Guide for Returning to the Workplace
Guiding Principles
The goal of this Guide is to provide directions, policies, and guidelines that will help minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection as we plan for the phased return to work at Boston College. Boston College’s plans will be aligned with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Phased Reopening Model and be guided by recommendations from the federal government, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Understanding that public health guidance and scientific knowledge will continue to evolve in this area, and that the course of the pandemic cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty, Boston College is prepared to remain flexible in its reopening approach. Accordingly, this Guide may require future updates.
Testing
It's important that every BC employee be tested for Covid-19 prior to returning to work. Testing for the spring semester will start on January 19 and run through January 31. This includes anyone who expects to be on campus for any reason at any time this semester, as those without a test will be restricted from entering the libraries, their office, or any other campus spaces.
Key Documents
Staffing Decisions
A. Phased Staffing
As the need to meet physical distancing requirements will continue for the foreseeable future, Boston College will phase in a return of staff and faculty in a coordinated process, consistent with the Commonwealth’s requirements on building occupancy. The University, when assessing expanded staffing, will consider such factors as the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing capabilities for COVID-19, while also prioritizing mission-critical operations and the necessity to access on-site resources. The University will prioritize, to the extent practicable, the return of employees who are less able to perform their essential functions remotely. Expanded staffing decisions will be tightly controlled and coordinated to mitigate potential risks and ensure the safety of our community, and will only be approved and communicated through the respective dean, vice president, or vice provost.
B. Staffing Options
There are several options departments should consider to maintain required physical distancing measures.
1. Remote Work
Staff and faculty who can fulfill their work obligations, either fully or partially, from off campus should continue to work remotely if feasible. Continued remote work arrangements may be conducted on a full or partial day/week schedule and must be approved by the respective dean, vice president, or vice provost or their designee(s). Moreover, departments should encourage staff and faculty with increased health risks to continue working remotely.
2. Alternating Days
In an effort to lessen campus density, especially in larger common work areas, departments should consider scheduling partial staffing and alternating days on campus.
3. Staggered Start Times and End Times
Consistent with physical distancing requirements, departments should stagger reporting and departure times.
Employee Return to the Workplace
A. Workplace Expectations and Guidelines
All staff and faculty who work on campus are expected to fully comply with the policies, protocols, and guidelines outlined in this document.
B. Daily Attendance Protocols
1. Symptom Monitoring
Staff and faculty who work on campus must conduct symptom monitoring by utilizing this self-checklist, prior to reporting to work. Staff and faculty must be free of ANY symptoms potentially related to COVID-19, or have had an evaluation and clearance by a medical professional to be eligible to return to work.
At this time, symptoms include one or more of the following:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Runny nose with new sinus congestion
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Headache
- New gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
- New loss of taste or smell
Staff and faculty who have any of the symptoms listed above must inform their supervisor or department chair/dean. The employee should self-isolate at home, and call their primary care physician’s office for further direction.
2. Temperature Screening
Staff and faculty who work on campus may be required to submit to daily temperature screenings before entry to their designated workplace. Such screenings will be conducted in a private area near the designated entrance of their workplace. Staff and faculty who interact with large numbers of people or provide direct contact services to other members of the community (Facilities and Dining Services employees, for example) are more likely to be subject to temperature screening. If temperature screening is deemed appropriate, it will be administered by a properly trained representative of the University using a non-contact, infrared thermometer. Staff who register a fever will be moved to a safe and private area to discuss next steps and return to work requirements before being sent home. The recorded temperature reading will be kept confidential. For purposes of this Guide, Boston College follows the CDC definition of “fever,” which is 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
3. Positive COVID-19 Cases
Staff and faculty who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate at home until cleared to return to work by their physician. Moreover, staff and faculty who come in close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, are required to quarantine prior to returning to work.
Contacts will need to remain quarantined for:
- At least 7 full days, provided all of the following are satisfied:
- you have not had, and do not have, any symptoms;
- you are tested between days 5-7 of your quarantine period or later using a molecular diagnostic test (e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) to detect the presence of the virus;
- you receive a negative test result; and
- you monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days. If you develop symptoms you should contact your health care provider and be re-tested.
- at least 10 days from the date of last exposure, provided all of the following are satisfied:
- You have not experienced any symptoms up to that point; AND
- You conduct active monitoring through Day 14.
14 full days, if you experienced ANY symptoms during the quarantine period EVEN if you have a negative COVID-19 test
If you develop symptoms you should contact your health care provider and be re-tested.Those who test positive for COVID-19 should use accumulated sick leave to cover their absence while in isolation. Those faculty and staff who are required to quarantine because of exposure to COVID-19 will be granted up to 14 days of leave with pay. To the extent possible, self-quarantined employees whose roles are conducive to working remotely will be expected to do so as long as they are able, provided they obtain the permission of their supervisor or department chair/dean.
C. Special Accommodation Process
Effective May 31, 2021, all special accommodations approved through the Office for Institutional Diversity related to the pandemic, including authorizations for remote work, will expire. Individuals who desire a special accommodation must reapply for the summer 2021, and any special accommodation granted through the Office for Institutional Diversity will end no later than August 13, 2021 unless otherwise approved through the normal ADA accommodation process. Please note that individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be eligible for a special accommodation.
Facilities, Work Areas, and Use of University Equipment and Property
Facilities
1. Entry and exits
A Boston College identification card is required for entry into all University buildings. In addition, to support future contact tracing, all individuals who enter a University building that is not their home office, including visitors to campus, will be required to provide information for a building or departmental/office log (e.g., College Road houses have a building log; administrative or academic office buildings have a departmental/office log).
2. Restrooms
Everyone should wear a mask/face covering, adhere to social distancing guidelines and always wash their hands when using a public restroom. If social distancing is not possible, wait outside the restroom until it is possible.
3. Elevators
People are encouraged to use stairs when possible. If using an elevator, everyone is reminded to wear a mask or face covering, maintain social distance and wash hands or use the recommended hand sanitizer upon departing the elevator.
4. Frequent Cleaning
Boston College will follow the CDC’s cleaning and disinfecting guidelines, scheduling frequent cleaning and disinfecting of all University buildings, especially high-traffic areas.
Conducting Work and Work Areas
1. Meetings
All Boston College business meetings both on and off campus should be conducted electronically/virtually whenever possible. If a meeting cannot be conducted virtually, participants must be limited to 10 or fewer, space should enable required physical distancing, and all participants must wear a mask or face covering unless the meeting room is large enough to accommodate physical distancing of at least 6 feet as required above.
2. Laboratory Work
Specific criteria have been developed for faculty and staff working in laboratory environments. Information will be provided here when finalized.
3. Open Office Environments
Open and shared office environments may be reconfigured to ensure required physical distancing. Generally, departments will assess open work environments and meeting rooms to institute measures to physically separate and increase physical distance between coworkers and customers. In addition to the redesign of space, departments may institute measures such as:
- Placing visual cues including signs or tape to indicate to customers where to stand when waiting in line
- Placing one-way directional signage for large, open work spaces to increase distance between employees and customers moving in and out of the work area.
4. Customer Service Areas
Departments may consider the efficacy of installing glass or plexiglass barriers at customer service desks/counters.
5. Meals and Break Rooms
When eating meals on campus, staff and faculty are encouraged to take food back to their office area or eat outside if possible. Whether dining at a University dining hall or an office break room, individuals should wear a face mask or face covering until ready to eat, maintain at least 6 feet of physical distancing, refrain from facing other diners, and use disposable plates and utensils supplied by the University. Eating and gathering is prohibited in break rooms that cannot be reconfigured to accommodate physical distancing requirements.
Staff and faculty are reminded to wash their hands before and after eating, and to disinfect table surfaces, refrigerator handles, and coffee makers when done using a common area.
6. Shared Items
Shared items such as printers, copiers, shared workstations, shared kitchen equipment, etc. should be cleaned before and after use by employees using provided cleaning materials.
Use of University Equipment and Property
1. University Equipment
Equipment assigned to individual staff and faculty should not be shared with others. Equipment includes, but is not limited to, keyboards, computers, phones, and tools.
2. University Vehicles
Whenever possible, University vehicles will be limited to one occupant at a time. In situations where that is not possible, all occupants are to wear masks or face covering while in the vehicle. Upon exiting, all occupants should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer. Before and after each use, regardless of the number of occupants, surfaces should be wiped down with disinfectant wipes provided by the University.
Facilities FAQ
Boston College Facilities Services is totally committed to your safety and well being and is following approved federal, Commonwealth and city guidelines and directives. Primary among the agencies is the Center for Disease Control. While we have worked long and hard to meet all needs, we all must understand that this may be a process of constant communication and improvement.
All building systems were run through a rigorous pre-occupancy check process recommended by CDC (especially HVAC, domestic water, and life safety) and are operating properly.
Ventilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and thus the risk of transmission through the air.
Droplets are the primary method of COVID-19 transmission and building HVAC systems are a low-risk method of transmission. Increasing outside air ventilation can only be done based on system type and outside conditions. Building systems vary widely across campus and we have followed guidelines to increase the amount of fresh air, ventilation, and exhaust for buildings. Some buildings have no air conditioning and can only be ventilated by opening windows. Building security is essential so please do not prop exterior or fire doors open.
We are upgrading HVAC system filters based upon CDC guidelines and increasing filtration to MERV 13 or higher in buildings with central air systems. Our building HVAC systems are maintained on preventative maintenance schedules that include operational checks and filter changes. Prior to re-opening, building HVAC systems will be purged, checked and set to the normal operating settings for temperature and humidity, based on occupancy schedules.
Best practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19 remain to practice social distancing, hand hygiene, universal masking, and surface cleaning.
Facilities Services has been operating and flushing the water distribution lines, and flushing building water systems will be performed prior to occupancy. We have tested hot water temperatures to ensure they are the maximum allowed by law and have maximized push button faucet run times. In some cases you may need to push buttons more than once. We will not replace existing fixtures with automatic models. Please see CDC Guidelines for hand washing.
While current scientific literature suggests that genetic material associated with the virus can be found in close proximity to toilets, there is little evidence that this material is both viable and infectious. The most important aspects for preventing infection continue to be washing hands, avoiding touching your face and maintaining social distancing while in the bathroom. As part of BC’s safety protocols for COVID-19, the cleaning schedule of bathrooms in reopened buildings will be increased.
The feasibility of installing plexiglass shields in high-traffic areas has been explored. As a result of extended discussions and evaluations of pilot locations, installing plexiglass shields offers minimal additional protection beyond what is provided through BC’s masking, social distancing and symptom screening requirements. When combined with the fact that these shields would also require regular cleaning to maintain effectiveness against the potential transmission of illness, BC is recommending very limited installation of plexiglass shields at this time. Your departmental leadership and administrative staff have been instrumental partners in requesting and determining specific locations and needs. Any questions should be directed to them.
Custodial Services will continue to perform normal as well as enhanced cleaning and disinfecting tasks in all serviced buildings. Many tasks will be standardized and others specialized based upon the function of your building. Enhanced cleaning includes more frequent high touch point disinfecting, such as light switches, door knobs/handles, elevator buttons, handrails, water bottle fillers and in bathrooms. The bubbler part of all water fountains has been temporarily disabled. According to the CDC, there is no evidence suggesting you can be infected with COVID-19 through drinking water. All disinfectants we use are EPA registered.
Most custodial cleaning occurs during the overnight hours but some shifts have been adjusted to provide more visibility and coverage during the normal business day. In the event of a positive case, affected sites will be closed down, deep cleaned and disinfected before reopening.
All employees/departments have been asked to assist in the cleaning/disinfecting of individual work areas, keyboards, telephones, copiers, kitchens and other office areas and were provided with an initial stock of university required cleaning materials.
Additionally, department staff are responsible for disinfecting conference rooms between meetings. Please use only those materials as recommended by the manufacturer, especially on screens and electronics. Departments are being provided with an initial stock of cleaning supplies. Departments are responsible for maintaining an adequate stock of these supplies and reorder directions will be provided soon.
Cleaning is defined as using soap and water to remove dirt and impurities. Disinfecting is defined as killing germs on a surface. Routine cleaning is defined as our standard cleaning and disinfecting process. Enhanced cleaning is defined as disinfecting high-touch surfaces.
Clean commonly touched surfaces several times per day; this includes lab benches, lab equipment, desks, phones, remote controls, printers, fax machines, computer mouses, and keyboards. Always use cleaning products as recommended on manufacturer labels, including wearing disposable gloves where directed. University conference rooms will be cleaned and disinfected by Custodial Services once per day. Departments controlling conference rooms are responsible to clean table tops and high touch surfaces after each use.
To facilitate the return to work, the University delivered 400 start-up kits to office locations throughout the campus in early August. Each kit included 12 quarts of disinfectant, a spray nozzle, and two packages of paper towels along with instructions for their use. Going forward, the University recommends that departments or units purchase EPA-registered disinfectants such as multi-surface spray cleaners or single-use disinfectant wipes through the standard office supply purchasing process. NOTE: When the kits were distributed, spray nozzles were in short supply due to supply chain production issues. BC has since obtained a good supply of them. If you would like additional spray nozzles, please ask your department's approved representative to order some from the warehouse.
Hand sanitizers have been placed in high traffic areas/lobbies where soap and water are not immediately convenient. Disposable wipe dispensers will be placed in select high volume building entry points and classrooms and are meant to be used to wipe down high touch surfaces before they are used, especially between classes. The sanitizer liquid and wipes both meet CDC guidelines for effectiveness.
These items have been placed in the highest need areas and Facilities Custodial Services will check/refill them daily. If you find anything empty, call Facilities Services Work Order Center at 2-3048 (between 6:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday). After hours, call Campus Police Non-Emergency at 2-4440. For immediate needs, please take wipes from an adjacent classroom and call in a refill request. Please remember there is no substitute for frequently washing your hands with soap and water.
Please follow University procedures and first consider the Phased and other Staffing Options outlined in the BC Guide for Reopening. We are making every effort to move, isolate and/or remove furniture to promote safe distancing and social separation. Our last resort was to remove furniture so please do not reposition or group furniture in a way that would violate social distancing directives. Keep everyone as safe as possible. The removed furniture is cataloged and safely stored and its return will be determined based upon government directives and university decisions.
If assistance is needed to reconfigure building spaces to comply with the social distancing guidelines outlined in BC’s Guide for Returning to the Workplace, please contact your respective Dean/VP office for further direction on how to submit a request.
Yes. Since the BC’s COVID-19 response in March, Facilities Management has provided clear instructions to vendors and contractors regarding the required protocols for on-campus workers. These protocols are congruent with Commonwealth, City and University guidelines for symptom self-checks, hand-washing, masking and social distancing.
Campus Mail Services is continuing to provide mail service and distribution of mail and packages throughout the University. The schedule may change to less frequent deliveries per week based on volume and need. Departments should contact Campus Mail Services at 617-552-2368 or 617-552-3993 if they are planning to be closed or have all staff working from home. Departments who would like to place a hold on delivery of mail should provide their department name and delivery location to Campus Mail Services. BC Campus Mail Services is following all USPS and CDC guidelines.
FAQ
Staff and faculty who test positive for COVID-19 must contact their supervisor or department/chair dean, who will contact their Human Resources representative, and isolate at home until cleared to return to work by their physician. If unable to work remotely during this time, they may use accumulated sick leave to cover their absence while in isolation. To the extent possible, isolating employees whose roles are conducive to working remotely will be expected to do so as long as they are able, provided they have been in contact with their supervisor or department chair/dean.
If you are sick you must stay home. Stay home even if you have mild symptoms of illness.
Anyone who comes in close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, is required to quarantine prior to returning to work.
Contacts will need to remain quarantined for:
- At least 7 full days, provided all of the following are satisfied:
- you have not had, and do not have, any symptoms;
- you are tested between days 5-7 of your quarantine period or later using a molecular diagnostic test (e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) to detect the presence of the virus;
- you receive a negative test result; and
- you monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days. If you develop symptoms you should contact your health care provider and be re-tested.
- at least 10 days from the date of last exposure, provided all of the following are satisfied:
- You have not experienced any symptoms up to that point; AND
- You conduct active monitoring through Day 14.
- 14 full days, if you experienced ANY symptoms during the quarantine period EVEN if you have a negative COVID-19 test
The state recognizes the following exemptions to quarantine:
If you have gotten two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines or one dose of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine more than 14 days ago, you are not required to quarantine following an exposure. (updated 3/8/2021)
Persons Who Tested Positive within 90 Days of Exposure: Individuals who are COVID-19-recovered, meaning individuals who tested positive more than 10 days but less than 90 days ago and who do not have symptoms, do not need to quarantine. This exception does not include COVID-19-recovered individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19.
To the extent possible, self-quarantined employees whose roles are conducive to working remotely will be expected to do so as long as they are able, provided they have been in contact with their supervisor or department chair/dean. Such staff and faculty who are quarantined and cannot work remotely shall be granted up to 14 days of leave with pay.
Boston College is conducting ongoing COVID-19 surveillance testing at the Margot Connell Recreation Center. Testing at this site is only for students, faculty, and staff contacted by University Health Services (UHS). If you receive an email from UHS requiring you to be tested, please follow the instructions in the email.
If you would like to get tested for any reason outside of the surveillance process (e.g., you develop symptoms, you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive, you are traveling, etc.), you should seek out a MA testing site. You can visit the MA COVID-19 Testing website for an interactive map to find a testing site near you. Many sites may require pre-screening, a referral and/or an appointment.
Per the Massachusetts travel advisory effective March 22, and subject to the exemptions below, all Boston College employees returning from out of state travel are required to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival or receive a negative PCR test prior to returning to campus. Employees who choose to travel out of state for non-emergency purposes (e.g., vacation) are required to utilize vacation time during the necessary quarantine period.
Travelers in the following categories are exempt from this quarantine advisory:
- Travelers who have received a negative COVID-19 PCR result on a test administered not more than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts. Travelers may also test out of the quarantine advisory after arrival in Massachusetts, as long as they quarantine until receiving a negative PCR test result.
- Anyone who is entering Massachusetts for fewer than 24 hours
- Anyone who is returning to Massachusetts after being out of the State for fewer than 24 hours
- Workers who enter Massachusetts to perform critical infrastructure functions (as specified by the Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) during required commuting to or from work and while at work.
- Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 days or more ago) and who do not have symptoms.
All travelers are encouraged to consult and follow the CDC’s guidelines and requirements for travel.
The CDC does not recommend testing, symptom monitoring or special management for people exposed to asymptomatic people with potential exposures to COVID-19, such as in a household. "Contacts of contacts" are not considered exposed and do not need to contact a healthcare provider unless they develop symptoms of COVID-19.
Yes. Staff and faculty who work on campus must conduct daily symptom monitoring, utilizing this COVID-19 Daily Self-Checklist, each day before reporting to work.
Staff and faculty must be free of ANY symptoms potentially related to COVID-19 or have an evaluation and clearance by a medical professional to be eligible to return to work. Staff and faculty who have any of the symptoms listed below must inform their supervisor or department chair/dean. The employee should self-isolate at home, and call his/her primary care physician’s office for further direction.
At this time, symptoms include one or more of the following:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Runny nose with new sinus congestion (not related to allergies)
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Headache
- New gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
- New loss of taste or smell
Yes. Face coverings or masks will be required when in the presence of others and in all public spaces where required physical distancing (staying at least 6 feet away from others) is difficult to maintain. This includes, but is not limited to, walking in public hallways, stairwells, and using elevators or restrooms.
It should be noted that mask and face covering use does not replace the need to practice physical distancing, staying home if you are ill, frequent handwashing, and avoiding touching of the face. However, wearing a mask or face covering that covers the nose and chin can help protect others by containing the respiratory droplets of the wearer.
What should an employee do if they suspect a co-worker of being ill and reporting to on-campus work?
Contacting the co-worker directly to ask if they are ill is not appropriate. The employee should notify their supervisor or department chair/dean.
Vice presidents, deans, and vice provosts will be working with their individual administrative and academic units to determine their phased staffing plan. Employees will receive communication directly indicating when they should return to campus.
All on-campus staffing decisions must be consistent with the Commonwealth’s requirements on building occupancy. When assessing on campus staffing needs, the University will prioritize mission-critical operations, the necessity to access on-campus resources, and the return of employees who are less able to perform their essential functions remotely.
Staff may use accrued paid leave time (vacation or personal leave) as approved by their supervisor. If accrued time has been exhausted, staff may be placed in unpaid status if unable to work from home. Faculty members will need to work with their department chair and/or dean.
Effective May 31, 2021, all special accommodations approved through the Office for Institutional Diversity related to the pandemic, including authorizations for remote work, will expire. Individuals who desire a special accommodation must reapply for the summer 2021, and any special accommodation granted through the Office for Institutional Diversity will end no later than August 13, 2021 unless otherwise approved through the normal ADA accommodation process. Please note that individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be eligible for a special accommodation.
Discuss your concerns with your supervisor regarding the return to work plan. You may also contact your Human Resources representative for additional information.
Students, faculty, and staff will be expected to supply and maintain their own personal face coverings. In addition, the University will maintain a supply of disposable masks available for staff and faculty in the event they forget to bring a face covering, or the face covering is damaged or compromised.
No. According to the CDC, gloves are not necessary for general use and do not replace good hand hygiene.
Yes. The University will be providing hand sanitizer at stations throughout campus.
Hand sanitizers have been placed in high traffic areas/lobbies where soap and water are not immediately convenient. Disposable wipe dispensers will be placed in select high volume building entry points and classrooms and are meant to be used to wipe down high touch surfaces before they are used, especially between classes. The sanitizer liquid and wipes both meet CDC guidelines for effectiveness.
These items have been placed in the highest need areas and Facilities Custodial Services will check/refill them daily. If you find anything empty, call Facilities Services Work Order Center at 2-3048 (between 6:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday). After hours, call Campus Police Non-Emergency at 2-4440. For immediate needs, please take wipes from an adjacent classroom and call in a refill request. Please remember there is no substitute for frequently washing your hands with soap and water.
All Boston College business meetings both on and off campus should be conducted electronically/virtually whenever possible. If a meeting cannot be conducted virtually, participants must be limited to 10 or fewer, space should enable required physical distancing, and all participants must wear a mask or face covering unless the meeting room is large enough to accommodate physical distancing of at least 6 feet.
There are several options departments should consider to maintain required physical distancing measures.
Remote Work
Staff and faculty who can fulfill their work obligations, either fully or partially, from off campus should continue to work remotely if feasible. Continued remote work arrangements may be conducted on a full or partial day/week schedule and must be approved by the respective dean, vice president, vice provost or their designee(s). Moreover, departments should encourage staff and faculty with increased health risks to continue working remotely.
Alternating Days
In an effort to lessen campus density, especially in larger common work areas, departments should consider scheduling partial staffing and alternating days on campus.
Staggered Start Times and End Times
Consistent with physical distancing requirements, departments should stagger reporting and departure times.
Generally, departments will assess open work environments and meeting rooms to institute measures to physically separate and increase physical distance between coworkers and customers. In addition to the redesign of space, departments may institute measures such as:
- Placing visual cues such as signs or tape to indicate to customers where to stand when waiting in line; and
- Placing one-way directional signage for large, open work spaces to increase distance between employees and customers moving in and out of the work area.
Departments may also consider the efficacy of installing glass or plexiglass barriers at customer service desks/counters.
Boston College will follow the CDC’s cleaning and disinfecting guidelines, scheduling frequent, deep cleaning of all University buildings, especially high traffic areas. In addition, the University will provide disinfectants and other cleaning materials so that staff and faculty can clean shared items such as printers, copiers, shared workstations, and shared kitchen equipment before and after use.
Yes. Campus elevators will be in use, although people are encouraged to take stairs whenever possible. In order to facilitate physical distancing, the University has assessed and posted target occupancies for each elevator consistent with physical distancing requirements. In addition, if using an elevator, occupants are reminded to wear a mask or face covering, and wash hands or use the recommended hand sanitizer upon departing the elevator.
Use of restrooms will be limited based on size to ensure at least 6 feet of physical distance between individuals. In all cases, when using a public restroom, faculty and staff shall wear a mask or appropriate face covering and wash their hands.
When eating meals on campus, staff and faculty are encouraged to take food back to their office area or eat outside if possible. Whether dining at a University dining hall or an office break room, individuals should wear a face mask or face covering until ready to eat, maintain at least 6 feet of physical distancing, refrain from facing other diners, and use disposable plates and utensils supplied by the University. Eating and gathering is prohibited in break rooms that cannot be reconfigured to accommodate physical distancing requirements.
Staff and faculty are reminded to wash their hands before and after eating, and to disinfect table surfaces, refrigerator handles, and coffee makers when done using a common area.
What counseling and support resources are available if I am experiencing anxiety or grieving a loss?
Staff and faculty feeling anxious, grieving the loss of a loved one, or otherwise in need of counseling and support may utilize the University’s Faculty/Staff Assistance Program by contacting Pat Touzin, Program Director, directly at 617-552-3340.
Visitors are discouraged from visiting campus. If visitation is necessary, however, the Office Log should be used by departments/offices to support future contact tracing of visitors (BC affiliated or external visitors) who enter into a building that is not their home office. Visitors should be monitored in all areas, especially those that are customer facing (e.g., service desks).
CDC Training Videos
These videos from the CDC contain information on:
- How wearing a cloth face covering may help slow the spread of COVID-19
- How you can do your part to slow the spread of COVID-19
- Social distancing as the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19