Protective Measures for Staff and Students in the Workforce

By Nancy Sanchez-Diaz

Entertainment Editor

While President Christopher Capuano’s email update on Tuesday, July 7 outlined the general plans set to take place for the fall semester, the university has yet to address the occupancy limit on the two-city metropolitan campus. 

The second episode of The Equinox’s Roundtable series discussed health and safety guidelines for institution operations as they are being released. 

The American College Health Association (ACHA) has considerations for reopening institutions of higher education, which are subject to change based on local and federal guidelines.

Suggestions for The Workforce

ACHA suggests giving the following instructions to employees for their protection and to reduce the risk of transmission for COVID-19:

1. Avoid office gatherings, break rooms, and unnecessary visitors in the workplace.
2. Wear masks or face coverings in all public spaces used by multiple people 
3. Monitor employees for COVID-19 symptoms 
4. Conduct meetings electronically, even when working on campus. If meetings cannot be conducted virtually, keep participation to fewer than 10 participants. 
5. Stagger shifts to reduce the number of people in the workplace at the same time.
6. Allow those who can work effectively from home to be the last to return and/or delay their return to campus.

For instruction and learning environments 

1. Prioritize in-person instruction for courses with academic outcomes that cannot be measured or achieved virtually, such as performance, laboratory, and clinical experiences. 
2. Limit the number of attendees for in-person courses and sections 
3. Consider creating multiple sections/shifts to reduce numbers.
4. Keep remote options available to protect vulnerable populations.

According to the FDU website, the average class size is 18 students, and the Metropolitan campus attracts students from 63 countries. 

ACHA’s primary suggestion is to reduce the occupancy limit as low as possible. Whether or not these suggestions will be incorporated into the Metropolitan campus final reopening plan is still to come. 

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Art by Amaya Morales