[Plsgs] Zoom chat with Dr. Jenks, T 6/16 4pm

Sat Jun 13 12:34:12 MST 2020

Hi Grads,

Please join us this Tuesday 4 pm for our regular "Group Chat" with special guest Dr. Jenks. You can send questions in advance to me, and/or come ask questions about SPLS updates, or, of course, just come say hi.

Regarding the note you received (below), please know that this was largely meant for staff.

Also, fyi, if you are serving as a TA -- faculty are just now committing to modalities (if the UA opens), and TA assignments will follow shortly. If you have particular concerns about returning in person please let me know.

Hope to see you Tuesday,
Shelley

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject:        [Plsgs] Important Announcement for SPLS
Date:   Sat, 13 Jun 2020 00:00:43 +0000
From:   Korte, Erin - (erinkorte) <erinkorte at arizona.edu><mailto:erinkorte at arizona.edu>
To:     postdocspls at list.arizona.edu<mailto:postdocspls at list.arizona.edu> <postdocspls at list.arizona.edu><mailto:postdocspls at list.arizona.edu>, plsgs at list.cals.arizona.edu<mailto:plsgs at list.cals.arizona.edu> <plsgs at list.cals.arizona.edu><mailto:plsgs at list.cals.arizona.edu>, staff-appointedspls at list.arizona.edu<mailto:staff-appointedspls at list.arizona.edu> <staff-appointedspls at list.arizona.edu><mailto:staff-appointedspls at list.arizona.edu>
CC:     Stevens, Amanda M - (amanda84) <amanda84 at arizona.edu><mailto:amanda84 at arizona.edu>

 Dear SPLS Faculty and Staff:

We appreciate your patience and flexibility during these very trying times of both change and ambiguity on campus. As many of you know, the University has set a date of July 24 to make a decision and communicate with faculty, staff and students about how courses will be delivered on campus this fall, with the expected decision being that the campus will deliver courses according to 1) the selected modalities, or else 2) fully remote courses.  In a recent message, found here<http://view.comms.arizona.edu/?qs=db34cb4d7babeb4df5cebe0e0954f5fe195ffe8dacfb307cc7d06cfa45346a968ec6e85d0892160f87fbad53fff9ffb1b1a5cc4982a5f5c3a18063276657c74ebf2822e1bbe401a7d947e6d27ce2a54c>, the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Liesl Folks, strongly encourages employees to self-assess their own risk of developing serious complications from a coronavirus infection by following the steps below:

  *   Carefully review guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found on the CDC Website<https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html>.
  *   If applicable, review specific information about the disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups<https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/racial-ethnic-minorities.html>.
  *   Consult with your primary care physician or a medical specialist should you have questions about your own risk factors.

After repeated discussions with the HODs and CALS College-level Administration, we would like to strongly encourage anyone who feels they are at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 or related concerns to make direct contact with either:

Disability Resource Center (DRC):  If your concerns relate to your own medical condition or disability.  Note that DRC may ask for medical documentation in order to assess reasonable accommodation.  Medical information will be maintained at the DRC and kept confidential.  DRC can be reached at workplaceaccess at email.arizona.edu<mailto:workplaceaccess at email.arizona.edu> or 520-621-3268

Or,

Human Resources (HR): If you have other risk factors or other related concerns (e.g. caregiver concerns) and you would like support in identifying temporary modified work conditions or arrangements, reach out to HR at HR-COVID19-Questions at email.arizona.edu<mailto:HR-COVID19-Questions at email.arizona.edu> or 520-621-3660.

By these discussions, the DRC or HR can provide you with written documentation that waives your requirement to be on campus for work.  If you have grounds for one of these waivers, the next step is to discuss possible temporary modified work conditions (with associated modified work expectations as appropriate) with your manager/supervisor as soon as possible. If needed, the DRC and/or HR can assist in the development of a modified work conditions plan.

Without a waiver from DRC or HR and an agreed upon arrangement with your supervisor for a temporary modified work arrangement, please note that employees are expected to fulfill the mission of the University.  That being said, if you have a concern about the possibility for a return to work directive, please be proactive in reaching out to one of the resources above and/or discussing those concerns with your supervisor as soon as possible.

A Special Message to Those of You Instructing SPLS Courses this Fall Semester
In recent guidance, the Provost has indicated that she is very committed to the goal that 50% or more of UA courses will be delivered in a Face-to-Face (FTF) modality this Fall.  SPLS recently submitted its request for Fall teaching modalities to CALS Administration.  Unfortunately, SPLS is currently far below the requested 50% of its courses being taught in a FTF modality.  Initially, it seemed we would be much closer to 50%, but last minute changes put us quite a bit below that percentage.  Now, we are being asked by CALS to increase our unit’s FTF course teaching percentage.  If your current selection for the Fall teaching modality is a non-Face-to-Face (non-FTF) modality, please consider changing your selection to a FTF modality (mode 1 or 2).  Please contact Georgina Lambert and let her know if you can make this change. Your willingness to make this change would be greatly appreciated!   And it would have major positive impact, and be a tremendous contribution, to our unit.

For those Fall instructors who have selected a non-FTF modality, and have any risk factor the prevents you from shifting to a FTF modality, the CALS administrative leadership asks that you would please seek a DRC or HR waiver that releases you from on campus face-to-face instruction.  Having this official waiver from DRC or HR will mean that you will not be asked to teach a FTF course.  If you do not obtain such a waiver, you may be asked to consider and explore various options (including options for temporary modified work arrangements) for delivering your course in a FTF modality, in some manner.

If you have need of assistance, or have any questions, please contact Amanda Stevens, Georgina Lambert, or Matt Jenks.

Sincerely,

Matt Jenks and Amanda Stevens

Amanda M. Stevens, MPA, MAcc
Manager, Finance and Administration
CALS School of Plant Sciences
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Forbes 303B
PO BOX 210036 | Tucson, AZ 85721
Office: 520-621-8689
amanda84 at email.arizona.edu<mailto:amanda84 at email.arizona.edu>
https://cals.arizona.edu/spls/home

Matthew A. Jenks
Director and Professor | Bud Antle Endowed Chair For Excellence
School of Plant Sciences | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Forbes, 303 | 1140 E. South Campus Dr.
PO Box 210036 | Tucson, AZ 85721
Office: 520-621-1977 | Cell: 520-870-3984

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