School of Social Work Fall 2020 Reentry

MDHHS Epidemic Order

• New Epidemic Gatherings and Face Mask Order November 18 through December 8.

  • Order limits indoor and outdoor gatherings where COVID-19 is more likely to spread from person to person.
  • Read the order.
  • See what's open and what's closed.

Guiding Principles*

• Safety and Well-Being: The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is the leading priority. We want to be especially aware of the people who are at highest risk.

• Public Health Informed: Our plans will be aligned and consistent with public health guidance and will follow local, state and federal safety requirements. We will also partner with central administration, and their guidance will drive many decisions.

• Flexibility: We will be nimble in our planning and be ready to adapt to changing circumstances. We may have to return to campus in phases, and a key component of planning will be reversibility in the event of another COVID-19 spike.

• Transparency and Collaboration: The dean’s office will involve units and departments as partners in decision-making processes whenever possible, and foster collaboration between units and employees with shared workplaces.

*All plans are subject to future U-M and State of Michigan regulations. Adjustments may be made based on unforeseen impacts from the pandemic.

Core Responsibilities

Our collective safety requires we all do our part by practicing robust personal hygiene habits, wearing a face covering, maintaining a physical distance of six feet, staying home when sick and following protocols in the building and at field locations.

The core responsibilities keep you safe and keep others safe, too.

• Per the State of Michigan Executive Order, any individual able to medically tolerate a face covering must wear one over their nose and mouth—such as a homemade mask, scarf, bandana or handkerchief — when in university buildings and on campus grounds when others are present.
  • If you require accommodations that restrict mask wearing, contact the Office for Institutional Equity.
• U-M has developed a health screening tool to test for infection, support self-monitoring and comply with any statewide executive orders that may be in effect.
• Feel sick? COVID-19 symptoms range from mild to severe and include fever, cough, headache, muscle aches, sneezing and congestion among others. Stay home and seek medical attention if necessary.

  • Students: If you develop symptoms and/or test positive for COVID-19, contact University Health Services at (734) 764-8320 and isolate.

  • Faculty & Staff: If you become ill with symptoms concerning for COVID-19 or test positive, you should contact your medical provider and isolate. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, alert Occupational Health Services at (734) 764-8021.

• Wash your hands often and correctly. Wet your hands, scrub everywhere with soap for at least 20 seconds, then rinse and dry well with a clean towel.
• Get vaccinated against the flu to help you stay healthy and protect others.
• U-M is providing a kit for each student with masks, bandanas and hand sanitizer.
• SSW will provide masks and other forms of personal protective equipment to all faculty and staff who will be working in the building.
• U-M custodial teams will increase the cleaning frequency of high-touch surfaces in common spaces using EPA-registered disinfectants.
• Students, faculty, and staff should clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and shared equipment after use.