CIRT Update to the Community, March 20, 2020

Dear students, staff and faculty:

I write to share brief updates on the college's ongoing work to adapt our operations to meet the challenges of COVID-19.

We are in the process of consolidating all remaining on-campus students (except for Ada Comstock students and graduate students residing on campus) into single rooms in eight houses. This will allow us to prepare parts of our campus to serve as quarantine and isolation sites should those become needed. This move also reduces the number of staff who will need to report to campus. As a reminder, all benefits-eligible employees, whether working on campus or remotely, will continue to be paid.

Additionally, the college has created a dedicated Smith College Employee Assistance Fund to support employees and their families with critical needs. All requests will be kept confidential. Employees may visit this form to submit an application.

We are aware that some employees are returning to campus from spring recess travel. As a reminder, any employee who feels unwell or believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 must follow CDC guidelines, inform their manager and not come to work until cleared by a medical provider. The college will continue to extend employees’ sick leave balances as needed. Employees may also use this balance to care for family members. I remind you that all travel is strongly discouraged.

As always, we continue to update our FAQ with new guidance, including information on mail services, Workday updates, sick leave policies and more.

David DeSwert

Vice President for Finance & Administration
Chair, COVID-19 Incident Response Team (CIRT)