Dear Colleagues:
The vice presidents and I have been in discussion on our eventual implementation of Phase 3 of our Return to Work plan. You may recall that Phase 3 would include bringing all employees back to work on campus.
We do NOT have a date for Phase 3, and as I have previously stated, I expect us to remain in Phase 2 at least through the end of the calendar year and perhaps longer, depending on the spread of the virus as colder weather moves in.
While a decision of this magnitude will be made based on many factors, and could change if a directive is received from the state, we will continue to weigh what is best for Winthrop and our community, with health and safety as a guiding principle.
I believe senior leadership would greatly benefit from your thoughts on Phases 2 and 3, and so we have created a survey to collect some data. The survey also touches on the new telecommuting policy, DHEC testing at the Coliseum, and a few more topics. Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey.
It is important to note that even when we do eventually move to Phase 3, Winthrop intends to continue requiring current safety protocols (wearing masks, social distancing, virtual meetings, etc., and observing current practices and procedures established by departments to limit interaction with coworkers and the public), and we will do that as long as needed to remain in compliance with public health guidance. In addition, we do not foresee any decision to return to Phase 3 interfering with decisions already made in regard to the Academic Calendar and the schedule for instruction in the spring semester.
Thank you in advance for responding to the survey, which may be accessed at the link below. The survey will close Tuesday, November 24, at midnight.
https://winthrop.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dhG0Y1GJA044Rz7
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
