Guidance on Returning to Work on Campus

Dear Staff and Faculty Colleagues,

It is understandable that you may be eager to get back to work on campus. All of us would like this to happen but for the sake of everyone’s health and safety, if you have been working from home, please continue to do so until you have permission to return. Human Resources will coordinate with supervisors to plan a transition back to campus, and supervisors will continue to communicate directly with staff. 

Many of us were encouraged when Vermont Governor Phil Scott announced additions to his Stay Home, Stay Safe order that allowed employees in certain professions to return to work this week. It is possible that the governor will announce in the future that employees in additional sectors can return to work. As a Middlebury employee, please keep the following points in mind.
 

• Supervisor Approval: Again, if you are a staff member, please do not come to campus until your supervisor has instructed you to return.
• Stay Healthy: Our primary goal is to keep our community healthy. We cannot allow for a spike in COVID-19 cases that would undermine or diminish the success we’ve achieved to date. 
• Transition Back to Campus: Middlebury’s transition will be a gradual, deliberate process that takes into account the proper training and signage for returning employees in a wide variety of work settings.
• Success Depends on Us: The success of this phased restart will depend in large part on our ability as employees to adhere to the public health, safety, and social distancing measures essential to limiting the spread of illness.
• Middlebury’s Own Guidelines: When it is safe for Middlebury employees to gradually come to work on campus again, Middlebury will comply with all Vermont State regulations. Middlebury will also set its own parameters and may implement those more slowly than Vermont institutes state guidelines.
• Training and Safety Measures: Director of Health Services Mark Peluso, Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator Jen Kazmierczak, and other staff members are working on a health and safety plan for returning employees that will include required training and the implementation of safety measures, such as social distancing. Watch for future communications on this topic.
   

Thank you for continuing to follow important health and safety precautions that prevent the spread of COVID-19 and for your patience as we plan for the future.

Best wishes,

Jeff Cason
Provost

Karen Miller
VP for Human Resources and Chief Risk Officer

Mark Peluso, M.D.
Director of Health Services