UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

COVID-19 Information

New COVID Safeguards In Place for Spring 2021

As the University begins to finalize plans for welcoming approximately 1,000 students back to campus this month, new safeguards are in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 on campus.

Employee Designations

Each staff member has been classified in one of the following categories based on expected level of contact with students or one another:

  • High Contact. Those in this group will be required to screen for symptoms, and participate in 2 baseline tests and more frequent surveillance testing.
  • Low Contact. Those in this group will be required to screen for symptoms, and participate in 1 baseline test and less frequent surveillance testing.
  • No Contact. Those in this group will be required to screen for symptoms if coming to campus, but will not be required to participate in baseline or surveillance testing.
  • Exclusively Remote. Those in this group will not participate in any preventative screening or testing measures on campus.
  • Tested by Athletics. Those in this group will participate in the preventative screening and testing  measures coordinated by athletics.

If you do not know your employee designation, please contact your area vice president as you will need this information to proceed.  Please note: the No Contact group does not participate in testing but should utilize the screening application when coming to campus.  Exclusively Remote employees do not participate in testing or screening. 

Symptom Screening

If you were on campus in the fall of 2020, you are most likely familiar with the CAMPUS CLEAR symptom screening application. Faculty and staff in the High Contact, Low Contact, and No Contact groups will continue using the CAMPUS CLEAR application to screen for symptoms when coming to campus. If you are not in one of these testing groups described above, you can skip to the Symptomatic COVID-19 Testing portion of this message.

Staff in the High and Low-Contact groups will also need to start using the new CARBON HEALTH mobile application for scheduling testing appointments and reviewing results. This is in addition to using CAMPUS CLEAR for symptom screening.  You will receive an invitation to register on January 11, 2021.  Please register upon receipt and follow these instructions (in this specific order):

To start the program, you will:

  1. Be invited via an email sent from Carbon Health
  2. Register for the program on a web browser using your up.edu email address
  3. Registration will include creating an account, signing the COVID-19 release waiver and completing a coronavirus assessment
  4. Note: Entering your insurance information is optional and testing costs will be covered by University of Portland.  Be sure to click on “Enter Details Manually”
  5. Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and download the Carbon Health app
  6. Attend the on-campus testing event as notified to get a COVID-19 test

For technical support for the application, please contact up-support@carbonhealth.com. More information will be shared from CARBON HEALTH soon.

Asymptomatic COVID Testing

To ensure a safe and healthy campus, we are asking staff in the High Contact and Low Contact groups to participate in baseline and surveillance testing. Those in the No Contact, Exclusively Remote and Tested by Athletics groups do not participate in the testing listed below.

For High Contact and Low Contact groups, please read the directions below carefully to ensure you know how to proceed.  

Baseline Test 1: All staff in the High Contact and Low Contact groups are required to get a baseline COVID test between the dates of January 15, 2021 and January 21, 2021. Please work with your supervisor, if necessary, to get your test during regular business hours. Follow the steps below to procure a COVID-19 test.  NOTE: The Cares Act may expire after January 21, 2021 so it is imperative not to miss the timeline. Please make a plan upon receipt of this message! 

Option 1: Kaiser. For Kaiser members, log in to KP.org  

  • Click Schedule a COVID-19 test 
  • Click COVID-19 testing
  • Click yes to See if you are eligible for a COVID-19 test
  • Click yes to Were you told by your employer or school to get a COVID-19 test? 

Option 2: For non-Kaiser members, procure a COVID-19 test by contacting your primary care provider to request a COVID-19 test, notifying them you need one to return to work. 

Option 3: You can also visit a local Walgreens, Rite Aid, or drugstore that is providing COVID-19 testing. OHSU is another option. The Cares Act should cover this cost. If you are a Kaiser member, you can contact Kaiser member services about reimbursement options as needed. 

Option 4: If you have a personal hardship or are unable to fulfill this requirement, please contact Sean Ducey who can provide additional resources or support at ducey@up.edu. 

Baseline Test Results: Staff and faculty are asked to show evidence of test results by completing the following form: Covid Baseline Test Results – Spring 2021. 

Baseline Test 2:  Starting the week of January 25, staff with a High Contact designation ONLY will be scheduled for a second baseline COVID-19 test. You do not need to do anything at this time; Sean Ducey will send you an email with a link to sign up for your second baseline test. The testing center will be located on campus in the Lund Family Annex across the street from the Chiles Center. Please note: Low-Contact staff and faculty will not participate in the second baseline COVID-19 test. 

Surveillance Tests: All faculty and staff with High and Low Contact designations will be part of ongoing surveillance testing from February 1, 2021 to May 7, 2021. Employees will be assigned to pods or stratified random samples based on anticipated contact groups. You will be notified a week in advance when you are selected for surveillance testing at which point you can schedule a test using the CARBON HEALTH application.

Symptomatic COVID Testing

Any staff member who experiences COVID-19 symptoms during the spring semester is required to: (1) report symptoms to Human Resources, (2) immediately refrain from coming to campus until approval to come back to campus is provided by Human Resources, and (3) contact your health provider for symptomatic testing, isolation instructions, and treatment planning. 

Support

In the spirit of collaboration and good will, we ask for your patience as we roll out this comprehensive screening and testing plan for our campus community. We have put a lot of thought and care into this plan but expect there to be some challenges from time-to-time. If you need support with scheduling or rescheduling testing or have questions about the app, please contact up-support@carbonhealth.com. For more general questions or to provide feedback, please contact one of us.

Matthew Rygg, Associate Vice President for Student Development

Joe Kaleel, Director of Campus Events

Sean Ducey, Associate Director of Campus Events

COVID Updates: Please Review Important Information

Here are some recent COVID updates for the UP community:

Required COVID-19 Training: OSHA is requiring that all employees complete a COVID-19 training. If you did not attend one of the Zoom trainings offered last week, please do the training on Moodle at: COVID-19 Training on Moodle.

Required COVID-19 Assessment: OSHA is requiring that employers gather work-related risk assessments related to COVID-19. All faculty and staff, whether you work on campus or are teleworking, are requested to fill out the assessment at: Covid-19 Risk Assessment. After a faculty or staff member fills out this form, it will be forwarded to their supervisor to review and approve. If you have questions, please email ehs@up.edu.

Non-Essential Travel & Quarantine Requirements: This is the guidance from the State of Oregon about non-essential travel and quarantine: “To fight the rapid spread of COVID-19, the governors of Oregon, Washington, and California issued travel advisories urging visitors entering their states or returning home from travel outside these states to self-quarantine. The advisories urge against non-essential out-of-state travel, ask people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country, and encourage residents to stay local.” Oregon’s travel advisory does not apply to people who cross state borders for “essential travel,” including work, study, critical infrastructure support, supply chains, economic services, health, immediate medical care and safety and security. See more at this link.

All members of the UP community are strongly encouraged to follow COVID-19 related guidance from the State of Oregon.

Please note, if an employee is quarantining after engaging in non-essential travel and the employee is unable to telework during the quarantine period, the employee can use any accrued and available regular sick time and vacation time for related absences from work. COVID sick time is only applicable for COVID-19 related absences approved by HR such as when an employee is sick with COVID-19, tested positive for COVID-19, or needs to quarantine due to potential exposure to COVID-19.

Additional travel-related guidance from UP is here: travel related guidance.

Clarifications to Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ 1: Someone I had in-person contact with – such as a family member – has a COVID-19 symptom, but I don’t know if this person has COVID-19. What should I do?

Answer: Please stay home and contact Human Resources – text or call (971) 276-6854 or email hr@up.edu. Please do not come to campus until Human Resources approves.

FAQ 2: I telework 100% and tested positive for or was potentially exposed to COVID-19. What should I do?

Answer: Please contact Human Resources – text or call (971) 276-6854 or email hr@up.edu. It is helpful for Human Resources to be contacted for several reasons. First, some teleworking employees have had in-person contact with someone who works on campus, and the communication with Human Resources has helped the employee remember and share this information. Also, if a teleworking employee gets sick, Human Resources can provide support by applying COVID sick time and connecting the employee to other resources such as the Employee Assistance Program.

FAQ 3: A student employee may have COVID-19 or may have been exposed to it. What should I do?

Answer: Please contact Human Resources – text or call (971) 276-6854 or email hr@up.edu. The student employee’s supervisor should contact Human Resources directly in case the student employee forgets to do so. Also, please ask the student employee to not come to campus until Human Resources approves.

FAQ 4: I have a COVID-19 related question or situation, but I’m not sure what to do. What should I do?

Answer: Please contact Human Resources – text or call (971) 276-6854 or email hr@up.edu. If we cannot answer your question, we will connect you with the appropriate resource on campus.

Thank you for your efforts to keep our UP community safe. If you have any questions, please email hr@up.edu or ehs@up.edu.

COVID Updates, Reminders

As a reminder, Multnomah County continues to be in Phase I of State of Oregon COVID-19 requirements, according to Sandy Chung, human resources. More information can be found using this link. All UP employees should continue to work remotely to the maximum extent possible consistent with their job duties. We ask employees to continue to be mindful about following this University direction which is based on the University’s commitment to our community’s wellness and Oregon legal requirements.

Please remember that masks should cover your nose and mouth. If an individual is age 5 years or older, masks, face coverings, or face shields are currently required statewide for:

  • All private and public workplaces — for example banks, classrooms, construction sites, offices and meeting rooms — unless someone is alone in an office or in a private workspace.
  • Indoor public spaces — for example grocery stores, pharmacies, public transit, personal services providers, restaurants, bars and retail stores.
  • Public and private colleges and universities, and private career schools.
  • Indoor and outdoor markets and street fairs.
  • Outdoor public spaces when physical distancing of at least six feet is not possible.
  • Individuals with a disability or medical condition may request accommodation from a business or public space if they cannot wear a mask.
  • State website link with mask requirement information.

Please make sure to follow UP’s mask policy which is consistent with Oregon’s statewide mask requirement.

Support available to UP employees includes:

This primary source of information about COVID-19 as it pertains to the UP community is www.up.edu/coronavirus. It is strongly recommended that employees review the information on the site regularly.

As the University’s vice president for human resources and designated social distancing officer, I welcome your questions and requests for assistance. Please contact me at chung@up.edu or by calling (503) 943-8484. Also, anonymous reports or concerns can be shared via this link: www.lighthouse-services.com/up.

 

Latest COVID Updates From Fr. Mark

University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., sent the following message to the UP community on Friday, October 2, with updates on the University’s COVID response and plans:

I begin this message with a sentiment that I have expressed often in emails to the UP community: gratitude. I am grateful for your flexibility and understanding as we have navigated extraordinary challenges together as a University community. I am grateful for the optimism, ingenuity, and resolve with which you have approached remote learning and our University’s modified mode of operations. Most of all, however, I am grateful for how you have supported one another and maintained the close bonds that UP is known for despite the distance that separates us. For all that you have done and will continue to do, know of my heartfelt thanks.

Later today, I will write to UP students and families with news about a topic that is top-of-mind for many in our community: plans for the Spring 2021 Semester. Given the centrality of the student experience at UP, I now share my message to students and families with you, our employees. I have also included additional details that pertain specifically to faculty and staff, so I encourage you to review this message in its entirety.

Before providing details, I must once again emphasize that the course of the COVID-19 pandemic is ever-changing. As we have seen today in news out of Washington, D.C., COVID-19 continues to affect people across the country. We continue to pray for all who have been impacted by this pandemic and all who are on the frontlines. In light of shifting circumstances and the advice we receive from public health authorities, we may need to pivot rapidly. The patience and nimbleness you have demonstrated thus far will be more vital than ever in the coming months.

After consulting with the University’s COVID-19 Steering Committee, members of the Board of Regents, the Provost’s Council, the President’s Leadership Cabinet, and others, I am announcing the following mode of operations for the Spring 2021 Semester.

On-Campus Residency and Dining

At this time, we believe it is possible to welcome some residential students back to campus if we de-densify residence halls, implement a robust testing protocol, and abide by health and safety practices. Students will be welcomed to return and reside in single-occupancy rooms. Capacity on campus will be reduced, so it will be necessary to prioritize requests for housing. First-year students and students who are currently residing on campus will receive priority, followed by upper-class students with compelling needs to reside on campus. All room rates will be based on double-occupancy. First-year students are not required to reside on campus if they so choose.

We understand that some members of the community will question the decision to give on-campus housing priority to first-year students. At UP, we regard shared residency as critical to forming community and creating bonds among students. We believe that the first-year students should be given first opportunity to reside in residence halls and receive the foundational community experience enjoyed by students before them.

We are communicating to students that campus life next semester will be different from previous semesters. Large social gatherings will be strictly prohibited, off-campus travel will be strongly discouraged, and violations of health and safety protocols may result in discipline. The Division of Student Affairs will develop programming and activities for on-campus students that allow for community-building in a responsible way.

We are currently working with our partners at Bon Appétit Management Company on dining plans for next semester.

The Office of Residence Life will provide more information to students by October 19, 2020.

Instruction and Academic Calendar

Most instruction will remain online for the Spring 2021 Semester. A limited number of laboratory, clinical, and experiential courses will be held in-person. We are also exploring the possibility of offering first-year students who reside on or near campus an in-person academic experience; planning in this area is ongoing. The idea of allowing faculty who will be teaching introductory courses (especially courses in the Core) to opt-in to teach an in-person course for the first-year students is being discussed by various academic leaders, including the deans, associate deans, the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate, and the CAS Chairs. Overall, the idea has been well received, and more details will be forthcoming soon.

We plan to delay the start of the semester by two weeks, to Monday, January 25. Doing so will allow students who are moving to campus to have sufficient time to travel, undergo COVID-19 testing, and receive their test results. This delay will also provide faculty members more time to prepare Spring courses. Final exams will be administered from May 3 through May 6. Similar to other universities and colleges throughout the country, for the health and safety of the campus community, we will forgo the traditional full week of Spring Break. Rather, we will have two 2-day, mid-week pauses during the semester when classes will not be held. Also, the University will not hold classes on Friday, April 2 in recognition of Good Friday. Classes will be held on Easter Monday.

The Office of the Provost will provide more specific details about the academic calendar and registration for the Spring 2021 Semester by October 19, 2020.

In-Person Work for Employees

Due to the University’s return to limited on-campus residency next semester, some employees will be asked to return to on-campus work. More information will be provided by supervisors in the weeks ahead. Until employees hear otherwise, they should continue to work remotely to the maximum extent possible.

Testing, Vaccinations, and Health and Safety Protocols for Students

The University has developed a multi-faceted protocol for COVID-19 testing among students.

First, all students residing in on-campus residence halls will be tested at the start of the semester using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test. Currently, results are usually being received within 48 hours. Students will be instructed to limit their activity while awaiting their test results. If a student tests positive, they will be required to isolate in the University’s designated isolation residence hall.

Additionally, the University will conduct regular surveillance COVID-19 testing in two manners. First, samples of on-campus students will undergo rapid COVID-19 testing each week. These rapid tests typically provide results in approximately 15 minutes. Second, the University intends to regularly test residence hall wastewater for indications of COVID-19. Taken together, these strategies will help us gather critical data that can assist in mitigating the COVID-19 risk on campus.

Finally, the University will conduct symptomatic COVID-19 testing for all students, regardless of whether they reside on- or off-campus. PCR testing will be provided to students with COVID-19 symptoms, students who test positive during surveillance testing, and students who have been exposed to people with COVID-19.

The University is currently developing a dashboard that will provide information to community members about our COVID-19 testing results. This dashboard will go live in January. UP will also support Multnomah County’s contact tracing efforts, and surveillance testing strategies will be informed by the University’s own exposure tracking.

Further, the University has reserved an on-campus residence hall for isolation. Students in isolation will live in apartment-style accommodations with necessary amenities and close support from our COVID-19 case management team.

We are also strongly encouraging all students to receive an influenza vaccination prior to returning to campus. While getting a flu vaccine does not protect against COVID-19, the vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death, and getting a flu vaccine can save healthcare resources for the care of patients with COVID-19.

The health and safety protocols that were announced during the summer will be in effect for the Spring 2021 Semester. This includes mandatory mask wearing, social distancing requirements, and strict limitations on social gatherings. Additionally, students residing on-campus will be required to complete a daily health check and submit to surveillance testing when requested. Students will also be required to comply with all quarantine and isolation directives they receive from the Health & Counseling Center.

Testing, Vaccinations, and Health and Safety Protocols for Employees

The details of our approach to COVID-19 testing of employees are being finalized. More information will be provided as soon as it is available.

As with students, we are asking that all employees receive an influenza vaccination prior to returning to campus. While getting a flu vaccine does not protect against COVID-19, the vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death, and getting a flu vaccine can save healthcare resources for the care of patients with COVID-19.The health and safety protocols that apply to students (e.g., mandatory mask wearing, social distancing, etc.) will also apply to employees.

Furloughs, Salary Reductions, and Benefit Changes

We do not yet know how next semester’s shift in operations will impact the University’s finances. We will gain a better sense for our financial standing once the semester draws closer. More information will be provided as soon as possible.

What Has Changed Since Late July?

In my message of July 30, I stated that the main considerations influencing our decision to deliver primarily remote instruction and keep the residence halls closed included the significant upward trends in infection rates over the summer months in Oregon and neighboring states, along with an increasing number of deaths from COVID-19. Likewise, the slow turn-around time in testing (10-12 days in July) was cause for concern.

While the pandemic has not dissipated as we would have hoped, we now believe that conditions will permit de-densified on-campus residency in the spring if we take additional health and safety precautions. While some recent spikes in infection rates have occurred, overall infection rates on the West Coast have flattened since late July. Also, testing turnaround times have improved dramatically. We are now able to receive PCR results in approximately 48 hours. Further, more accurate, less expensive, and more timely testing has been and is continuing to be developed.

Finally, UP has closely studied the experiences of other colleges and universities across the country. Our COVID-19 Steering Committee members have been in close contact with their counterparts at other institutions and have gained a sense for how to mitigate the risks of COVID-19. As we continue to develop and implement our plans for the Spring, we will remain in contact with colleagues from other colleges and universities.

Once again, however, I emphasize that the health and safety of our community members come first. If we determine that conditions no longer permit on-campus residency, we will be ready to pivot to a different mode of operations.

Conclusion

More detailed information on our plans for the Spring 2021 Semester are forthcoming from the Office of Residence Life, the Office of the Provost, and others by October 19. I thank you in advance for your patience. In the meantime, if you have questions, please direct them to coronavirus@up.edu.

Making a success of next semester will be our shared responsibility. All of us will have to make sacrifices and remain vigilant if we are to keep our fellow community members safe and successfully return to de-densified on-campus residency next semester. We have all seen vivid examples of what can happen if a university community fails to abide by health and safety protocols. I am confident, however, that our University of Portland community–a community filled with goodness, wisdom, grace, and care for one another–can succeed. I am confident that, as Pilots, we can unify around our shared desire for a successful semester and a University environment in which students, faculty, and staff feel safe.

I thank you in advance for your efforts to make these plans a success, and I thank you for your patience as we continue to communicate important information to the campus community in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Father Mark

Latest Community Message From Fr. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.

University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., wrote the following message for all UP community members on Friday, July 17. The message can also be found on the Back to The Bluff webpage using this link.

Dear University of Portland Faculty and Staff,

I hope that this email finds you and your loved ones safe and well. My purpose for writing to you today is simple: to check in and provide several updates as we prepare for the Fall Semester.

Earlier today, I sent a comprehensive email to all UP students and their families. I am now sending that very same email to you, with some additional information that pertains specifically to our faculty and staff.

I acknowledge that much of the information below relates only to the student experience at UP and may not appear immediately useful to employees. However, because we are a community with a mission to serve students, I feel it necessary for all faculty and staff to receive this email, review its contents, and be made aware of our plans to support students during the Fall Semester. I recognize that this message is lengthy. However, as you know, our present circumstances are complex and there is so much information that we must share with you.

First, I wish to acknowledge the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in hotspots throughout the country. This upward trend is deeply concerning. We pray for all who continue to be impacted by this pandemic and we extend our immeasurable gratitude to the health care professionals and essential workers who are on the front lines.

The University is closely monitoring developments and continues to review guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission, the Multnomah County Health Department, and others. Know that as we move forward we will continue to be guided by data and the advice we receive from public health authorities. As our understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve, so too will our plans for the Fall Semester.

Second, I once again express my gratitude to all members of our University community for your dedication to our institution, for the compassion and care you have shown for one another, and for the continuing flexibility you have exhibited. This pandemic has upended our personal and professional lives. It has caused heartache, stress, and pain. Despite these challenges, you continually rise to meet the headwinds we face. Your creativity, determination, and patience inspire me and give me confidence that we will eventually emerge from this pandemic stronger than before. To our faculty and staff, I offer my deepest appreciation.

Below, I share an overview of where our plans stand as of now. In the spirit of transparency, I stress that these plans are subject to change. We are evaluating conditions and trends, both locally and nationally, on a daily basis. The University will keep you updated in the event that major modifications to these plans are necessary. Further announcements will be provided in the weeks ahead as the Fall Semester approaches. We thank you in advance for your flexibility and understanding.

Academics

We plan to deliver courses in the fall via a hybrid format. This means that most classes will be offered both in-person (in de-densified classrooms optimized for physical distancing) and online. Certain classes with high enrollment will be subdivided into smaller sections with cohorts of students attending in-person instruction on certain days and attending virtually on other days. Students are advised of the possibility that some of their courses may be taught fully online with no in-person instruction. Some members of the faculty have requested to teach all of their courses fully online, and the University is working to accommodate those requests. More information about each student’s courses and their modes of instruction will be provided as we approach the new semester.

In the event that a student feels unwell or is subject to quarantine or isolation, they will not attend classes in-person and will, instead, attend virtually if they are able. We further understand that some students may have underlying health conditions or other reasons for seeking to take all of their courses online. Such students should follow the instructions below:

Undergraduate students who have underlying health conditions that prevent them from attending in-person classes may apply for a COVID-19 accommodation by contacting Accessible Education Services at aes@up.edu.

Undergraduate students who may have other reasons for requesting to take their courses fully online should contact the associate dean’s office of their college or school.

Graduate students who wish to take their courses online should contact their respective department or school.

For more information, please visit the Academics section on our Back to The Bluff website.

Campus Life and Dining

Currently, we plan to reopen residence halls in the fall. All residential students have received information about housing assignments and move-in procedures from the Office of Residence Life. Additional information regarding life in our residence halls has recently been posted to the Residence Life page on our Back to The Bluff website.

Students will have access to our dining facilities for their meals. While seating will be limited, all meals will be packaged in a way that permits students to make their selections and take food to go. The University will coordinate outdoor seating areas for dining and for other social programs and activities.

The on-campus experience will feel very different once our semester begins. Per state mandates, both large-scale events and even smaller gatherings may be canceled or modified. All community members will be expected to abide by our face mask/covering requirements, physical distancing rules, and more. However, individuals across campus will work tirelessly to give students the best experience possible under the circumstances.

For more information, please explore the Campus Environment pages on our Back to The Bluff website.

Health and Safety

We know that all members of our community—including faculty and staff—are keenly interested in how we will keep our campus environment safe when the semester begins. We have already developed most of our plans on matters such as face masks/coverings, de-densification, and cleaning, and we are nearing the completion of plans relating to symptom monitoring and other matters.

COVID-19 Testing

The University of Portland will conduct COVID-19 testing of students when medically indicated. Tests will be administered by Health & Counseling Center staff at a designated on-campus COVID-19 clinic. The tests will then be sent to a third-party laboratory for interpretation. Currently, UP does not plan to conduct asymptomatic baseline testing of all community members prior to the start of the Fall 2020 semester. At this time, such testing is not recommended by public health authorities.

COVID-19 testing for students is covered at 100% by insurance companies due to the CARES Act. Visits to the Health & Counseling Center remain free of cost. Additional point of care tests (e.g., tests for strep throat, flu, etc.) and medications will be offered at an out-of-pocket cost. Lab work, imaging, prescriptions, and off-campus evaluation costs are subject to insurance coverage.

Faculty and staff with questions about how they may be tested for COVID-19 should contact their health care provider or visit the Multnomah County Health Department’s COVID-19 testing website.

Symptom Monitoring

All faculty, staff, and students will be required to complete a daily health screening questionnaire prior to leaving their home/residence hall for the day or coming to work. Students will begin these symptom screenings two weeks prior to their arrival on campus, and will have their symptoms screened once they arrive. Based upon the results of these daily health screenings, students will be referred to the Health & Counseling Center, their primary care provider, or urgent care/emergency department. Students that report symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will be advised to quarantine until they receive evaluation from a health care provider. If a student who lives on-campus tests positive, they will be moved to a residence hall isolation wing on-campus.

Faculty and staff who report symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will be instructed to remain home and seek appropriate medical care. Any individual who feels ill or reports symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should stay away from campus.

Quarantine and Isolation for Students

The University is prepared to support students who are directed to quarantine and isolate.

Students in quarantine will complete daily symptom check-ins for review by Health & Counseling Center staff. Academic accommodations and support (e.g., meals, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.) will be provided to all students in quarantine by the University’s COVID Case Management Team. Students will be removed from quarantine based on the recommendations of the Health & Counseling Center and Multnomah County Health Department.

On-campus students who are required to isolate will be moved to an on-campus residence hall isolation wing. They will receive services and support from the COVID-19 Case Management Team, including meals, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and other essentials. They will be removed from isolation based on the recommendations of the Health & Counseling Center and Multnomah County Health Authority.

Off-campus students will be advised to quarantine or isolate in their own homes. These students will also receive support from the COVID-19 Case Management Team. Housing may be provided to students who are unable to safely quarantine or isolate within their home.

Contact Tracing

The Multnomah County Health Department is primarily responsible for COVID-19 contact tracing in all of Multnomah County, including the UP campus. The University’s COVID-19 Case Management Team and Health & Counseling Center will assist the Health Department in their contact tracing efforts by providing information and support.

Faculty and Staff

The University’s policy regarding remote work is still in effect. This means that most employees must continue to work remotely unless they are instructed otherwise. Any employee who must work on-campus must adhere to all health and safety practices, including the proper use of a face mask/covering and compliance with physical distancing guidelines.

Any employee who feels unwell, who tests positive for COVID-19, or who believes they may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 should stay away from campus until directed otherwise. If employees are in any doubt about whether they should come to campus, they should stay where they are and seek further guidance from either the Office of Human Resources (staff) or the Office of the Provost (faculty).

Staff with additional questions and/or requests for COVID-19 work accommodations should contact their supervisor as well as the Office of Human Resources at hr@up.edu. Faculty with additional questions and/or requests for COVID-19 work accommodations should contact Kathleen Staten in the Office of the Provost at staten@up.edu.

For more information, please visit the Health and Safety pages on our Back to The Bluff website.

Orientation

During Orientation, each student (including both First-Year students and returning students will participate in “academic walk-throughs” of their class schedule. This will prepare them for their academic experience and mode of instruction for the coming semester. While we are deeply disappointed that we cannot host families for our Orientation activities, the processes that we have adopted are designed to promote the health and safety of all community members.

Financial Information

UP remains committed to providing a quality education informed by our Holy Cross tradition, whether delivered in-person, via a hybrid format, or online. Even in ordinary years, tuition does not cover the full cost of education at UP, and the University’s costs will not diminish even if instruction is delivered in an alternate format. Thus, UP will continue to charge its published rates for tuition and fees during the Fall Semester.

In the event that the University directs students to return to their homes from the residence halls, prorated reimbursements of room and board costs will be provided.

The COVID-19 pandemic may be impacting some families in unexpected ways. If your family is experiencing financial hardship, please email the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@up.edu. While we cannot guarantee changes in students’ financial aid packages, there may be other ways in which we can assist.

Contingencies

The course of the pandemic could change at any time and public health mandates could be modified with little notice. As such, flexibility will be key. We cannot rule out the possibility that UP will need to pivot rapidly to all-online instruction and direct students to vacate residence halls in the Fall Semester. Should such an event occur, we will work to assist students as they return home and make arrangements for students who have compelling reasons to remain in on-campus residence halls.

Many teams across campus are developing various contingency plans. As always, we will endeavor to communicate with you as quickly and transparently as possible if our plans must change. We also understand that uncertainty and rapid changes in plans may result in stress and hardship for many of our students, faculty, staff, and their families. UP will aim to be as flexible and accommodating as possible in the event that our plans must change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to offer a brief reflection on the principles that have guided UP thus far and the principles that we will continue to adhere to as we move forward. At UP, we take this pandemic seriously. The inconveniences that are caused by wearing face masks, modifying our professional and social lives, and making sacrifices pale in comparison to the importance of fighting this pandemic and protecting the most vulnerable among us. If we are to ever beat COVID-19, we must act as one. We must recognize that the efforts we undertake now are not just for our own health and safety, but indeed for the health and safety of our fellow community members.

UP has always been a place characterized by care, concern, and compassion. Now more than ever, we must deploy these trademark UP values as we prepare for our Fall Semester and hope for brighter days ahead.

Along with members of the Holy Cross community here at UP, I am praying for you and your loved ones. May God continue to bless you and all who call UP home.

Sincerely,

Rev. Mark L Poorman, C.S.C.

President

 

Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.
President

Latest Message to UP Community from Fr. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.

Dear UP Students, Faculty, Staff, and Families:

I pray that this message finds you and your loved ones well.

The current circumstances are unprecedented and challenging. Our human family has experienced tremendous suffering, loss, doubt, and disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In times like these, I find myself thinking of a refrain derived from the Constitutions of Holy Cross: we are called to be “people with hope to bring.”

Hope can seem distant and detached from reality in times of difficulty. But at UP, hope is an essential part of our DNA. It is in this very spirit of hope that I write to you with information about UP’s intention to safely return to in-person instruction, face-to-face working conditions, and campus activity and residentiality.

In my video message on April 27, I shared our goal of resuming in-person instruction in the Fall Semester. For the past several weeks, UP leadership and staff have been working to design and implement multi-level, comprehensive strategies for the resumption of University operations.  Three inter-divisional task forces have been assembled to formulate and execute operational resumption activities. These task forces and their assignments are as follows:

  • Academics – All matters related to the provision of instruction and academic services.
  • Campus Life – All matters related to campus activity, residentiality, and community welfare.
  • Operations – All matters related to management of the University’s physical spaces and technology infrastructure.

In addition to these task forces, intra-departmental teams in areas such as Financial Affairs, Human Resources, and Athletics are conducting important operational resumption work.

I have directed the leadership of these task forces and teams to abide by four guiding principles in their work: (1) maximize the health, safety, and wellbeing of all community members; (2) act in a mission-consistent, data-informed manner; (3) promote continuity of University services; and, (4) communicate with community members quickly and clearly. I thank them for the work that they have accomplished and the work that is to come.

As of today, we intend to commence our Fall Semester on Monday, August 17. Residence halls and on-campus dining facilities will open on this date. Staggered move-ins will occur during the early part of this week. Mandatory orientation sessions and coursework introductions will take place for all students. Further guidance on this period, including specific arrival instructions for on-campus residents, will be provided over the course of the summer months. Students and families should wait for further instructions prior to making travel plans and other arrangements for their return to campus during the first half of the week of August 17. We will begin in-person class instruction for the Fall Semester on Monday, August 24.

We will also make the following modifications to the academic calendar for fall 2020:

  • We will forgo a traditional Fall Break in October. Doing so will permit us to achieve the necessary hours of instruction while reducing the likelihood that community members will leave, become exposed to infectious agents at their destinations, and bring those agents with them upon their return to UP.
  • In-person instruction will end on Wednesday, November 25, in advance of our Thanksgiving Break. Students will leave campus and will not return for the remainder of the Fall Semester. We will undertake efforts to make students’ departure from campus safe and orderly.
  • Beginning Monday, November 30, and concluding Thursday, December 3, final exams will be administered online.

In addition to these changes to the academic calendar, we will also have to make modifications to the campus experience. We will adhere to strict health and safety protocols, including social distancing; de-densification of residence halls, academic buildings, and other campus spaces; testing; contact tracing; frequent cleaning; and the wearing of face masks. We will prepare for the potential need to isolate or quarantine residential students who test positive or may have been exposed to COVID-19. Health and safety protocols for faculty and staff will also be implemented. Additionally, we must be prepared for the possibility of a severe new outbreak of COVID-19. Unfortunately, we cannot rule out the need to quickly return to virtual instruction or make further modifications to the academic calendar.

There are many variables still beyond our control, including directives from local, state, and national health authorities that could potentially cause us to reconsider our plans. But we shall proceed in a spirit of hope that, with current positive trends around testing and treatment, as well as the ingenuity and determination of many across campus, we will be able to safely resume University operations.

There will be multiple communications from the University throughout the coming months to keep you informed of our planning and to instruct you on key steps to be taken by UP students and parents. University employees will receive further guidance from the Office of Human Resources on telework and other work-related conditions. I know that you have many questions, and we thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we roll out our plans over the coming months.

Along with the Holy Cross Community here at UP, I am praying for your continued health and safety, as well as all who are on the front lines of this pandemic. I pray also in thanksgiving for UP’s dedicated faculty and staff, resilient students, supportive families, and faith-filled mission.

Sincerely,

Fr. Mark Poorman, C.S.C.
University President

 

A Message From Fr. Mark, April 2

The following message was shared with faculty and staff by University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., on Thursday, April 2:

Dear Staff and Faculty Colleagues:

If my recent experiences are like yours, the past few weeks have been filled with challenge and concern.  Nearly every person across the globe has been touched by the COVID-19 pandemic, including everyone who is part of our UP community.

When challenging times arise, I remind myself to pause and identify gifts for which I can be grateful.  Over the past few weeks, I find myself constantly returning to my gratitude for you, our staff and faculty.  Despite the challenges in your own lives, you’ve continued to serve our mission and our students.  You’ve exhibited tremendous creativity, flexibility, and grace.  You’ve helped us to retain what’s so distinct about UP, even amid unsettled times.  For your extraordinary efforts, please know of my gratitude and the gratitude of those we serve.

With this message, I’ll summarize where we’ve been and share where we’ll be going.  I recognize that this email is lengthy, but I thank you for reading it in its entirety. First, to recap, in the past few weeks:

  • We’ve maintained our strong commitment to students.  Most students have returned home, and we continue to support approximately 140 students who remain on campus.
  • We’ve transitioned to online education.  This required a considerable amount of adjustment.  However, students and faculty are becoming increasingly familiar with the instructional technology we’re now using, and UP’s approach to personalized education will continue notwithstanding this change in how it’s delivered.
  • Most staff have transitioned to teleworking, and they’ve done so with trademark expertise, adaptability, and ingenuity.
  • We’ve made the exceptionally difficult decision to cancel in-person Commencement.  As I write this note to you, a cross-divisional effort is underway to plan an online Commencement that makes the best use of available technology.
  • We’ve donated personal protective equipment to the health care providers at Providence Health & Services.  As many of you know, Providence operates some of the busiest emergency departments in the Portland area and its doctors, nurses, and other health-care professionals are on the front lines of this pandemic in our community.  Providence is a longstanding partner to UP and our School of Nursing, and I’m glad that we’ve taken steps to help keep its providers and patients safe.

Having shared this summary, I’d like to provide an overview of where we intend to go.  As I do so, I note that the University’s financial standing is sound.  We conduct scenario planning and we practice strict budget adherence to prepare ourselves for business disruptions.  Nevertheless, the economic ramifications of COVID-19 have been unprecedented.  We’re still unsure as to how this pandemic will impact enrollment, endowment performance, and the overall health of the global economy.  We don’t know when we’ll be able to return to normal.  These variables are subject to rapid change, and many of the factors contributing to the uncertainty of present times are simply beyond our control.

What remains within our control, however, are steps we can take now to protect our faculty and staff while safeguarding our ability to advance our institutional mission.  While we hope for the best, we’re preparing for difficult times ahead and we’re taking necessary action now to put UP in the best possible position.  As noted, summer enrollment, first-year enrollment in the fall, student retention, endowment performance, and the overall health of the economy may impact University finances.  For a smaller, tuition-dependent institution like ours, we must all work with a spirit of camaraderie and collaboration to weather the present challenges.

The goal I have established for UP is to maintain the employment of all University employees.  This is our top priority.  We know that livelihoods and families depend on this, and our people are critical to our success as an institution.  I understand that layoffs are currently a part of the national conversation.  I recognize the stress and anxiety that many are facing when it comes to this issue.  Before even considering options like layoffs, UP will evaluate all other available strategies, such as a freeze on salary increases, reductions in work hours, and other budget measures.

In an effort to be as transparent as possible, the points below detail the belt-tightening strategies we’ll employ in order to achieve our goals and limit discretionary spending:

  • The University will impose a freeze on hiring until at least September 30, 2020.  Exceptions will be granted on a case-by-case basis by the Budget Working Group, the group that is normally tasked with position approval.
  • No business travel, conference attendance, or expenditure of professional development funds will be allowed during the summer months.  This includes faculty travel to academic conferences.  Some rare exceptions to this rule may occur.
  • New capital expenditures will be limited to those required for the safe operation of campus or subject to a legal mandate.
  • No overtime will be permitted for hourly staff, with exceptions evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  • All divisions and offices across campus will maintain their ongoing strict adherence to budgets.
  • UP will continue to work with higher education trade associations and elected officials to seek support for higher ed institutions and their employees.
  • In the future, staff hours may vary or be reduced due to specific job needs.  However, if changes in work hours occur, this will happen no sooner than May 15.  Staff hours are not changing at this time.

No final determinations have been made with respect to faculty and staff salary increases for the coming year.  I emphasize that these belt-tightening strategies are intended to put our University in the best-possible position moving forward.

When I reflect on the history of UP, I am struck by numerous occasions in which the institution faced threats to its continued operations.  On each occasion, faculty and staff displayed creativity, unity, resilience, and devotion to our community on The Bluff.  The present times call upon all of us, collectively as faculty and staff, to do the same.  With collaboration, discipline, and concern for one another, UP will endeavor to succeed in the present turbulence.  Together, we’ll strive to pursue the same things we’ve pursued for the past 119 years: teaching and learning, faith and formation, service and leadership.

Be assured that the Holy Cross Community and I are praying for you and your loved ones.  Please also know of my deep gratitude for all that you do on behalf of our University and its mission.

Sincerely,

Father Mark

For more information or questions contact the president’s office at x7101 or simek@up.edu.