Researchers Returning to Campus
Creighton Provost Tom Murray, PhD, announced today that the University will begin a stepwise approach for implementing a ramp-up of research activities on campus beginning Monday, June 15. Principal investigators approved to return to campus were notified in an email from Provost Murray this morning.
To ensure the health and safety of campus, a COVID-19 Screening Station will be established in the atrium of the Hixson-Lied Science Building beginning June 15 to screen University faculty, postdoctoral fellows, technicians and graduate students approved to return to campus to continue their research activities and education.
Those returning to campus will be required to complete daily screenings, coordinated by Creighton’s Student Health Education and Compliance; agree to follow Creighton’s COVID-19 Community Standards; and wear a face covering or other personal protective equipment (PPE) while in the laboratory or public spaces on campus.
Undergraduate students requiring access to Creighton laboratories, whose names were previously submitted and approved, will begin on Monday, June 22, and will follow the same screening process and protocols. Additional requests for faculty to return to campus to engage in research should be submitted through the COVID-19 Campus Access Request form, which is highlighted in the item below.
Read the entire message from Provost Murray.
***
Online Form for Access to Campus
Creighton’s Division of Information Technology worked with the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) to create a new online routing form for individuals and groups requesting access to campus. Follow this step-by-step guide to the COVID-19 Campus Access Request form.
While campus remains closed to all nonapproved students, faculty, staff and visitors, Creighton is instituting a phased approach to gradually and safely allow academic- and business-critical positions and functions back to campus to fulfill the University’s academic mission and prepare for the expected reopening of campus in the fall.
Requests will be routed to a supervisor or department chair; then to the appropriate vice provost, vice president or dean; and then to CIRT for final approval. Once received, CIRT will respond to requests in three to five business days.
***
COVID-19 Self-Screening App Coming Soon
Creighton University has collaborated with Ivy.ai, an industry leader in artificial intelligence, and State University of New York at Stony Brook to develop #CampusClear, a mobile app to support COVID-19 self-screening at colleges and universities.
Creighton is working to roll out the app soon for faculty, staff and students reporting to campus.
***
Screening Protocols Call for Phased Approach
Creighton is developing a University-wide screening process for faculty, staff and students coming to campus that features a phased approach. The first phase of the process requires daily screenings for those accessing campus, and will begin this summer and continue through at least the first 14 days of class during the fall semester.
Phase 2 will require weekly screenings, and the third phase will involve self-screening for symptoms and exposure to COVID-19. Transitioning between phases will depend on current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health department recommendations and a continued decline in new COVID-19 cases.
The screenings will involve a health survey, focusing on symptoms and possible exposure, and a temperature check. Those entering campus must also agree to follow the Creighton COVID-19 Community Standards, which outline various safety protocols, including:
- Staying home if feeling ill
- Wearing a face covering in public spaces on campus, unless engaged in physical labor or exercise/physical training
- Following social distancing guidelines to the greatest extent possible – staying at least six feet from the nearest person
- Practicing good hand hygiene
Visitors to campus will also be required to agree to the Creighton COVID-19 Community Standards and complete a screening.
More details on screenings will be provided as plans are finalized.
***
Creighton-branded Face Coverings, Other Supplies
Creighton-branded, washable cloth face coverings are being ordered for all faculty, staff and students. For information and questions on other supplies related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) and hand sanitizer, please contact Eric Gilmore, senior director of procurement, at EricGilmore@creighton.edu.
***
Guide to Campus Reopening
University Communications and Marketing is developing a guide for faculty, staff and students on the reopening of campus. The guide will feature plans from the seven subgroups of the Campus Safety and Innovative Operations Workgroup, which cover: 1) screenings, 2) protective clothing and supplies, 3) social distancing and transportation, 4) cleaning, 5) disability services, 6) campus events, and 7) communications.
