COVID-19 Update: March 23, 2020

Office of Communications
March 23, 2020

Dear Kenyon College community,

As you know, Governor DeWine issued a stay-at-home order restricting non-essential activities in the state for two weeks — starting tonight, March 23, at 11:59 p.m. EDT and running through Monday, April 6. The order allows educational institutions to continue to provide essential services, including providing for the students who remain on campus, facilitating remote instruction and performing critical research, provided that we adhere to state and CDC safety directives. If you have not already, please take time to read the order in full (PDF).

This order was not unexpected; indeed, we have been planning for this possibility since the outbreak took hold. The extraordinary efforts made last week to get remote courses up and running and to assist more than 1,000 students in retrieving their belongings have positioned us well for the next phase of operations. I am grateful for everyone who is responding to the twists and turns of the past two weeks with creativity, empathy and moxie.

Guiding principles for working through stay-at-home order, March 23–April 6:

Kenyon will do everything within our means to care for and keep all employees employed for as long as possible during these uncertain times. This includes student employees and, where possible, the contractors and local businesses who depend on us.
Kenyon does not intend to reduce staff or hours at this time. This extends to part-time employees, including student employees, who are now scattered across the country and globe.
The College will strive to provide a safe working environment at all times. The spirit of the stay-at-home order is clear: minimize the number of people on campus and follow strict safety protocols for those who must be on campus to perform essential functions. Much of the work of the College can and should continue remotely. Employees who are in departments that provide essential on-campus services should speak with their supervisor about how to maintain a safe work environment.

Employees who can work remotely

You should continue to work your regular hours and report them as you normally do. If necessary, those hours may fall outside the traditional workday to accommodate childcare or other family obligations. Please work with your supervisor to ensure that adjusted schedules satisfy the needs of the department.
LBIS has answered some common questions here about hardware and software needs as well as advice for creating a successful home office setup. Helpline will continue to be available this semester but will operate under reduced hours. For a non-urgent request or question, email or Google Chat helpline@kenyon.edu. You also can reach Helpline, particularly for technology emergencies, at 740-427-5700 from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. EDT Monday–Friday and 6–8 p.m. EDT Monday–Thursday.
While employees are permitted to pick up essential materials from campus, you are urged to keep your time on campus at an absolute minimum. Anyone coming to campus must adhere to all safety directives, including taking your temperature before arriving on campus.

Employees who provide essential on-campus services

Essential operations include campus safety, maintenance, dining services and on-call student affairs staff (including a nurse practitioner), as well as functions needed to support remote instruction. Offices that provide essential administrative functions, such as accounting and payroll, have made provisions to process transactions remotely. The mail center will be open weekdays, 9 a.m.–12 noon.
Division heads have the discretion to determine which employees in their respective areas are designated essential, and on what schedule they should report to work.
Because operations may be reduced under the stay-at-home order, some employees who perform essential functions may not be required to come to work. Please talk with your supervisor about duties or professional development you can perform remotely. If these are not available, please record unworked hours as “Campus Closed” in the Banner/Kronos time-entry system. This will ensure that you continue to be paid as regularly scheduled. (For employees who are irregularly scheduled or work on an on-call basis, your regular schedule will be determined by looking at the same time period during the previous year; for assistance, please contact the Office of Human Resources.)
If you provide essential services but are not able to report to work due to illness, childcare needs or underlying health conditions, please notify your supervisor to explore your telework and temporary leave options (PDF).

Employees who do not provide essential on-campus services and who are unable to work remotely

Contact your supervisor to discuss alternative duties or professional development you can perform under the stay-at-home order.
If these are not available, please record unworked hours as “Campus Closed” in the Banner/Kronos time-entry system. This will ensure that you continue to be paid as regularly scheduled. (For employees who are irregularly scheduled or work on an on-call basis, your regular schedule will be determined by looking at the same time period during the previous year; for assistance, please contact the Office of Human Resources.)

Student employees

Contact your supervisor to let them know that you wish to continue your employment.
If your duties can be performed remotely, continue to work your regular hours and report them as you normally do.
If your duties cannot be performed remotely and other duties are not available, please record unworked hours as “Campus Closed” in the Banner/Kronos time-entry system. This will ensure that you continue to be paid as regularly scheduled.
Because student employees are effectively working under a stay-at-home order through the end of the semester, this policy is effective March 16–May 8, in keeping with the original spring semester calendar.

The stay-at-home order will require yet more adjustments in how we work. I admit that I already miss seeing you all on Middle Path, racing from classrooms and offices, from studios and labs, from Peirce and the KAC, doing the work that makes Kenyon Kenyon. I believe that we can continue to do the College’s work under these conditions, in many cases we will reimagine it, and that we will emerge on the other side with newly discovered strengths.

Sincerely,

Sean Decatur
President

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