Re-engagement Plan

Effective Date:  July 1, 2021

Introduction

Kalamazoo College recognizes that COVID-19 has impacted every faculty and staff member and the individual impacts on each person vary. This re-engagement plan provides colleagues with guidance in how to return to conditions closer to the pre-COVID environment.

Goal

Kalamazoo College remains fully committed to our community. This plan is designed to recognize the impact that COVID-19 has had on each person personally and professionally and to help our campus transition to an in-person experience by fall 2021.

The community experience is at the heart of our mission and individualized experiences are vital to our short and long-term prosperity. In-person interaction is an essential component to the student experience and to building community for students, faculty, staff, and all who are connected to Kalamazoo College.

Transition Timeline

Kalamazoo College is committed to returning to a completely in-person environment by the beginning of the fall 2021 term. President’s Staff members are responsible for ensuring that all personnel and work being performed on campus is in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and guidelines. The following schedule offers a gradual process to meeting this goal in recognition of the various needs of faculty and staff. The recommended timeline is intended to assist employees and supervisors to determine a path to in-person work. Certain offices and resources may require a different on-campus schedule and are at the discretion of the relevant President’s Staff member. This timeline is not intended to change the nature of appointments established pre-pandemic. Rather, this timeline is intended to return to pre-pandemic conditions.

  • Beginning the week of July 12: Offices and resources are in-person accessible twenty percent (20%) of pre-COVID levels
  • Beginning the week of July 19: Offices and resources are in-person accessible forty percent (40%) of pre-COVID levels
  • Beginning the week of July 26: Offices and resources are in-person accessible sixty percent (60%) of pre-COVID levels
  • Beginning the week of August 2: Offices and resources are in-person accessible eighty percent (80%) of pre-COVID levels
  • Beginning the week of August 9: Offices and resources are in-person accessible one hundred percent (100%) of pre-COVID levels

Transition Time

Kalamazoo College recognizes that the impact of COVID-19 is ongoing and varies from person to person. Some colleagues have worked on-campus consistently from the beginning of the pandemic and may have personal reasons to be away from campus. Some colleagues have worked remotely during the entirety or part of the pandemic and may need an adjustment period to help transition back to on-campus work.

Kalamazoo College is temporarily creating a new paid time off category named “transition time.” Transition time may be used for any COVID-related reason such as child/eldercare, remote learning support of a child, or mental health needs.

Each benefits-eligible staff member hired before July 1, 2021 may use up to 24 transition hours beginning at the implementation date of this plan and concluding on June 30, 2022. Transition time should be tracked on bi-weekly paid employees’ timecards and within each department for monthly paid employees. Transition time will be discontinued one year from implementation of this plan. Unused transition time will be converted to emergency hours one year from implementation of this plan.

Health and Safety Guidelines

The pandemic continues to be dynamic in nature. Kalamazoo College remains committed to using public health guidance, regulations, and best practice to inform the College’s policy and practice decisions. The most current COVID-related information may be found by visiting https://covid.kzoo.edu/.

COVID-19 Testing: All Kalamazoo College community members are expected to adhere to the College’s COVID-19 testing protocols. Symptomatic and exposed individuals are able to be tested at the off-campus location of their choosing. Contact Human Resources if assistance is needed to locate a testing facility.

COVID-19 Vaccinations: Kalamazoo College strongly supports those who desire to be vaccinated from COVID-19. Vaccination is not mandatory for faculty and staff at Kalamazoo College. Vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals are expected to follow public health guidelines. Contact Human Resources if assistance is needed to locate a vaccination facility.

Occupancy Limits: The College will follow the State of Michigan’s guidance regarding indoor and outdoor occupancy limits. Please check with your supervisor regarding the latest occupancy restrictions.

Hand Washing: Employees are encouraged to wash hands using proper technique frequently and especially:

  • Before preparing or eating food
  • Before and after treating a wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
  • After touching garbage


Proper Hand Washing Technique:

  • Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  • Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  • Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
  • Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  • Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Hand Sanitizer: Hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol is provided throughout campus. Sanitizer is for use only when a hand washing location is not readily available.

Calling in sick: Employees that develop symptoms of COVID-19 should not report to work. They should call in sick to work using their unit’s standard protocol for unplanned absence, then contact their supervisor or Human Resources separately to begin a dialog about when it is safe to return to work.

Symptoms that arise while working: If a staff member develops symptoms while they are at work, they should contact their supervisor and return home immediately.

Compensation for employees who are away from work due to COVID-19: Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be invited to engage in the accommodation and leave of absence processes. Medical leaves of absence may be for up to six months in length. Bi-weekly employees who remain home due to COVID-19 symptoms, and are not working remotely, may use the C19 paycode to account for their time.

Accommodation Requests: Faculty and staff who wish to submit an accommodation request related to a COVID reason may do so. Accommodations may be accepted, modified, or denied and will be evaluated on an individual basis. Kalamazoo College reserves the right to cancel or modify a determination at any time according to business needs.

Who to Contact: Contact Renee Boelcke, Director of Human Resources, with questions or to request a printed copy of this plan at renee.boelcke@kzoo.edu.

FAQs