@pace.edu.
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For questions regarding the PaceSafe app, please contact Brian Anderson at banderson@pace.edu.
Thank you again for attending Monday’s Community Briefing and for your commitment to Pace and our students. Again, if you have any comments about Monday’s session, or ways similar events could be improved in the future, please contact universityrelations@pace.edu.
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