ATTACHMENTS

UPDATE JANUARY 2022

Physical distancing means keeping space of at least 6 feet (about 2 arms lengths) between people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Because students are expected to be vaccinated in the Spring 2022 semester (except for those granted medical or religious exemptions), physical distancing will not be a required safety measure for classroom and educational settings. People who are not fully vaccinated should continue to practice physical distancing.

Per NYS guidelines, in situations or settings of more than 5,000 participants with guests of unknown, or mixed vaccination status, NYS COVID-19 restrictions remain in effect. Hostos Community College can choose whether to keep physical distancing measures in place or operate separate areas for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. In campus events with less than 5,000 participants but still with a significant number of guests of unknown or mixed vaccination status, the college will decide whether to require physical distancing, or other protocols, for vaccinated individuals.

Background to Physical Distancing Plan 2020 - 2022

Hostos Community College is using a combination of factors to calculate acceptable physical distancing in college facilities. Prior to developing plans, Campus Facilities (a functional area which includes the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, Campus Operations, and Campus Planning & Development) surveyed facilities and assessed how many people could occupy a space at one time given the configuration, furnishing, and circulation of the space. The revised occupancy information that results will allow individuals to follow physical distancing requirements and is determined through two preferred methods: square footage per person and floor plan layouts.

• Using square footage, a simple calculation will be conducted that uses a square-foot-per-person measurement. The measurement used must allow for physical distancing as outlined by the CDC and NYSDOH; this distance is currently 6 feet between people.
• Using floor plan layouts, Campus Facilities will review floor plans for all instructional, circulation, and support spaces. Campus Facilities will consider each room’s normal occupancy limit, plus its typical use and how people expect to move through that space.

Occupancy will also consider normal staffing levels and additional health and safety considerations.

Departmental/office reopening plans must satisfy these metrics before being approved by the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator. To assist areas as they develop staggered work plans to bring staff back to work on campus, floor plans may be provided indicating the maximum occupancy within any individual office space or service area. A sample from the Savoy Building appears later in this section.

In addition to calculation of occupancy, other preventative measures will be applied. Based on the survey of spaces done by Campus Facilities, sneeze guards were installed at all reception windows and decals have been applied to the floors to help maintain adequate physical distance where lines may form or in hallways. Signage is also employed (see Attachment B: Signage Plan) to remind people that they must maintain adequate physical distance from other people, to emphasize that face coverings/masks must be worn, and to advise people of the maximum occupancy in a room.

Physical Distancing and Space Occupancy in Phase 1

In Phase 1 (starting August 26, 2020), a factor of 113 square feet has been used to calculate occupancy. The actual number of staff permitted on any one day is kept below 25% of maximum normal occupancy. Because of space limitations, the College continued to offer a majority of classes online, with a few exceptions.

During Fall 2020, Allied Health courses requiring hands-on training in specially designed and equipped labs were taught on campus. Dental Hygiene, Radiologic Technology, and Nursing worked closely with Campus Facilities to develop plans to ensure physical distancing in their labs. In the case of Nursing, where instruction is both in the nursing lab and in smart classrooms, faculty split classes into small groups which could be accommodated in smart classrooms and faculty floated between groups to provide instruction. In this way, Hostos was able to hold 53 sections of in-person Allied Health labs during that first semester.

During Spring 2021, these Allied Health courses continued on site with the same measures in place. In addition, the Humanities Department also offered some limited on-campus instruction for courses and programs where a physical presence is necessary to an effective student learning experience.

Physical Distancing and Space Occupancy in Phase 2

Starting in Phase 2 (starting August 2, 2021), a factor of 30 square feet and a continuation of 6 feet physical distancing are being used to calculate occupancy. The actual number of staff permitted on any one day is kept below 50% of maximum normal occupancy. The increased occupancy in Phase 2 allows the College to increase activity on campus, though there will continue to be measures that limit the number of people on site at one time which include scheduled appointments; a mix of in-person, hybrid, and online instruction; and departmental/office work schedules that combine remote and on-site work.

It is ultimately up to employees in each department, unit, and office at the College to put together their own plan for Phase 2, though departmental reopening plans that are approved will need to describe an approach to Fall 2021 operations that complies with the limitations under Phase 2 of the Campus Reopening Plan while continuing to meet our students’ needs.

Specifically, each area has been asked to account for the following in their reopening plans:

• A Fall 2021 schedule of on-site hours of operation, with:
  • The number of personnel on campus each day.
  • Titles/roles of people on-site each day.
• What needs on-site staff/faculty will address face-to-face.
• How the area will manage the total number of people present at one time, especially if student-facing.
• How the area will continue to operate remotely and limit the number of people who come on campus, especially if student-facing.

Departmental/office reopening plans for Phase 2 will be approved only following CUNY Central Office approval of the Campus Reopening Plan.

Sample Floor Plan and Staffing Information

An example of occupancy floor diagrams and staffing information used to determine maximum occupancy in an office or service area—specifically for the Savoy Building—appears below:

Preparing for Future Reductions in Physical Distancing Requirements (6 feet to 3 feet)

The campus reopening plan and CUNY reopening guidelines are based on current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH). As more of the population is vaccinated for COVID-19 and the focus shifts to getting greater numbers of people back to work and school, CDC and State guidance may change rapidly.

Therefore, while Hostos has prepared a revised reopening plan based on current 6-foot guidelines, we must also be prepared for guidance that will allow for additional capacity by reducing the physical distancing (“social distancing”) requirement. While we may explicitly state preparations for possible 3-foot guidelines in this reopening plan, we note that future changes to physical distancing guidelines may be to more or less than 3 feet as well.

Whether physical distancing requirements remain at 6 feet or shift to 3 feet, Hostos Community College encourages everyone able to get vaccinated to do so, whether or not it is required by an employer or school. Increased vaccination rates in our campus community and in the South Bronx will reduce risk of infection for everyone. Additionally, it allows the College to reengage more fully on campus, where we can serve our students and community as is consistent with our College’s mission.

Operational Considerations at Reduced Physical Distancing Requirements

Recommendations from the CDC and NYSDOH (as of June 2021) state that individuals should maintain at least 6 feet of distance between themselves and others unless fully vaccinated. (Updated CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people states that fully vaccinated people do not need to stay 6 feet apart to protect themselves and others, though they can be required by laws, regulations, or other guidance.)

CUNY reopening guidance is based on that physical distancing requirement as well as occupancy limits that allow individuals to maintain that recommended distance. To maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance, on site capacity is currently limited to 50% occupancy of any given space. However, if requirements are reduced to maintaining 3 feet of physical distance, on-site capacity may increase to as much as 100% occupancy in any given space as permitted under New York State guidance.

With increased building occupancy the College will need to address changes to the logistical and spatial requirements currently geared to physical distancing at 6 feet. In the event that physical distancing requirements are reduced, we note the following impact on the campus reopening plan:

Masking:

Current distancing (6 feet): New York State requirements state, “Any time individuals come within six feet of another person who does not reside in the same residence, acceptable face coverings must be worn). Individuals must be prepared to put on a face covering if another person unexpectedly comes within six feet.” (See Part 2, Section I.A. Physical Distancing > Distancing and Masks/Face Coverings.)

Future reduced distancing: Acceptable face coverings will continue as a requirement, regardless of whether distancing guidelines are relaxed.

Occupancy:

Current distancing (6 feet): The CUNY Guidelines for Safe Campus Reopening suggests the college can establish occupancy limits based on square footage per person or by using floorplans to establish a six-foot radius around every workstation, classroom desk, seat, sink, etc. (See Part 2, Section I.A. Physical Distancing > Limit Occupancy and Congestion.)

Future reduced distancing: If distancing requirements are relaxed, the college will reestablish occupancy limits by either reducing the required square footage per person or updating floor plans to reflect the smaller required radius for each location. An example of occupancy diagrams and staffing information used to determine maximum occupancy in an office or service area appears at the end of this section.

Reconfiguring Furniture:

Current distancing (6 feet): Current guidelines suggest that colleges reconfigure workstations, such as removing and/or blocking off seats, desks, sinks, etc. to ensure adequate distancing. (See Part 2, Section I.A. Physical Distancing > Reconfigured Floor Plans.)

Future reduced distancing: If distancing rules are relaxed, the College may reconfigure furniture to allow for smaller distances between occupants.

Demarcating Safe Distance:

Current distancing (6 feet): Current guidelines suggest that colleges demarcate safe distances, such as marking six feet of distance around workstations and marking safe distances for areas where people gather, such as standing in line. (See Part 2, Section I.A. Physical Distancing > Limit Occupancy and Congestion. )

Future reduced distancing: If distancing requirements are relaxed, demarcations will be reestablished with shorter distances between markings.

Universal Signage:

Current distancing (6 feet): NYS Guidelines require that signage must be used to remind individuals to adhere to physical distancing requirements. (See Part 2, Section I.A. Physical Distancing > Signage.)

Future reduced distancing: If distancing requirements are relaxed, universal signage will need to be updated to reflect new distancing requirements.

Elevators:

Current distancing (6 feet): CUNY’s Guidelines for Safe Campus Reopening state, “If the elevator must be used, limit to one person per elevator car, if possible. If more than one person must use the elevator at the same time, stand in opposite corners and face away from each other. A maximum of four people can use an elevator car at one time if each is standing in a corner.” In addition, NYS Guidelines require that even with face masks in use, occupancy in small spaces (such as elevators) must not exceed 50% capacity of the space. (See Part 2, Section I.A. Physical Distancing > Limit Occupancy and Congestion.)

Future reduced distancing: If distancing requirements are relaxed, the College will determine if the shorter distances would allow for more than 4 individuals on an elevator at one time. If shorter distancing allows for more individuals to occupy an elevator at one time, the college must ensure that the distancing occupancy does not exceed 50% as currently dictated for small spaces.

Training:

Current distancing (6 feet): Guidelines require that staff, students, and faculty watch training videos prior to returning to campus when mandated by CUNY or NYS. (See Part 2, Section I.C. Operational Activity > General Considerations.)

Future reduced distancing: If distancing requirements are relaxed, training materials may need to be updated to reflect new distancing requirements.

Agreements:

Current distancing (6 feet): The College has not required students or employees to sign documentation agreeing to campus guidelines, such as physical distancing requirements. Instead, the College has communicated through email and the Hostos website that use of the campus is incumbent on following all current guidelines.

Future reduced distancing: If distancing requirements are relaxed, campus guidelines documents will be updated, and the new distancing requirements will be effectively communicated.

Sample Floor Plan and Staffing Information at 3 Feet

Below is a revised example of occupancy floor diagrams and staffing information used to determine maximum occupancy in an office or service area. The floor diagrams and table are for the Savoy Building—the same sample provided earlier in this section—but with adjustments to account for the difference that would appear with 3 feet as the minimum for physical distancing:

This list of signage applies, at minimum, to all buildings and areas that will be unlocked during the upcoming reopening phase at the beginning of that phase. Signs may be revised and replaced as needed.

A sample of signs to be used at Hostos Community College follows.

Signs By Area

Building Entrances

• 01.4a: Campus is PAUSED or 01.4b: Campus Moving Forward.
  The sign we use is determined by our reopening status (01.4a before, and 01.4b after).
• 01.1: Arriving on campus.
• 02.4: Physical distance required. 6 feet distance indicated on sign may change to reflect changes to physical distancing requirements.
• 03.1: Face covering required.
• 02.9: Parking Redirect. Access to the A Building from the parking lot will be restricted. This sign will be posted on the outside of the A Building parking lot door to direct people to use the main building entrance.

Lobbies and Hallways

• 01.2: Health Check-In. For health check station in building lobbies.
• 01.3: Stay Home if You’re Sick.
• 02.2: Take Stairs. This will be used specifically in building lobbies where separate turnstiles are required to access stairs instead of elevators. This will be placed next to turnstiles to draw attention to the stairs and to divert foot traffic earlier.
• 02.4: Physical Distance Required.
• 02.5: Line Up Here. Set of signs with arrows that can be posted on walls or on stanchions to help direct foot traffic.
• 02.6: Occupancy (maximum)
• 03.1: Face Covering Required.
• 03.4: Use Trash Cans.
• 04.1: Currently Closed. This will be used for seating areas in lobbies or hallways that are currently closed for use. This will be used, at minimum, in the A Building lobby.
• Floor decals indicating where to stand for physical distancing particularly for waiting areas and anticipated lines. Currently 6 feet but may be revised to reflect changes to physical distancing requirements.
• Arrow floor decals indicating direction of foot traffic.

Notes:

• We developed a handout (01.5: StudentServices) to help students and prospective students get in touch with staff working remotely; some have visited the campus looking for assistance from student service areas or advisement offices. This handout will be available in building lobbies.
• One or more additional signs are planned that would be posted in lobbies and hallways. Messages include what we’re doing to keep spaces clean and safe; a notice that information will be made available on the Hostos website; and a request for feedback.
• Several signs/messages may be combined (stay home if you’re sick; keep physical distance; face covering required; wash your hands or use hand sanitizer) into one larger poster at a later date, if we decide it’s helpful.

Elevator Lobbies and Elevator Cars

Locations and numbers of passenger elevators on campus are as follows: The A Building (Allied Health Building) has a total of three (3) elevators between two separate elevator banks, plus one additional elevator for Library access. The B Building has three (3) elevators. The C Building (East Academic Complex) has two (2) elevators. The D Building (Savoy Manor Building) has one elevator.¹

The following applies to all elevators on campus.

Elevator lobbies:

• 02.1a: Elevator Outside Sign. Guidelines for elevator use including maximum occupancy, that face coverings required, and a reminder to take the stairs for people who can.
• Floor decals indicating where to stand for physical distancing will be on levels where we anticipate people will line up to wait for an elevator. Currently 6 feet but may be revised to reflect changes to physical distancing requirements.

Elevator cars:

• 02.1b: Elevator Inside Sign. Reminders for elevator maximum occupancy, that face covering are required, a request to avoid talking, and instructions to stand apart on decals facing away from each other.
• Floor decals to indicate where people should stand to maintain adequate physical distance.

Staircases

• 02.3: Keep Right on Stairs. Floor decals on stair risers reminding people to keep to their right.
• 02.4: Physical Distance Required.
• Arrow floor decals indicating direction of foot traffic.
• Stanchions/barrier posts with ropes or retractable belts will be used to separate traffic where necessary and possible.

Restrooms

Outside of restrooms:

• 02.7-Restroom Outside. Sign stating that restrooms are 2 people maximum, face coverings are required, and to wash hands.
• 04.5a: Restroom Closed. This sign has space to write the location of the closest available restroom.

Inside of restrooms:

• 02.4: Physical Distance Required.
• 02.8: Restroom Inside. Sign with a reminder to wash hands thoroughly.
• 03.1: Face Covering Required.
• 04.5b: Stall/Urinal Not Available.
• 04.5c: Sink Not Available.

Classrooms, Computer Labs, Library, Offices, Meeting Rooms

A combination of the below signs will be used, depending on what’s appropriate for the space.

• 02.4: Physical Distance Required.
• 02.6: Occupancy (maximum).
• 03.1: Face Covering Required.
• 03.3: Clean Shared Work Areas. A reminder to wipe down equipment in meeting rooms and other common areas after use.
• 03.5: Avoid Sharing Items.
• 04.1: Currently Closed.
• 04.2: Offline. General signage limiting use of a workstation.
• 04.3: Staff Only.
• 04.4a: Seat Not Available.
• 04.4b: Table Not Available.
• 05.1: Office Cleaned: To be posted (with date filled in) by housekeeping staff when a space is cleaned and locked.

Note:

• Several of signs/messages may be combined (stay home if you’re sick; keep physical distance; face covering required; wash your hands or use hand sanitizer) into one larger poster at a later date, if we decide it’s helpful.

Receiving Area

• 02.4: Physical Distance Required.
• 02.6: Occupancy (maximum).
• 03.1: Face Covering Required.
• 03.3: Clean Shared Work Areas. A reminder to wipe down equipment in meeting rooms and other common areas after use.
• 04.3: Staff Only.

Additional Areas

Signage not included above may be developed to address area-specific needs. Signage will be posted before the area reopens. These areas include the Cafeteria and dining areas and the Main Gym and Physical Education Complex (pool, weight room, aerobics center, locker rooms, dance studio).

These additional signs would be combined with those listed under “Classrooms, Computer Labs, Library, Offices, Meeting Rooms.”

Sample Signs

See the following pages for samples of signage in use.

As per Part 2, Section I.A.: Physical Distancing > Distancing and Masks/Face Coverings, the College requires the use of an acceptable face covering by all students, faculty, staff, and visitors whenever adequate physical distancing (as per current requirements) cannot be maintained between people who do not reside in the same household.

As per Part 2, Section II.A.: Personal Equipment, the College will allow individuals to use their own acceptable face coverings but does not require employees to supply their own face coverings. The College will not prevent employees from wearing personally owned protective coverings as long as they abide by the minimum standards of protection for the specific activity.

The College will continue to adhere to OSHA standards for personal protective equipment (PPE). Employees should continue to follow their routine policies and procedures for personal protective equipment (if any) that they would ordinarily use for their job tasks as per all applicable OSHA standards. Common PPE that may be used to protect employees and others per OSHA standards include surgical/procedural masks, face shields, gloves, and glasses.

If necessary, the College may temporarily suspend the issuance and fit-testing of N95 respirators to essential employees who are not already medically evaluated or fit-tested. This allows the College to preserve and prioritize the supply of limited N95 respirators for use in situations where they are mandatory to be worn. Related CDC guidelines, such as those under Optimizing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Supplies, will be followed when applicable.

Cleaning, storage, and disposal of face masks, goggles, or other eye protection will follow CDC guidelines. Recommendations for the storage, cleaning, and replacement of these items are outlined below.

Recommendations for Face Coverings and Face Masks

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before putting on your face covering/mask.
• When taking off your face covering/mask, be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth. Wash your hands immediately after removing.
• To store a face covering or mask for reuse, carefully fold it so that the outer surface is held inward and against itself to reduce contact with the outer surface during storage. The folded face covering/ mask can be stored between uses in a clean sealable paper bag or breathable container.
• The following is recommended for cloth face coverings (non-medical) for reuse purposes:
  • If your face covering is wet or dirty from sweat, saliva, make-up, or other liquids or substances, keep it in a sealed plastic bag until you can wash it. Wash wet or dirty masks as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming moldy. Wet masks can be hard to breathe through and are less effective than dry masks
  • Wash cloth face coverings whenever they get dirty, or at least daily.
  • Cloth face coverings may be reused after proper washing. Wash with soap and water and allow to dry.
  • If a cloth face covering damaged, the face covering should be disposed of as regular trash and replaced.
  • The College encourages everyone to review CDC guidance for usage of cloth face coverings and cleaning of face coverings.
• The following is recommended for face masks (surgical/procedural) for reuse purposes:
  • If you have a disposable face mask that needs to be reused—such as to optimize limited supply—it should be stored between uses in a clean sealable paper bag or breathable container.
  • If a face mask is soiled or damaged, the face mask should be removed and disposed of, immediately followed by proper hand hygiene. A replacement face mask should be acquired before task(s) are resumed.
  • Employees should notify their supervisor if a replacement is required so that it can be provided accordingly.

Recommendations for Protective Eyewear

• Manufacturer recommendation should be followed for cleaning, disinfection and storage.
• When manufacturer instructions for cleaning and disinfection are unavailable, such as for single use disposable face shields, consider the following recommendations for reuse purposes to optimize supply of eye protection:
  • While wearing gloves, carefully wipe the inside, followed by the outside of the face shield or safety glasses/goggles using a clean cloth saturated with neutral detergent solution or cleaner wipe.
  • Carefully wipe the outside of the face shield or goggles using a wipe or clean cloth saturated with registered antimicrobial/disinfectant solution on the EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • Wipe the outside of face shield or goggles with clean water or alcohol to remove residue.
  • Fully dry (air dry or use clean absorbent towels).
  • Store in a secure and isolated clean area.

COVID-19 Protective Equipment Requirements Chart

Below, see the College’s COVID-19 Protective Equipment Requirements Chart for details regarding:

• Who is required to wear protective equipment.
• When and where protective equipment must be worn.

COVID-19 Protective Equipment Requirements

	Acceptable Face Covering (cloth face covering minimum)	N-95 Respirator	Isolation Gowns / Coveralls	Gloves	Protective Eyewear (face shield, safety glasses, goggles)	Surgical / Procedural Face Masks (and equivalent or greater efficiency)	Coveralls
Locations
All College Buildings	X*
Common Spaces (i.e., corridors, stairwells, restrooms, elevators, lobby, courtyards, cafeteria /dining areas)	X*
Labs	X
Classrooms	X
Office Complex	X
Private Office	X*
Waiting Rooms for Emergency Response			X*,**	X*,**	X*,**	X
For Employees, Students and Third Parties:
All Employees	X				X**
Public Safety	X			X	X**	X**
Third Party Contractors /Vendors	X
Visitors	X
Receiving / Mail Center /Loading Dock	X			X	X
Housekeeping staff				X		X	X
Dental Hygiene Clinics		X**	X**	X	X**	X
Employees in Direct Contact with the Public	X				X
All Students	X
Dental Hygiene Students Engaged in Close Contact Simulations for Instructional Laboratories on Campus	X				X**
All Students and Faculty
Dental Hygiene Clinics		X	X	X	X
* = Exception for a sole occupant, working alone in an isolated area or who is actively eating or drinking; they must be ready to put on a face covering/mask if someone unexpectedly comes within the minimum required physical distance (6 feet). ** = Students and/or employees are engaged in activities on campus that require individuals to come within the minimum required physical distance (6 feet) of each other.

The College will ensure adherence to applicable hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and NYSDOH, including the NYDOH’s Public and Private Facilities Cleaning and Disinfection Guidance and the CDC’s Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility.

For clarity, the following concepts are defined:

• Cleaning refers to the removal of dirt and impurities, including germs, from surfaces. Cleaning alone does not kill germs. Nevertheless, removing the germs decreases their number and, therefore, any risk of spreading infection. Cleaning must be conducted before disinfection to remove dirt and oils that could impede the disinfection process.
• Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs. But killing germs remaining on a surface after cleaning, further reduces any risk of spreading infection.

Support and Management of Cleaning and Disinfection Processes

• The College will use EPA-approved products listed on the EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19). The College will select these disinfectants from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) list of products registered in New York State and identified by the EPA (on List N) as effective against COVID-19.
• The College will avoid use of furniture that is not easily cleaned and disinfected (e.g., cloth fabric sofas). High touch public resources may be removed from use.
• Disinfecting protocols will include the use of electrostatic sprayers where applicable.
• Machinery, equipment, or electronic devices must be inspected for any frayed wires or damages of any form prior to cleaning and disinfection and ensure disinfectants are appropriate for the use on specific surface(s). If cleaning or disinfecting products or the act of cleaning and disinfecting causes safety hazards or degrades material or machinery, the following requirements will be enforced:
  • hygiene stations between use, and/or
  •  disposable gloves, and/or
  •  limitations on the number of employees using such machinery.
• Logs, checklists, and other forms of documentation will be completed by building supervisor to track activities such as targeted deep cleaning, disinfecting tasks, and other related activities. The data will be collected daily or as appropriate, reviewed, and analyzed by Principals and the department manager. Based on this data, adjustments will be made to maintain the Housekeeping Department’s day-to-day operations efficiently.
• The College will train employees on the proper use of PPE and cleaning products.
• Distribution of supplies will be done by designated staff or the department manager. Reports of supply usage will be tracked and monitored by the Superintendent and supervisors to ensure that supplies are adequate and demand is not abused.

Cleaning and Disinfection Processes by Area

General

• The College will conduct regular cleaning and disinfection of the facilities and more frequent cleaning and disinfection for high-risk areas for frequently touched surfaces as per NYSDOH Public and Private Facilities Cleaning and Disinfection Guidance.
  • Cleaning and disinfection will be rigorous and ongoing and will occur at a minimum once daily, or more frequently as needed.
    • Routine cleaning and disinfection will continue as normal of all non-shared/common area(s) per the Housekeeping schedule.
    • Cleaning and disinfecting of frequently used/touched common areas (i.e., elevator keys, restrooms, railings, grab bars) will occur multiple times a day.
    • Restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected frequently throughout day and deep cleaned once a day.
• The College will use disinfectants on the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) list of products registered in New York State and identified by the EPA (on List N) as effective against COVID-19.
• Personal hand hygiene and cleaning and disinfection processes will be supported by Housekeeping as follows:
  • Soap and paper supplies will be in all restrooms, kitchenettes, and other areas with soap dispensers to ensure that people can wash their hands frequently, per CDC recommendations.
  • Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available throughout the campus in common areas, such as at the building entrances and exits, corridors, and elevator lobbies. Hand sanitizing solutions consist of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where hand washing facilities may not be available or practical. Hand sanitizers will be replenished as needed.
  • Cleaning and disinfecting supplies (such as wipes) will be available throughout the campus so that that commonly used, shared surfaces (e.g., keyboards, desks, copiers, and remote controls) can be wiped down before and after use.
  • Receptacles will be placed around the institution for disposal of soiled items, including paper towels and PPE.

Entrances, Elevators, and Stairs

Entrances and elevators have a higher risk of contamination due to its frequent usage and required touch. These areas will be given special attention as they are considered high touch surfaces.

• General cleaning – To take place continuously throughout the day.
• Disinfecting – All high touch areas will be disinfected multiple times a day:
  • Stair railings
  • Elevator buttons and walls
  • Handles
  • Doors and push plates
• Hand sanitizer dispensers (replenished as needed).

Lobbies, Hallways and Gathering Places

Lobbies, hallways, and student gathering areas are considered high risk. As such, the following cleaning activities will be performed:

• General cleaning – To take place continuously throughout the day.
• Disinfecting – All high touch areas will be disinfected multiple times a day:
  • Stair railings
  • Water fountains
  • Doors and push plate
• Hand sanitizer dispensers (replenished as needed).

Restrooms

• General Cleaning – Cleaning and sanitizing, plus monitoring/restocking of soap and paper supply to take place multiple times a day on a regular basis.
• Deep Cleaning – To take place once a day.
• Disinfecting – All high touch areas will be disinfected multiple times a day:
  • Fixtures
  • Dispensers
  • Mirrors
  • Push plates
  • Trash receptacles
  • Handles
  • Stall doors

Classrooms

• General Cleaning – To take place once a day, or as needed. Deep cleaning will take place daily.
• Disinfecting – All high touch areas will be disinfected twice daily:
  • Tables and chairs
  • Podiums
  • Keyboards (performed by designated personnel)
  • Phone
  • Doors and light switches
• Hand sanitizer dispensers are installed in computer labs and will be restocked as needed.
• Cleaning and disinfecting supplies (such as wipes) will be available for individuals to use before and after they come in contact with surfaces.
• High touch public resources will be removed from classrooms.

Clinical Laboratory Science

Designated staff or personnel, such as departmental College Laboratory Technicians (CLTs), who are normally responsible for the maintenance of Science and Health Sciences lab equipment (including cleaning and disinfecting laboratory equipment, including bench tops, after each class) will continue to clean and disinfect these items. Housekeeping staff cannot be held responsible for handing specialized equipment.

• General Cleaning – will take place once a day or as needed. Deep cleaning will be performed daily
• Disinfecting – All high touch areas will be disinfected once a day by a designated staff member:
  • Tables and chairs
  • Podiums
  • Keyboards (performed by designated personnel)
  • Phone
  • Doors and light switches
• Labs are equipped with sinks and students are required to practice good hygiene.
• Cleaning and disinfecting supplies (such as wipes) will be available for individuals to use before and after they come in contact with surfaces.
• Where cleaning and disinfecting supplies are not provided within a Science/Health Sciences laboratory for individual use by students and professors before and after handling shared equipment/models, the College Laboratory Technicians or designated personnel will be responsible for cleaning and disinfecting laboratory equipment, including bench tops, after each class.

Offices and Conference Rooms

Offices will be inspected and cleaned before reopening. General cleaning practices will resume when space is reoccupied. Occupants of the College will be vested with the continued responsibility of cleaning their personal work areas during the day. The College will provide Departments with single-use disinfecting wipes and/or multi-surface spray cleaners to support self-servicing.

• General Cleaning – to take place once a day or as needed. Deep cleaning will take place weekly or as needed.
• Disinfecting – to take place daily or as needed. High touch points include:
  • Doors
  • Telephones
  • Conference table and chairs
• Common Used Equipment – Cleaning and disinfecting supplies (such as wipes) will be available for individuals to use before and after they handle common used/communal equipment. The College will place signage to encourage the use of these supplies followed by hand hygiene.

Dining Area

Dining Area will be cleaned and disinfected by Housekeeping staff.

• General Cleaning – will take place once a day by Housekeeping staff, and several times throughout the day by the vendor. Deep cleaning will take place weekly.
• Disinfecting – will take place at minimum twice a day by Housekeeping staff. High touch points include:
  • Doors
  • Tables and Chairs
  • ATM Machines and Vending Machines
  • Counters
• Hand sanitizer dispensers (replenished as needed).
• Common Used Equipment – Cleaning and disinfecting supplies (such as wipes) will be available for individuals to use before and after they handle common used/communal equipment and surfaces (such as microwaves and tables). The College will place signage to encourage the use of these supplies followed by hand hygiene.

Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol for a Confirmed COVID-19 Case

The College will provide for the cleaning and disinfection of exposed areas in the event an individual is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, following CDC guidelines for “Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility.

• Upon notification, Housekeeping will schedule and perform a rigorous cleaning and disinfection of the area(s) (i.e., offices, classrooms, restrooms, and common areas) of concern following CUNY Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHSO) directives.
  • Cleaning and disinfection will include, at a minimum, cleaning and disinfection of all large transit areas and high touch surfaces (e.g., elevators, lobbies, building entrances, badge scanners, restrooms, handrails, door handles).
  • The College will use disinfectants on the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) list of products registered in New York State and identified by the EPA (on List N) as effective against COVID-19.
• Preparation of spaces for cleaning and disinfection:
  • Campus Facilities will increase outside air intake upon notification. When feasible, outside doors and windows will be opened to increase air circulation in the area before the cleaning/disinfection.
  • Areas occupied by the suspected or confirmed COVID-19 individual, such as offices, classrooms, restrooms, and common areas will be closed off immediately when feasible. If it is not feasible to close off the affected area(s), the College will close operations as applicable.
  • Closed areas will remain closed for a minimum of 24 hours, or as long as possible before cleaning/disinfection procedures begin. If 24 hours is not feasible, the College will wait as long as possible following CUNY EHSO directives.
  • Any area that is not cleaned must remain closed for a minimum of seven (7) days as per guidance from the CDC.
  • If more than seven days have passed since the person who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 visited or used the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection are unnecessary, but routine cleaning and disinfection will continue.
• Papers or any soft (porous) surfaces will be isolated for a minimum of 24 hours before handling. After 24 hours, soft materials will be removed from the area and hard (non-porous) surfaces will be addressed per the cleaning and disinfection recommendations. Hard (non-porous) surfaces that cannot be cleaned and disinfected will be isolated for a minimum of seven (7) days before handling.
• If machinery or equipment are thought to be contaminated or shared by many, surfaces will be disinfected using EPA approved products from List N that are appropriate for the surface. If machinery or equipment are thought to be contaminated and cannot be cleaned, they will be isolated for seven (7) days before handling. If the machinery or equipment in question is not accessible to employees or has not been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19, additional cleaning and disinfection is unnecessary, but routine cleaning and disinfection will continue.
• Area(s) of concern is not to be reopened until cleaning and disinfection have been completed and cleared for occupancy by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
• Individuals without close or proximate contact with the person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 can return to the work in the area or resume on-campus activities immediately after cleaning and disinfection.

Central to the College Reopening Plan is a phased and controlled reoccupancy. Movement between phases will be determined by Hostos, in consultation with the Governor and the Chancellor. At each phase the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator will assess the conditions and activities planned to ensure that increased occupancy will remain physically distanced.

The College will refer to industry-specific instructions and guidelines, CUNY’s Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses and Considerations for Reopening Facilities & Services in Stages for the most up to date information prior to implementation of each phase to ensure all public health protocol are considered.

The reopening Phase-In Plan is developed with the notion that as one phase is implemented, activities from prior phases will continue and expand with additional safeguards in place to address increased density on campus. At each phase, the maximum occupancy allowed will be reviewed in accordance with the Physical Distancing Plan (Attachment A).

The phasing in of on campus activity begins with essential staff and grows gradually over time as each new cluster of campus occupants will need to be monitored: first, to ensure that everyone is following the prescribed public health requirements and new college operational requirements; second, to monitor that Campus Facilities is able to provide needed additional services in a timely and consistent manner; and third, to achieve a level of confidence that the college is successfully moving through each phase without incident or hardship.

Thresholds for moving to the next phase—as well as thresholds for possible ramp down or closure described in Attachment F)— will be closely monitored, and all City, State, CDC, and CUNY public health protocols will be followed.

Metrics to be used as conditions for reopening include:

• available physical space on campus and capacity limitations that allow people to maintain adequate physical distance from each other.
• availability of PPE and our ability to maintain the college’s supply.
• community spread (using the New York Forward Percentage Positive Results by County Dashboard to monitor the local community infection rate).

Note that these factors are used to determine all movement between phases, as well as to assess whether a ramp down or closure of the campus is necessary.

Phased Reoccupancy

Phases are as follows:

• Phase 0 – Essential staff and operations only.
• Phase 1 – Maximum 25% of normal occupancy while following current physical distancing guidelines in individual spaces.
• Phase 2 – Maximum 50% of normal occupancy while following current physical distancing guidelines.
• Phase 3 – Maximum 75% of normal occupancy while following current physical distancing guidelines.
• Phase 4 – Fully Reopened (100% capacity).

This reopening plan will use Fall 2019 full-time equivalent (FTE) totals for employees and students when considering full (100%) occupancy and determining the maximum number of people allowed on campus in each phase. When this plan cites 25%, 50%, or 75% of normal staffing levels, it refers to the occupancy of a particular space or office during normal operations. Physical distancing based on current requirements and guidelines (see Attachment A: Physical Distancing Plan) will also be practiced throughout the campus.

The College had 670 full-time employees and 858 part-time employees in Fall 2019, for a total employee headcount of approximately 1,528 during normal operations. The Fall 2019 student population was approximately 7,120 total students with a full-time equivalent (FTE) of 4,709.

Re-Entry Occupancy Limits by Phase

Planned totals calculated for past, current, and pending phases are as follows:

Phase 0 (starting March 23, 2020):

• Per New York State on PAUSE, occupancy was limited to staff running essential operations and those with appointments, with a requirement to maintain 6 feet of physical distance throughout the campus.

Phase 1 (starting August 26, 2020):

• Room occupancy guidelines allow for 25% maximum occupancy. An allowance of 113 sq. ft. per person while maintaining 6 feet of physical distance will be used throughout the campus.
• A 25% occupancy level allows for a maximum on-campus employee population of 382 or fewer (and not including students) at any given time.
• The student population on campus will be restricted to the following:
  • Those enrolled in essential hands-on training courses.
  • Those who need on-campus assistance from a student service office and have scheduled an appointment.
  • A limited number of walk-ins may be allowed, subject to the number of people on campus at that time.

Phase 2 (starting August 2, 2021):

• Room occupancy guidelines allow for 50% maximum occupancy. An allowance of 30 sq. ft. per person while maintaining adequate physical distance will be practiced throughout the campus.
• A 50% occupancy level will result in a maximum on-campus employee population of 764 or fewer (and not including students) at any given time.
• The student population on campus during Phase 2 will include a larger number of in-person course sections and student services. The total number of students on site at one time may be managed as follows:
  • Those enrolled in scheduled on-site course sections.
  • Those who need on-campus assistance from a student service or academic support area.
  • A limited number of walk-ins may be allowed, subject to the number of people on campus at that time.

For each phase, each department or office will need to develop a plan for on-site occupancy levels that considers a combination of employees (both faculty and staff) and students. Departments/offices will need to balance expected occupancy based on scheduled activity (work schedules, appointments) and estimated unscheduled activity (walk-in capacity), as feasible.

The occupancy in departmental/office plans will be reviewed in each phase to ensure that the total projected campus occupancy can remain under the maximum allowed for that phase. Additionally, daily totals will be monitored by the Campus Coordinator.

To facilitate reoccupancy, the College has categorized several groups in the following manner for phased re-entry:

Table: Phased Re-Entry by Group

REOPENING PHASE	OCCUPANCY	EMPLOYEES (GENERAL)	FACULTY (TEACHING)	STUDENTS
0	Essential staff and operations only	Employees and contractors performing essential activities are working on campus; all other employees will continue working remotely.	Faculty conducting in-person instruction permitted on-campus during those instructional periods. Faculty may visit by pre-approved appointment to pick-up instructional materials.	Only those students taking essential hands-on or testing that must be in person are allowed on campus.
1	Maximum 25%	Additional employees and contractors will return to campus as departmental plans are approved so that they may prepare for opening the campus to students.	Faculty conducting in-person instruction permitted on-campus during those instructional periods. Faculty may visit by pre-approved appointment to pick-up instructional materials.	Students taking essential labs or hands-on training are allowed on campus. Students who need on campus assistance from a student services office (e.g., financial aid, admissions, advisement etc.) should make an appointment to visit campus, but walk-ins will be allowed.
2	Maximum 50%	A combination of on-site and remote work may occur as part of each department’s/office’s approved plan to meet the College’s needs and comply with State and local guidelines. (This applies to staff and faculty working in their offices.)	A combination of on-site and remote teaching may occur as part of each department’s approved plan to meet the College’s needs and comply with State and local guidelines.	Students begin returning to campus (i.e., students requiring face-to-face support are allowed back on campus by appointment) while minimizing walk-in traffic.
3	Maximum 75%	Standard employee operations resume. HR will continue to work with faculty seeking reasonable accommodations.	Standard Instructional operations resume. HR will continue to work with faculty seeking reasonable accommodations.	Students are welcomed back in a reduced capacity in adherence with State and local guidelines.
4	Fully Reopened (100% capacity)	Standard employee operations resume with all facilities and full on-campus, walk-in services available.	Standard instruction resumes with all facilities and full on-campus, walk-in services available.	Students welcomed back at full capacity with access to on-campus services and facilities. Students from other campuses may utilize the library and other services according to standard operations.

Operations On Campus by Phase

Phase 0 – Essential employees only, while following physical distancing guidelines in individual spaces.

• Due to restrictions under New York State on PAUSE, people on campus are limited to essential employees and those with appointments to visit essential areas.
  • All employees should work remotely except for those engaged in essential operations where remote work is not feasible.
  • Employees on site must have the approval of their Division VP and the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator and be on Public Safety’s “approved” list.
• Activities, areas, Departments that can operate on campus:
  • Only essential activities (e.g., food pantry, mailroom, public safety, facilities).
  • Anyone else on campus must first get approval from the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator and should be on the campus for the minimal amount of time necessary.
• Preventative measures on campus:
  • Mandatory face coverings; physical distancing; cleaning/disinfecting protocols and schedule; monitoring; daily health screenings.
• Factors and thresholds for movement between phases:
  • To move to the next phase:
    • Approval of the Reopening Plan for Phase 1.
    • Community transmission rates.
    • PPE supply, staffing/budget considerations.
    • Operational needs.
  • To remain in the phase longer:
    • Increase in COVID-19 cases in the city.
    • Significant, documented public transportation risk.

Phase 1 – Maximum 25% of normal occupancy while following current physical distancing guidelines in individual spaces.

• Anyone on campus should be scheduled (for work, a class, or an appointment) or otherwise get approval from the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator.
  • All employees (faculty and staff) must have the approval of their Division VP and the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator and be on Public Safety’s “approved” list. Employees are encouraged to continue to work remotely when feasible.
  • Students should be on a daily roster. Once they pass the screening, the program can then provide an approved list to Public Safety.
• Activities, areas, Departments that can operate on campus:
  • All essential areas and activities that were on-site in Phase 0 will continue.
  • In-person courses – In the first semester of Phase 1, only approved academic programs that require in-person/hands-on instruction will be allowed. Later in Phase 1, courses that are dependent on access to campus infrastructure and/or require in-person instruction based on regulatory requirements will be allowed.
    • Programs with in-person elements must provide a plan to the Provost and Campus Reopening Committee² for approval prior to scheduling any courses.
  • Student service areas (e.g., Financial Aid, Admissions, Student Success Coaches, ASAP Advisors, the Library, Open Computer Lab, etc.) – Must provide a plan to the division leader and Reopening Committee before starting operations.
  • Humanities: Art/performance/media – Limited access to special equipment; must provide a plan to the Provost and Reopening Committee for approval prior to scheduling any courses.
  • Sponsored, time-sensitive research must provide a plan to the Provost and Reopening Committee for approval prior to being on campus.
  • Construction with essential workers.
• Preventative measures on campus:
  • Mandatory face coverings; physical distancing; cleaning/disinfecting protocols and schedule; monitoring; pre-visit and entrance protocols; required online trainings for employees; signage and directional signs (e.g., floor decals).
    • Face coverings are provided to faculty and staff; academic Departments provide masks for clinical students.
    • Everyone on site must follow established pre-visit and entrance protocols. Protocols may include daily health screenings, proof of vaccination, COVID-19 testing, or a combination.
    • Faculty, staff, and students should be on campus the minimal amount of time necessary; if it is for a course, faculty and students should leave the campus once the class has ended. Students should be limited to active classrooms, open service areas, and transit corridors.
    • In-person coursework may continue remotely in the event of a ramp down or closure of a related area.
    • Employees in shared workspaces will coordinate their schedules so they are staggered.
  • General guidance for enclosed spaces will be followed (see Part 2, Section I.B. Gatherings in Enclosed Spaces > General Guidance for Enclosed Spaces.
• Factors and thresholds for movement between phases:
  • To move to the next phase:
    • Assessment process – examine as phases progress and begin planning for next phase early
    • In-person classes and labs: Plans will be developed pending notification from the University that the College can move forward to the next phase. It will be approached on a per semester basis.
    • Track campus and community rates: No increased risk of infection, a decline in COVID transmissions in the city and minimal transmission on campus
    • Increased in PPE, Staffing/budget considerations to move to next phase
  • To remain in the phase longer:
    • Incidence of COVID-19 on campus that is not successfully contained.
    • Increase in COVID cases in the city
    • Public transportation risk
  • To revert to a prior phase (see ramp-down information in Attachment F):
    • Significantly increasing infection rates on campus that were not successfully contained
    • An increase in COVID cases citywide

Phase 2 – Maximum 50% of normal occupancy while following current physical distancing guidelines in individual spaces.

• Anyone on campus should be scheduled (for work, a class, or an appointment).
  • People permitted on campus under Phase 1 guidelines will continue.
  • “Walk-ins” (unscheduled visits to campus) may be limited depending on occupancy at the moment and are subject to approval.
• Activities, areas, Departments that can operate on campus:
  • All areas and activities that were on-site in Phase 1 will continue.
  • In-person courses – Increased in-person courses/programs, especially those that cannot be effectively delivered at a distance. Many of these courses may be highly experiential, dependent on access to campus infrastructure, and/or require in-person instruction based on regulatory requirements.
    • Approved plans will still be required before a course can begin in-person activity.
    • Lectures that have been conducted successfully in a remote capacity may continue to be offered online.
  • Increased student and academic support services.
  • Additional construction and maintenance projects as needed.
• Preventative measures on campus:
  • Continued from Phase 1, with adjustments as allowed or required.
• Factors and thresholds for movement between phases:
  • Continued from Phase 1.

Phase 3 – Maximum 75% of normal occupancy while following current physical distancing guidelines in individual spaces.

Note: Plans are considerations or pending review. Phase 3 plans will be finalized during Phase 2.

• The College may continue to require scheduled activity on campus, but unscheduled (“walk-in”) activity will increase within Phase 3 physical distancing limits. People permitted on campus under Phases 1 and 2 will continue.
• Activities, areas, Departments that can operate on campus:
  • Activities from Phase 2 will continue with additional capacity and safeguards to be determined
• Preventative measures:
  • Continued from Phase 2, with adjustments as allowed or required.
• Threshold to move to the next phase:
  • Continued from Phase 2.
• Thresholds to remain in the phase longer than planned:
  • Continued from Phase 2.
• Threshold to revert to a prior phase:
  • Continued from Phase 2.

Phase 4 – Fully Reopened at 100% of normal occupancy while following current physical distancing guidelines in individual spaces.

Phase 4 details to be determined.

Reoccupancy by Building

Phase 1 Occupancy

Essential staff who have been on campus during New York State on PAUSE were joined by select employees who returned to campus as departmental plans were approved and preparations were made for the gradual reopening of the campus. Employees are following staggered work schedules on site, managed by Departmental Directors and in accordance with physical distancing guidelines. Student Services offices (i.e., Financial Aid, Admissions, Bursar, Advisement, Registrar, etc.) may be staffed with 1 -2 employees on site during normal service hours to ensure that students reaching out to the College are able to reach staff.

Select Allied Health Classes have been conducted on campus in the A and B Buildings. In the B Building, the Dental Clinic (1st Floor) and Smart Classrooms (5th Floor) have been in use; in the A Building the Rad Tech Lab (4th Floor), the Nursing Labs (4th Floor) and Smart Classrooms (3rd, 4th, and 5th Floors) have been in use. Allied Health chairs and coordinators have developed rigorous plans to monitor capacity and physical distance and to ensure that all spaces are cleaned on a regular COVID-19 disinfecting schedule.

During the first semester of Phase 1 reopening, Fall 2020, the College accommodated 53 sections (totaling 294 students) taking essential hands-on instructional classes. In Spring 2021, a few additional programs in the Humanities Department held sessions on-site because an in-person component was deemed necessary to effective student learning.

The Library (A Building) has mostly remained closed to the public, although staff will work on staggered schedules to continue to provide services to students, including access to library materials. Information Technology continued to distribute IT equipment and developed a Print and Copy service in the Lobby of the C Building for students to use on a by-appointment basis due to closure of the Library and Open Computer Lab. During the Spring 2021 finals period, the Library and Open Computer Lab temporarily reopened to support students as they prepared for their Spring 2021 final exams. Reopening for these two weeks will also help the Library and Open Computer Lab prepare for operations during Fall 2021.

Operations in the Cafeteria, the Main Gym and fitness areas, the Child Care Center, and Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture all remained closed to on-site operations during Phase 1.

Phase 2 Occupancy

Phase 2 will begin on August 2, 2021, with the return of more staff to campus in preparation for the upcoming semester and as announced by the CUNY Chancellor on May 13, 2021. This will allow one month of preparation before students return to more in-person activities for Fall 2021.

During Phase 2, additional classes, study spaces, and services will be added. Most academic and student service areas will operate at reduced on campus capacity throughout the week, though some academic supports may continue remotely. departmental approvals will be issued before each area or service is activated, and after the approval of a revised and updated Campus Reopening Plan. All plans will be in accordance with the prescribed cleaning, safety, and space specific protocols described in this document.

Phase 3 & 4 Occupancy

The College will closely monitor the implementation of each phase and will modify the plan to pace and adjust the reoccupancy levels as needed. Future phases and reoccupancy will follow previous phase requirements and will be modified according to safety and operational needs. On campus activities will continue to be reintroduced in an intentional and careful way to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal (pre-pandemic) levels. The return to full, normal operations will be a gradual and controlled process.

Table: Areas in Use by Reoccupancy Phase

Note: The below chart is proposed and dependent on Departments/offices having an approved reopening plan before resuming on-site activities. Occupancy definitions (“closed,” “essential staff only,” “appt. only,” “in-person courses,” and “open with restrictions”) can be found following the chart.

LOCATION	PHASE 0 (Mar. 23-Aug. 25, 2020)	PHASE 1 (starting Aug. 26, 2020)	PROPOSED: PHASE 2 (starting Aug. 2, 2021)
A Building / Allied Health Building (A Bldg) – 475 Grand Concourse
A Bldg Lower Level (Parking lot entrance)	closed	closed	CUNY START Program – appt. only
A Bldg First Floor (Main Lobby)	closed	IT device loan pick-up/drop-off for students, faculty, staff with email confirmation (in Lobby starting May 2021).	Education Dept. – limited/ appt. only; Children’s Center – open with restrictions; Proyecto Access – appt. only; Community Relations – limited; OIRA – limited; IT device loan pick-up/drop-off – email confirmation; classrooms – TBD
A Bldg Second Floor	closed	Library, lower level – limited (dept. staff/faculty only); CEWD – in-person courses	Library, lower level – appt. only; CEWD – in-person courses
A Bldg Third Floor (Bridge entrance)	President's Office – essential staff only	Allied Health Dept. (offices) – limited; Library – limited (dept. staff/faculty only); Student Health Services (School Nurse) – limited; President's Office – limited; Conference Center – limited; Office of CEWD - limited;	Allied Health Dept. (offices) – limited/appt. only; Library – appointment only; Student Health Services (School Nurse) –  appt. only; CUNY EDGE Program – limited/appt. only; President's Office – limited; Conference Center – limited; Office of Compliance and Diversity – limited; Office of CEWD – limited; A-Atrium – appt. only; classrooms – TBD
A Bldg Fourth Floor	closed	Nursing Unit – in-person courses in Nursing Lab and classrooms; Rad Tech Unit – in-person courses in Rad Tech Lab; CEWD – in-person courses;	Natural Science Labs – in-person courses; Rad Tech Unit – in-person courses in Rad Tech Lab; Nursing Unit – in-person courses in Nursing Lab and classrooms; CEWD – in-person courses
A Bldg Fifth Floor	closed	Natural Science Dept. – limited (Dept. staff/faculty only);	Natural Science Dept. – limited/appt. only; Natural Science Labs, Science Demonstration, & classrooms – limited/in-person courses; Biology/Chemistry Prep rooms – limited
A Bldg Roof	Engineering/Heating and Air Conditioning Plant – essential staff only	Engineering/Heating and Air Conditioning Plant – limited	Engineering/Heating and Air Conditioning Plant – limited
B Building (B Bldg) – 500 Grand Concourse
B Bldg Basement (Parking lot entrance)	Duplicating – essential staff only; Mailroom – essential staff only; Housekeeping Offices/Locker Rooms – essential staff only; Public Safety Locker Rooms – essential staff only	Duplicating – limited; Mailroom – limited; Housekeeping Offices/Locker Rooms – limited; Public Safety Locker Rooms –limited	Duplicating – limited; Mailroom – limited; Housekeeping Offices/Locker Rooms – limited; Public Safety Locker Rooms –limited
B Bldg First Floor (Main Lobby)	closed	Dental Hygiene Unit – in-person courses (including reduced operation of Patient Care Center)	Dental Hygiene Unit – in-person courses (incl. reduced operation of Patient Care Center); Admissions Satellite Center – limited/appt. only
B Bldg Second Floor	Human Resources – essential staff only	Human Resources – limited	Student Success Coaches Unit (SSCU) limited/appt. only; Testing Center – appt. only; Human Resources – limited/appt. only; classrooms – TBD
B Bldg Third Floor	closed	closed	Behavioral & Social Science Dept. – limited/appt. only; English Dept. - limited/appt. only; classrooms – TBD
B Bldg Fourth Floor (access to C Building)	Information Technology – essential staff only	Information Technology – limited; Office of Academic Affairs (OAA)/ Provost's Office – limited	Mathematics Dept. – limited/appt. only; College Now Program – limited/appt. only; Information Technology – by appointment; OAA/Provost's Office – limited
B Bldg Fifth Floor (access to C Building)	closed	classrooms – space for in-person courses (Nursing, Continuing Education) as needed	English Dept. – limited/appt. only; Language & Cognition Dept. – limited/appt. only; classrooms – space for in-person courses (Nursing, Continuing Education) as needed.
C Building / East Academic Complex (C Bldg) – 450 Grand Concourse
C Bldg Lower Level (Parking lot entrance)	Public Safety Office – essential staff only; Receiving – essential staff only	Public Safety Office – limited; Receiving – limited	Theater Shops & Dressing Rooms – limited; Public Safety Office – limited; Receiving – limited;
C Bldg First Floor (Main Lobby)	IT device loan pick-up/drop-off (Lobby) for students, faculty, staff with email confirmation	Black Box Theatre – hands-on class (1 class, starting Feb 2021); IT device loan pick-up/drop-off for students, faculty, staff with email confirmation (in Lobby until May 2021); Student Print & Copy Center (Lobby) – students by appointment only;	Art Classrooms. – limited/appt. only; Black Box Theatre – in-person courses; Art Gallery – limited/appt. only; Repertory Theater. – limited/appt. only; Main Theater. – limited/appt. only; Physical Education Complex (Natatorium/Pool; Weight Room, Aerobics Center, Locker Rooms, Dance Studio) – limited/appt. only; Former College Bookstore (closed)
C Bldg Third Floor (Bridge entrance)	closed	closed	Academic Advisement Office. – limited/appt. only; Cafeteria - TBD; Student Activities Office. – limited/appt. only; Student club/organization offices. – limited/appt. only; Student Counseling Center. – limited/appt. only; Student Lounge – appt. only; Main Gym – appointment only; Meeting Room (C-391) – appt. only; classrooms – TBD
C Bldg Fourth Floor (access to B Building)	closed	Digital Music Lab – students by appointment only (1 day per week, starting March 2021)	Humanities Dept. – limited/appt. only; Digital Music Lab – appt. only; Gaming Lab –appt. only; Physical Education Dept. – limited; Student club/organization offices – limited/appt. only; classrooms – TBD
C Bldg Fifth Floor (access to B Building)	closed	closed	Business & Accounting Dept. – limited/appt. only; Hostos Academic Learning Center (HALC) – limited/appt. only; Academic Computer Labs – appt. only; ASAP Program – appt. only;
D Building / Savoy Manor Building (D Bldg) – 120 East 149th Street
D Bldg Basement	Bursar’s Office – essential staff only; Business Office – essential staff only	Bursar’s Office – limited staff, students walk-ins allowed (one at a time and after completing health check-in at building entrance); Business Office – limited	Bursar’s Office – limited staff, students walk-ins allowed (one at a time and after completing health check-in at building entrance); Business Office – limited; Financial Aid – appt. only;
D Bldg First Floor (Main Lobby)	Food Pantry (Health & Wellness) essential staff and students by appointment only	Food Pantry (Health & Wellness) – limited staff, students by appointment only	Office of SDEM – appt. only; Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) – appt. only; Food Pantry (Health & Wellness) – limited staff, students by appt.; Health & Wellness – appt. only; One Stop Resource Center - appt. only; College Discovery – appt. only
D Bldg Second Floor	closed	Career Services – by appointment only [starting Spring 2021]	Career Services – appt. only; Registrar’s Office – limited; Office of Institutional Advancement – limited; Multi-Purpose Room - appt. only
G Building / Administration Building (G Bldg) – 135 East 146th Street
G Bldg First Floor (Parking lot entrance)	Accounts Payable – essential staff only Campus Operations (Chief Administrative Superintendent, Housekeeping, Environmental Health & Safety) – essential staff only; Procurement Office (Purchasing and Property Management) – essential staff only;	Accounts Payable – limited; Campus Operations – limited; Procurement Office – limited	Accounts Payable – limited; Campus Operations – limited; Procurement Office – limited
G Bldg Second Floor	Office of Administration & Finance – essential staff only; Budget Office – essential staff only; Campus Planning and Development – essential staff only	Office of Administration & Finance – limited; Budget Office – limited; Campus Planning and Development – limited	Office of Administration & Finance – limited; Budget Office – limited; Campus Planning and Development – limited
Trailer Site 5 (T5) – 427 Walton Avenue
T5 Main Floor	closed	Allied Health Pipeline Program (starting late fall 2020) – in-person course	Allied Health Pipeline Program – in-person course; Immigration Center – TBD
Trailer Site 6 (T6) – 121 East 146th Street
T6 Main Floor	Maintenance Shops – essential staff only	Maintenance Shops – limited	Maintenance Shops – limited
Prow Building – 560 Exterior Street
Prow Bldg Main Floor	closed	closed	CEWD – in-person courses;
CLIP Building – 590 Exterior Street
CLIP Bldg Main Floor	closed	closed	CEWD – limited/appt. only, in-person courses;
Gateway Building – 610 Exterior Street
Gateway Bldg Main Floor	currently unoccupied	currently unoccupied	currently unoccupied

 

Additional Information for “Areas in Use by Reoccupancy Phase” Table: Occupancy Definitions: Closed: Area has no regularly scheduled on-site work/operations, but an employee (faculty or staff) can request access to a specific space by sending an email to Public Safety at CampusVisit@hostos.cuny.edu (copying the supervisor/chair on their email request). Access is dependent on expected building occupancy; employees must receive approval from Public Safety by email prior to their visit. Students, faculty, and staff may also request access to a specific space in an area considered "closed" under other operational modalities (essential staff only- limited; appointment only; in-person courses). Following a request, access must be approved by Public Safety and the relevant office/department. Closed areas may be used on an "as needed" basis to allow for physical distancing during approved on-site events. Essential staff only: Minimal number of staff scheduled for work on-site, and only staff where essential to continued college operations. Area is considered "closed" to students, faculty, and other staff. Limited: A reduced number of staff or faculty are scheduled for work on-site for limited hours of operation. Student-serving areas operating as "limited" are considered "closed" to students. (Phase 0 – essential staff only; Phase 1-3 – employee schedules limited by maximum occupancy for that phase). Appointment only (appt. only): For an office or department, an appointment must be scheduled with the area and confirmed before visiting because a reduced number of employees may be scheduled to work on-site, or employees may only work on-site as needed. For large meeting spaces, a request must be submitted to the Conference Center to schedule use. Email confirmation: For activities like the IT device loan pick-up/drop-off for students, faculty, staff, a specific time is not scheduled but an email confirmation is required. In-person courses: Faculty and students may be scheduled to come on-site for approved courses. Staff and faculty may also be scheduled for work on-site if necessary to support operation of on-site courses. Open with restrictions: Area is operating but limiting who can enter, as per campus guidelines. Notes: Main lobby entrances of A, B, C, and D Buildings are occupied during all phases. In Phases 1-4, main lobby entrances are open and in use for pre-visit and entrance protocols in use during the reopening period. All building entrances connected to parking lots are open (or accessible through intercom or access code) in Phases 1-4, but access to parking lots is limited to authorized users and managed by Public Safety. The Prow Building, CLIP Building, and Gateway Building are rental properties. The physical plant for these buildings is under the purview of the building management. All visitors to the Hostos campus (employees scheduled to work on campus; students, faculty, staff, and general public approved to visit by Public Safety) must also follow any pre-visit and building entrance protocols in place during the reopening period.

 

Operational Activity and Phase-In

The information in this section, which addresses operational activity for student and academic support services, follows recommendations outlined in Part 2, Section I.C. Considerations for reopening each space includes a balance of factors including risk reduction, student support needs (academic support, support services), and student engagement.

Individual Departments or offices expecting to resume in-person activities during that phase will refer to the campus reopening plan and use guidelines that apply to their specific work area and operations to develop their own plans. Operations may resume after review and approval of the departmental/office plans by the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator and Campus Liaison or their designees.

Teaching and Learning

Throughout the spring and summer of 2020, Hostos Community College worked to expand distance education course offerings and support services while maintaining best practices to prepare and create conditions for an effective Fall 2020 semester and beyond. The College shall ensure that instructional delivery and student support is guided, first and foremost, by our commitment to equity and our obligation to protect the health and safety of all students, faculty and staff, along with our commitment to facilitate the achievement of learning outcomes for all Hostos students.

Online Teaching and Learning

Phase 1:

Except for key programs requiring in-person activities for external certification—specifically essential, hands-on lab courses for Allied Health students—Hostos conducted courses entirely online in Fall 2020. In Spring 2021, a few additional programs in the Humanities Department held sessions on-site because an in-person component was deemed necessary to effective student learning.

Instructors had the choice of teaching courses asynchronously or synchronously. Faculty office hours were held using approved online platforms supported by Information Technology, such as Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom. The College also allocated funds to provide access to virtual labs for Natural Sciences students. This unifies the academic offerings in these subjects.

Phase 2:

In Fall 2021, more courses will be able to conduct in-person sessions. Decisions to hold courses on campus are made by individual instructors and their Departments.

Instructors teaching online may be required to teach synchronously, particularly for developmental courses. Faculty office hours will continue to be held through approved online platforms. The College may also allocate funds to as needed to provide access to virtual educational tools.

Faculty Professional Development

During the summer of 2020, the Hostos Office of Educational Technology (EdTech) provided training to faculty to develop and teach online courses. Additionally, each faculty member was paired with a faculty mentor for the course development process. EdTech has been providing ongoing professional development workshops, online support and remote services for faculty, staff, and students to promote effective online teaching and learning.

Center for Teaching and Learning

Hostos’s Center for Teaching and Learning continues to provide online professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to promote effective online teaching, including reflection opportunities to gather the pedagogical imprint that this remote scenario is leaving on teaching styles and identities.

Instructional Technology Literacy

Hostos will continue to provide up-to-date online training modules for all educational technology platforms, including but not limited to Blackboard, broadly used at the College so as to ensure the necessary preparation and certification of students, faculty, and staff. The Hostos Peer Leader program employs Hostos alumni and advanced students to help new students to efficiently navigate online learning environments and technologies, supporting their academic progress and success.

Instructional Technology Software Platforms

Hostos will ensure necessary instructional technology software is available and properly supported for both students and faculty.

Online Behavior Best Practices Protocols

Hostos provides faculty and students clear guidelines on how to safely navigate the online environment. Hostos faculty are encouraged to follow guidelines about appropriate behavior in an online learning environment described in this link: https://commons.hostos.cuny.edu/online/course-components-list/#netiquette. This includes a delineation of freedom of speech and acceptable behavior for faculty and students. Any violations will be addressed within the existing reporting structures for staff, faculty, and students.

Library Services

Hostos Library provides support to students and faculty for online teaching and learning. Online support for students is provided through the Library’s website, and live support through chat is available during advertised working hours. Availability of library services will be communicated to the campus community and will be included in course syllabi.

Phase 1:

The Hostos Library has been closed to students for most of Phase 1. Limited staff has been on-site to help provide resources for online teaching and learning.

The Library offered limited on-site study space to individuals during the Spring 2021 final exam period. Visits were timed and by appointment only. In addition to supporting student needs, this limited reopening allowed the Library to pilot some reopening in preparation for reopening in Fall 2021.

Phase 2:

The Hostos Library will begin to offer on-site services within physical distance guidelines and on an appointment basis after the beginning of Phase 2 of reopening.

Study Rooms on Campus

Study rooms in the Library were closed during Phase 1.

After the start of Phase 2 and when feasible, Hostos will begin to provide study rooms on campus so that students can have safe, quiet spaces for study, contemplation and internet access. Student use will be in accordance with COVID 19 protocols and will require advanced booking and appointments.

Technology Supports

Hostos provides technical and instructional support to all academic and non-academic Departments through a cadre of staff trained in the areas of information technology (hardware and connectivity) and educational technology (instruction and student support). Both areas have websites with information related to remote services to support distance learning due to COVID-19 and provide contact information to professional staff members for needed support.

• Information Technology COVID-19 Website: http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Ready
• IT Contact Information: http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Administrative-Offices/Information-Technology
• Educational Technology COVID-19 Related Website: https://commons.hostos.cuny.edu/edtech/academiccontinuity
• Ed Tech Contact Information: https://commons.hostos.cuny.edu/edtech/

Hostos will ensure that the whole of its website provides up to date information necessary for the proper functioning of the College. This will include regular fact checking and regular updating where necessary. On the Hostos main page, the College has consolidated all reopening materials onto a centralized webpage: http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/ready.

Student Tech Support

Laptops

Hostos will assist students, especially freshmen, with gaining access to a dedicated laptop if needed for online learning. The process of requesting and acquiring a laptop is facilitated by Information Technology in order to ensure rapid and effective laptop distribution to students. Informational documentation will be distributed directly to students and faculty, in addition to postings on the College website (at http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Ready/Checklist-Students) and social media, to ensure the process is clearly communicated and students are aware of the availability of laptops.

Internet Access

An internet connection is critical for students to access required course materials and be able to complete course participation requirements and assessments. Hostos will assist students in accessing hotspots for internet connectivity; students with housing insecurity will be prioritized for access to hotspots.

Student Support Services

Academic Success

Hostos has developed online procedures for students to effectively communicate with their academic advisers . Academic advisers—such as those in the Student Success Coaching Unit, ASAP, and College Discovery—use tools like Succeed@Hostos (Starfish by Hobsons) to make appointments and Microsoft Teams and Zoom to meet remotely with students in real time. The integration of campus-based Cisco phone system with staff home computers to allow incoming calls to be answered in real-time by a live staff member. Academic Affairs has expanded use of Microsoft Teams to create virtual offices for the academic Departments and programs to give students more opportunities to receive a response by a live person, who can help answer questions and address any concerns that arise. Faculty will also be informed of procedures so this information can be included into syllabi before each semester’s start.

Student Tutoring

Hostos provides online student tutoring through the Hostos Academic Learning Center (HALC) using Microsoft Teams, and Hostos Writing Center (WC) using WC-Online. The Writing Center is also offering a series of small- group online workshop “meet ups” covering various college-ready and writing specific topics.

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) fellows will develop and provide necessary online support for Writing Intensive courses, including working with students and faculty in providing writing support and in developing Writing Intensive assignments. Meetings will be held through Zoom.

Support Services Communication

Hostos will expand online training in the use of communication technologies used on campus (i.e., Starfish by Hobsons, Cisco phone systems), as well as support for students in accessing academic support services.

Academic Department and Administrative Educational Support Services will provide clear contact information on their respective websites that lead campus stakeholders to connect remotely with a live person. Cisco phone services are being connected to department secretaries and office manager devices giving each individual the opportunity to answer a call in real-time. Further, online offices are being designed using Microsoft Teams and will be implemented early in the Fall semester. This will allow stakeholders another opportunity to connect remotely to live individuals via phone or video conference in real-time.

Career Services continues to upgrade office technology to expand student support and virtual services in order to increase student and faculty access to HIRECAIMANS Symplicity CRM platform & other technologies. Career Services Blackboard Course with modules including Career Exploration, Professional Development and Career Readiness Competencies were developed and launched during summer 2020 in preparation for Fall 2020.

The CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP), CUNY Start, and Math Start conducted courses entirely online during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Instructors are using both synchronous and asynchronous modalities to teach classes. Academic advisors and staff are using approved online platforms or the virtual Cisco phone system to communicate with current and prospective students. Operational decisions are pending for Phase 2 and later.

Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) staff, instructors and students follow established college-wide policies and procedures. CEWD landing page in the Hostos website will continue to be updated and serve as one of the main points of access for up-to-date information. CEWD programs will continue to be provided remotely utilizing acceptable modes of communications. Virtual town hall meetings and orientations via Zoom provide students with up-to-date information about accessing services and upcoming course offerings. Seminars and occupational training course(s) content will continue to be created and delivered through CANVAS, an online learning platform. Following all campus guidelines to ensure the safety of anyone coming into our facilities, CEWD transitioned to a hybrid model in Fall 202 for occupational training programs and services requiring in-person/hands-on activities.

Mental Health and Welfare

The Counseling Center has been providing mental health support for students. Students can schedule appointments online: http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Home-Page-Content/Announcements/The-Counseling-Center-is-Open-Online.

Student Engagement

Online Student Engagement and Activities

The College has been keeping students engaged through online platforms. A series of welcome back events for students, faculty and staff will be offered at the beginning of each semester, as a collaborative effort of the Office of Student Activities and the Student Government Association (SGA).

Offices with designated cohorts of students, such as ASAP, SSCU, CD, CUNY Edge, Athletics, SLA, ARC are also using Zoom and other platforms to keep students engaged and to conduct orientations, trainings, and to create a sense of community.

Students and alums affiliated with the Student Leadership Academy (SLA) continue to engage in workshops and training that develop their leadership competencies, in addition to promoting civic engagement and work-life balance. SLA is looking to increase the number of active members in all of its programs during this period, as requirements to join the SLA during the COVID-19 have changed to allow all students seeking leadership development opportunities to join one of SLA programs. The SLA offers membership in the Student Ambassador Program, Students Orientation Services (SOS) Team Program, Hostos Emerging Leaders Program or the Volunteer Corps.

In addition, the Health and Wellness Office, through its One Stop program, continues to offer student support services and assistance with food stamp application, connecting students to legal services, and financial literacy.

Our vibrant cultural activities also continue to be shared with the campus community in The Link, a weekly publication from the Office of Student Activities

On Campus Student Engagement Activities

As long as the College needs to reduce in-person gatherings to meet occupancy limits, highest priority will be given to in-person instructional/academic activities. Student engagement activities that support student success will be considered for in-person events as long as needs for instructional activities can be met. Both will be prioritized above general extracurricular activities, which may need to remain in a hybrid or virtual format through the Fall 2021 semester.
On campus activities, including student clubs and organizations, were not permitted during Phase 1, and will continue to be evaluated as we begin Phase 2 and Fall 2021.

On-site plans for each student club may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, though the College cannot yet determine when on campus club activities will resume.

These guidelines reflect the process previously followed by the CUNY campuses in closing the university pursuant to New York State COVID-19 response guidance; material in this section is drawn from CUNY correspondence, CUNY’s Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses page, and in the Draft Reclosing Plan included in CUNY’s Supplemental Guidelines for Safe Campus Reopening.

Governance (Updated 09/21)

Updated 09/21: Should the Chancellor authorize the College to close down operations after reopening, the College should apply the same governance structure as laid out in the current reopening plan. Pursuant to that structure, the College will monitor the criteria included in the below guidelines to determine if circumstances warrant consideration of re-closing and if so, then request permission from the Chancellor to close down. The College will develop a reclosing plan (following the guidelines set out herein) and ensure that this plan includes the criteria listed below to determine the circumstances that warrant closure. These criteria replace any criteria previously included in the Campus Reopening Plan.

The process to shut down will be informed by a report on the rate of infection on campus. This report will be provided by the Campus Coronavirus Liaison who will report daily to the Campus Reopening Committee and to the Chancellery/COO’s Office on COVID-19 exposures. This data, along with local and state data and guidance, will guide the College in its evaluation of circumstances that may warrant closure. When such circumstances are identified, the College will bring that information to the Chancellor, who will make the final decisions as to whether a campus must scale back in-person activities or pursue closure.

Circumstances that Warrant Closure (Updated 01/22)

Updated 01/22: While the intention of the College and CUNY is to move forward and bring more activity back to campus over time, the College and CUNY must also be prepared to reverse the reopening if the situation dictates.

The Chancellery/COO’s Office and the Campus Reopening Committees will monitor a range of internal and external criteria when assessing whether a ramp down or closure of the Hostos campus is required.

In addition to the below, the College will incorporate any guidance on relevant re-closure criteria provided by New York State in its reopening guidance for higher education institutions.

External monitoring criteria (Updated 09/21):

• Federal, New York State, and New York City regulatory guidelines and mandates.
• Infection/health system status at the local, state, regional and nation-wide level.
• Status of resources and infrastructure to combat contagion (e.g., PPE, health system capacity, testing and tracing).
• Compliance of greater public with COVID-19 protocols (e.g., group gatherings, physical distancing).
• Reclosing status of neighboring universities.

Internal monitoring criteria:

• Spread of infection on campus (i.e., via data reported by Coronavirus Campus Liaison including metrics on current caseload; new flu-like symptoms; spread).
  • The college will follow state guidance to mitigate spread if the campus infection rate meets established thresholds. If the threshold is reached, the college will switch to remote learning for two weeks and further decisions will be made in consultation with state authorities.
    • The New York State threshold for reclosing a higher education institution and moving to full-time remote learning is based on the number of individuals (inclusive of students, faculty, and staff) who test positive for COVID-19 within a rolling 14-day period. It is further determined as follows:
      • In general, the threshold is the smaller total of either a. 100 individuals, or b. 5% of the total on-campus population. If this pre-established threshold is reached, the College will immediately (1) transition all in-person learning to remote format(s) and (2) limit on-campus activities for a period of 14 days
      • If at least 25% of the total on-campus population is tested for COVID-19 each week as part of an ongoing policy of surveillance testing, the threshold is the greater total of either a. 100 individuals or b. 5% of the total on-campus population.
  • Updated 09/21: The College’s internal monitoring will be informed by the surveillance testing program and by information from students, faculty, and staff (such as self-reporting through daily health screenings or from campus test results) as well as any other regular reports of COVID-19 exposures on campus that should be provided by the Coronavirus Campus Liaison to the Campus Reopening Committee and the CUNY SVC for Institutional Advancement.
    • The College reserves the right to mandate random coronavirus testing for all individuals regularly on campus, whether vaccinated or not. The frequency of such testing will depend upon the COVID-19 positivity rate, among other factors.
  • The College is required to monitor health conditions using the criteria above and look for warning signs that infection may be increasing.
    • Per the governance process set out in Part 1, Section II. of this plan, the Coronavirus Campus Liaison has the primary responsibility for collecting accurate and complete data about each individual on campus with possible exposure to the coronavirus and for sharing that information with the Campus Coordinator and the CUNY SVC for Institutional Advancement.
    • New 09/21: The Campus Coronavirus Liaison will report information from the campus as well as surveillance testing results.
• Status of resources and infrastructure to combat contagion on campus (e.g., University health system capacity, PPE resources, Testing & tracing resources).

Ramp Down Guidance

The CDC provides the following Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) Decision Tree:

Based on this tree, the College will follow these guidelines:

General

• The College should expect to only close buildings/areas within its particular campus if the suspected exposure or positive findings that occur reflect confidence in a low level of risk to the wider campus community. This will allow deep-cleaning and disinfection of buildings, premises or grounds. This should be coupled with notifications to potentially impacted students, faculty and staff (e.g., information about testing/referrals to New York City testing sites; tracing of members of the campus community) and information about measures being applied (e.g., moving classes to remote learning and asking employees to work remotely) for the short duration of such limited closures. (See the March 19, 2020, message from the CUNY Chancellor.)
• The ramp down response to the local and community health situation within the College, a community, or the city as a whole, should be made following the governance process set out in Part 1, Section II. of this plan. Final decisions on shutting down particular buildings/areas, as appropriate, within the College campus (or any CUNY campus) will be made by the Chancellery/COO’s Office in consultation with State and local authorities.
  • The reopening plan for the College proposes four phases, moving from a soft reopening to full operations as described in Attachment E: Phase-In Plan. Depending on which phase of reopening the College and CUNY is in, closure of the campus may involve reverse engineering to lower phases, up to and including a total shutdown.
  • Ramp-down activities align with the level of community spread, with minimal or moderate spread requiring higher levels of cleaning and potential closure.
  • Extended closure is suggested with substantial community spread, defined by CDC as large-scale transmission, healthcare staffing significantly impacted, and multiple cases within communal settings.
• The College will have communications plans in place to address questions from students, faculty and staff (See Section II. D. Communications Plans).

Preparation

• The College will actively prepare plans and procedures to be ready to close particular buildings/areas within the campus or to close campus-wide in the event of a resurgence of the virus and return to essential service and workforce restrictions.
• The College will expect to move forward and backward between the above phases, and to respond with targeted shutdowns of impacted buildings/areas if a person with COVID-19 is confirmed to have been on campus, to clean/disinfect/contact trace in consultation with local health officials.
• The College will make a checklist of tasks that stopped during the previous shutdown in order to “reverse engineer” the closing and be prepared for any future campus-wide closings. (See the checklist that appears in the next section.)
• The College should be ready to deploy distance learning modalities with as few employees on campus as possible, to instruct only those who have been designated as essential staff to report to work, and to transition to distance working for all non-essential staff as per the March 15, 2020 message from the Chancellor.
  • This should include readiness to deploy targeted distance learning modalities if necessary due to targeted shutdowns of particular buildings/areas impacted by COVID-19.
• The College will have effective approval processes to enable staff to request supervisor approval for telecommuting, in accordance with campus telecommuting policies as per the March 15, 2020 message from the Chancellor.
  • This should include targeted use of telecommuting if necessary due to targeted shutdowns of particular buildings/areas impacted by COVID-19.
  • All supervisors should maintain structures and channels that will enable employees to do their jobs remotely, and to ensure that all hardware and software is fully functional.
  • Supervisors should implement remote check-in plans, and all employees should receive details about their work schedules and other expectations of job performance for the duration of the arrangement.

Shutting Down

• With a confirmed COVID-19 case on campus, the campus will consider a short class suspension of up to 7 days for areas in which the positive occupant was present (see Part 2, Section III.B. Tracing, Tracking, and Isolation), along with building and facility closure to clean and disinfect (see Part 2, Section III.B. Tracing, Tracking, and Isolation > Enhanced Cleaning). The campus should also contact the NYS Contact Tracer Initiative in consultation with local/State officials. Shutdowns may involve a rolling campus closure (e.g., of 14–28 days) as required by internal and external monitoring criteria.
• Updated 09/21: In the event of a campus-wide shutdown or a targeted shutdown of particular areas on a campus, school presidents and deans can decide at their discretion what facilities, such as libraries and laboratories, are essential.
  • Managers of CUNY staff who are not able to remotely perform all of their job duties should look for ways to minimize everyone’s potential exposure, including: where possible, combining remote and on-premises work; staggering schedules to enable employees to use public transit during off-peak times; implementing staffing rotations; condensing work weeks, with more hours but fewer days as during the summer; and, for those who are working on-site, utilizing stringent social-distance strategies, as per the March 15, 2020 message from the Chancellor.
  • To minimize the risk to essential staff (including IT personnel, custodians, public safety officers, and facilities staff), general access to campus areas that are closed should be limited to the extent possible (e.g., access to impacted areas should be limited except by appointment). Campuses can be contacted for specific information as per the March 20, 2020, message from the Chancellor.
• New 09/21: The college will establish protocols for ramping down research and moving to remote work if necessary.

Campus Ramp-Down Checklist

This checklist will be used to restrict on campus activities to those that are absolutely necessary to retain critical operations such as facilities, research, and laboratory viability, such as:

• Care for animals, cell cultures or biological specimens.
• Proper and secure storage of chemicals, reagents and sensitive, perishable supplies and material.
• Maintaining equipment and facilities that cannot be maintained remotely or shut down without significant cost or consequences to operations or research.

The reduction of on campus activities to be implemented immediately when a ramp down threshold has been reached (see ramp down thresholds for each phase).

This checklist may not address every consideration that must be taken within your department/laboratory. Please contact the Campus Coordinator with any questions concerning the prompt and safe suspension of activities and related hazards within your department/laboratory.

Preparing

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Identify all non-critical activities that can be ramped down, curtailed, suspended or delayed. Including require timeframe to safely complete the task.
Identify all critical activities, including but not limited to time required to maintain facilities, equipment, and critical research.
Identify primary and backup personnel able to safely perform essential activities.

Communications

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Create an emergency contact list of department personnel. Include principal investigators (PIs), Public Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, and Campus Facilities as applicable.
Ensure the contact list is saved where it can be remotely accessed by everyone in the department and a copy sent to College Campus Coordinator or designated personnel. Include home and cell phone numbers.
Test your phone tree or email group to facilitate emergency communication amongst department personnel, PIs and student workers/researchers as applicable.
For instructional and research laboratories ensure that the chemical inventories and associated hazards are up to date and specifics inspection logs accessible (e.g., peroxide formers).

Shipping/Receiving

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Procurement of new orders are to be limited to items needed to support minimal critical functions.
If possible, cancel orders for non-essential materials if they have not yet shipped.
Plan ahead for any outgoing hazmat shipments, both on the shipping and receiving end.
Notify the receiving/mail services department (718-482-5565) of any expected incoming shipments. Include storage requirement upon arrival on campus.
Plan ahead for any dry ice shipments and ensure they are properly stored.

Laboratories (Instructional)

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Freeze down any biological stock material for long term storage.
Consolidate storage of valuable perishable items within storage units that have backup generator systems.
Secure all hazardous materials in long-term storage. Label and securely cap every container.
Ensure all flammables are stored in flammable storage cabinets.
Ensure that all items are labeled appropriately. All working stocks of materials must be labeled with the full name of its contents and include hazards.
Remove all chemicals and glassware from bench tops and fume hoods and store in cabinets or appropriate shelving.
Remove and properly discard any contents within the refrigerator that will spoil over time.
Request waste pickup of peroxide forming compounds or other chemicals that may become unstable over time. Peroxide forming compounds must be tested prior to pick up.
Remove infectious materials from biosafety cabinets, and autoclave, disinfect, or safely store them as appropriate.
Confirm inventory of controlled substances (including syringes and needles) and toxins of biological origin. Document in logbook.
Secure controlled substances according to DEA regulations. Consider additional measures to restrict access to controlled substances.

Physical Hazards

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Close gas valves. If possible, shut off gas to area.
Turn off appliances, equipment, and computers (not associated with remote access). Unplug if possible.
Secure compressed gas cylinders and store in upright position. Remove regulators and use cylinder cap to secure the valve.
Protect against flooding from broken pipes. Elevate chemicals, materials, supplies, equipment, personal items and electrical wires, off of the floor.
Check that equipment requiring uninterrupted electrical power is connected to an Uninterrupted Power Supply and/or emergency power.

Equipment

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Prepare equipment if routine upkeep is required, ensure proper schedule and access is approved.
Check that refrigerator, freezer, and incubator doors are tightly closed.
Fume hoods: Clear the hood of all hazards, allowing for proper airflow and shut the sash.
Review proper shut down procedures and measures to prevent surging.
Shut down and unplug sensitive electric equipment.

Decontamination

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Decontaminate/sanitize areas of the lab as you would do routinely at the end of the day.
Decontaminate/sanitize and clean any reusable materials.
Document a contamination survey if you have a radioactive material permit for unsealed material.

Waste Management

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Collect and label all hazardous chemical waste in satellite accumulation areas (SAAs). Segregate incompatible chemicals (e.g., in plastic secondary bins or trays).
Request non-regulated or chemical hazardous waste to be collected.
Collect all solid biological waste in appropriate containers. If your lab does not have a routine bio-waste pick up schedule a waste pick-up.
Collect radioactive waste in appropriate waste containers and schedule a waste pick up.
Properly discard unwanted, non-hazardous chemicals.

Security

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Lock all entrances to the lab and office. Ensure key personnel supporting critical functions have approved access.
Ensure Public Safety is aware of who will be accessing the labs and facility for critical functions.
Close all windows.
Secure lab notebooks, personal items and other data.
If DEA/NYSDOH Controlled Substances are needed during wind-down or animal emergencies, ensure that those performing the essential tasks are authorized and know how to access.

General Area

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
Remove all perishable and open food items from the lab’s break areas, lockers, and personal spaces.
Perform general housekeeping.

Facilities

Task	Complete or N/A	Notes
HVAC and temperature control in vital areas (e.g., IT closet).

Distance Learning Guidelines and Tools (Updated 11/21, from CUNY)

General

• At the initiation of CUNY-wide or campus-wide closure, the college will begin fully online programs and courses. Faculty, students and staff should be prepared to operate in full distance education mode until such time as a decision to reopen is made.
  • The College will draw on their earlier experience in which 95 percent of CUNY’s 50,000 course sections were converted to distance learning instruction and 95 percent of CUNY faculty and staff worked remotely.
  • Distance learning, and student support services to be provided remotely include mental health counseling; advisement; library, enrollment management, and career engagement services; student life; development; and inclusion programming.
    • Move libraries online, eliminate fines, support learning and research.
  • Deliver distance education in accordance with the regulatory requirements provided by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) (including responding to all mandatory requirements such as the MSCHE Annual Institutional Update), and the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Refer to the Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses page, section on ‘Accreditation and Regulatory’ issues for details.
• The college will decide which functions need to remain open; e.g. the library, the day-care center, and mission critical venues supporting our students.
  • Specific programs, such as those requiring on-site skills assessment or campus laboratory access to meet licensing or accreditation requirements that require interim campus access to support critical programming should be allowed to request approval by the President and be subject to social distancing provisions. See the Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses page, section on Distance Learning & Reopening Plans for details.
  • If the course’s learning outcomes cannot ultimately be achieved via distance learning and cannot adhere to social distancing requirements, the course could resume once the closure is lifted, at which time faculty and students would work to make up for lost time. Given the circumstances, students could also opt to do withdraw from the course, or receive a grade of incomplete if appropriate. For in-progress continuing education courses, colleges should communicate options available to students who decide to drop or cannot continue with coursework. See the Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses page, section on ‘Financial Aid and Other Types of Support’ for details.

Technology Platforms, Tools & Resources for Distance Learning

• The college will continue to support professional development opportunities for faculty and staff on effective online teaching and provision of remote student support services.
• The college will continue to purchase tablets and laptops for students who need it in order to continue to fully participate in distance learning. Students will be encouraged to take advantage of current offers by cellular carriers and internet service providers to provide fee in-home broadband and mobile hotspot services.
• Numerous technology tools are available to support campus stuff who need to work from a remote location. Systems and services, used by staff and administrators, include on-line access from anywhere to CUNYfirst, DegreeWorks, Blackboard, Microsoft Office 365 for Education, Dropbox and WebEx.
• CUNY’s Virtual Desktop environment provides students, faculty, and staff with remote access to some of the software products commonly found in computer labs at the  College.
• CUNY’s academic systems, including its learning management platform Blackboard and Cloud collaboration tools Microsoft Office 365 for Education and Dropbox and EAB Navigate, can be helpful ways to delivery academic instruction in a remote/ online manner.
• The college will consult CUNY’s Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses for recommendations for vendor relationships to be examined in the context of a closure:
  • Hostos will consider the need to update contract terms with any vendors used to support telecommunicating and virtual classrooms.
  • Determine any Cloud-based Adobe License’s that need to be expanded for students.
  • Use available assistive technology services to  increase the accessibility of online learning.
  • Ensure that essential platforms (e.g. Blackboard) are universally compatible with students’ personal devices.
  • Work with vendors to address any data capacity issues that may arise as more users migrate to online platforms.

Academic Policies and Requirements (Updated 11/21)

The section on Academic Policies, Requirements, and Deadlines in the Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses, provides up to date guidance during shut-down scenarios on:

• Grade Policy
• Student Progress and Discipline
• Graduation
• Admissions Policy

Support of Specific Populations: Equity and Inclusion (Updated 11/21)

• Hostos Community College will offer mental health and wellness services to students via tele-counseling and tele-health in a manner consistent with services provided on campus under regular circumstances. If necessary, these services may be scaled up to meet increased demand.
• Protocols will be set to accommodate international students.
• Academic policies will be determined for Student Veterans, National Guard & Reservists who may face difficulty in completing their studies if called to active duty.
• Hostos will address the needs and ensure accommodations for students with disabilities.
  • The college will consult the variety of University-wide guides and tutorials for faculty members to help make their online content accessible to students with disabilities.
  • The CUNY Assistive Technology Services (CATS) and Media Accessibility Project (MAP)support CUNY students with disabilities with software available to students for free at-home use.
    • The guide “Reasonable Accommodations: A Faculty Guide for Teaching Students with Disabilities” was developed specifically for CUNY faculty and includes helpful information in accommodating students with disabilities in distance learning, including Technology n the Classroom. Additional considerations for accommodating students with disabilities can be found at Considerations for Reopening Facilities & Services in Stages.
• CUNY Start/ Math Start, CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP), and the Adult Literacy Program should once again move their instruction online.
• Pursue campaigns that promote greater engagement with training aimed to reduce sexual violence (such as CUNY’s SPARC training).
• Adult and Continuing Education Programs.
  • Hostos Community College’s Contenting Education and Workforce Development programs will activate existing and new training programs to address immediate workforce priorities.
  • For information on Employer/ Employee Resources Related to the Impact of COVID-19 and Adult & Continuing Education Financial Management, refer to the Academic Continuity Guidance on Adult and Continuing Education.
  • Greater detail can be found by referring to the Student Success, Equity & Inclusion section of CUNY’s Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses(OAA Continuity).

Continuity for Students and Student Life (Updated 11/21)

Research

Updated guidance on research-related continuity can be found in the Research Continuity section in the most recent Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses webpage.

Internships

Information on Legal Guidance for Internship Agreements, Guidance for Credit-bearing Internships, Guidance for CUNY Students Working in Internships, Guidance for Campus-Based Internship, see the Guidance on Academic Continuity section on Internships.

Clinical Placements

For information on NYS Contact Tracer Initiative, NYC Resource Navigators, Clinical Placements in Education Programs, Health Professions Credit Considerations for Clinical and Field Experiences, and Clinical Placements – HHS Programs, see the Guidance on Academic Continuity section on Clinical Placements.

Fees, Financial Aid and Other Types of Support (Updated 11/21)

The College, in coordination with the Central Office of CUNY, will provide additional support to students in the event of another shutdown. The Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses, Financial Aid and Other Types of Support section and Student Payment Modifications section, provides up to date guidance during shut-down scenarios on:

• Financial Support
• Student Activity Fee Policy
• Student Payment Modifications

Continuity for Staff and HR Issues (Updated 11/21)

Protocol for Establishing Essential Personnel

• The President of Hostos Community College will determine which personnel are needed on campus. Essential personnel are defined as anyone whose job function is essential to the effective operation of their agency or authority, or who must be physically present to perform their job, or who is involved in the COVID-19 emergency response. Many employees who have been deemed essential, but whose jobs can and will be performed remotely, if so authorized by their supervisor. Members of the college community who can be expected to be classified as essential employees may shift over time depending on the needs of Hostos Community College, the University, the city and the state.
• If Hostos Community College is required to close, the college will consult with the University on an extension of the notification deadline for reappointments and non-reappointments of adjuncts and on-teaching adjuncts, and adding provisions as agreed with the PSC (e.g. allowing full-time faculty and adjuncts to hold office hours through distance technology). Refer to the Guidance on Academic Continuity to Campuses, section on Shared Governance and HR Issues, for details.
• Only supervisors have the authority to determine if an employee can telecommute. Therefore, it is essential that all supervisors and department heads, whether they work on the teaching or non-instructional faculty or professional staff maintain a steady and open line of communication with their teams to ensure that expectations are communicated in a clear manner. As circumstances are subject to change on the ground, the President may change the composition of those employees designated essential to meet the academic and operational needs of Hostos Community College.

Guidelines for Flexible Work Arrangements/ Remote Work Guidelines

• If needed, a full conversion to distance education is intended to dramatically reduce the density of the City and the Hostos Community College campus. To maximize the number of employees who could telecommute or otherwise significantly limit their time on campus, the college will once again implement flexible work arrangements, even extending them to many employees whose services have been deemed essential. These guidelines have the goal of minimizing faculty and staff exposure to the virus and maximizing social distancing as part of community mitigation strategies by the CDC. Some of the remote work accommodations include; flexible scheduling, telecommuting, staggered work shifts and condensed workweeks.
• Managers are instructed to remain as flexible and accommodating as possible. As these Guidelines are implemented, managers are instructed to work closely with the Director of HR to communicate clear expectations and maintain continuous support and supervision. Accommodations will be made for any employee who is in a high-risk category for COVID-19 or anyone who shares a household with a person in a high-risk category. These individuals, including those who have been deemed essential, should communicate their circumstances to their supervisors and to the Hostos Human Resources office.

Additional details of the communications plan can be found in a separate document (00.1-CampusReopeningCommunicationPlan).

Communications (Updated 11/21)

In the event that the University may be required to scale back on-site operations or reclose a building, a campus or the university, CUNY will continue to use its two-pronged communications: centralized communications from the chancellery and the provost’s office on policy and information important to the University community as a whole and campus specific communications on information relevant to the campus specific plan.

Communications should include:

• Sharing information with staff, students, and faculty without increasing fear and stigma.
• Communicating steps being taken to prepare and how additional information will be shared.
• Communication changes to campus schedules or functions, and any resources to help the community to adjust to new campus behaviors.
• Communicating information students/ faculty/ staff can use to protect themselves from infection, and the actions taken by the University to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (e.g. disinfection routine, health policies for staff, and health & safety measures in place).
• Establishing formal and informal routes of communication for students/ faculty/ staff to express concerns, questions, comments, and feedback.

Key Messages (Updated 09/21)

These key messages—and their supporting messages—form the core of what we want our community to “hear” when we communicate with them about COVID-19 and the pandemic. Our key messages are the same for all audiences.

• We’re working to protect everyone on campus from COVID-19 during the pandemic.
  • We have guidelines and procedures in place to prevent the spread of illness on our campus.
  • We’re following all current rules and regulations that the State of New York and CUNY Central Office have in place.
  • Updated 09/21: We’re keeping an eye on current standards and safety, and will update what we’re doing if the CDC, New York State Department of Health, or CUNY Central Office makes changes.
  • Updated 09/21: We’ll continue to support distance learning and remote work as needed to help us keep the number of people on campus at a safe level.
• We need your help to protect our community and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
  • Our campus guidelines during COVID-19 are for everyone; each of us must do what we can to help protect all of us.
  • We need everyone in our community to come together and support each other, even if we stay physically apart.

Communications by Focus Area (Updated 09/21)

General communications and awareness

As new areas begin to be reopened on campus, broad communications will be sent out to inform the community of changes and updates. (Outgoing communication)

Audience: General audience, including students, faculty, staff, visitors, parents/guardians, alumni, donors, and the general public.

• Website: hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • /ready will be revamped to serve as the main vehicle for communicating policies and procedures related to college operations.
  • We’ll also work with IT to see what needs to be done to add information to Caiman Bot.
  • Updated 09/21: Website content will be reviewed regularly (schedule of review depends on changes to guidance, protocols, operations, or other information).
  • Online feedback form
• Signage
  • Primarily for anyone visiting the campus, but written for a general audience
  • Specific signage information appears in the Signage Plan (Attachment B).
  • The outdoor screen on the A Building may also be used.
  • Signs will be added or updated based on what’s needed for the phase of reopening.
• Social Media
  • Regular announcements on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter will amplify what’s posted to the website, and will refer people back to the webpage for additional information.

Audience: Faculty & Staff

• Hostos Distribution email messages from college President or COVID-19 Communications email address.
  • Weekly and/or monthly messages that amplify information on the website
  • New information will be sent out as needed.

Audience: Prospective students, Degree students, CEWD (non-degree) students.

• Hobsons, Succeed@Hostos, Blackboard, Student Distribution, Caiman Clues
  • Prospective students, applicants will receive messages via emails and/or text message from Admissions via Hobsons.
  • Degree students will receive emails and text messages from SDEM, advisement offices, or information through Caiman Clues.
  • Updated 09/21: Information for students will be posted on Blackboard by OAA/EdTech.
  • Updated 09/21: Information for students will be sent by Health and Wellness.
• We’ll work with CEWD to identify relevant communications channels ASAP.
  • Weekly and/or monthly messages that amplify information on the website.
  • New information will be sent out as needed.
• Hostos Commons
  • Work with EdTech to links degree students to relevant pages on the main website

Reopening Plan and General Governance

A new page will be developed at hostos.cuny.edu/ready to provide details on the reopening plan, campus safety protocols, and governance information. (Outgoing and incoming communication)

Audience: General audience, including students, faculty, staff, visitors, parents/guardians, alumni, donors, and the general public.

• Website: hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • The page will be used to share which activities and services that have resumed on campus, and how to access them. The page will also have information to help everyone access services that continue remotely.
  • Online feedback form to get comments (incoming communication) that can help us make improvements or changes to reopening.
  • A planning page will be developed that details what the health conditions/triggers are for reopening at each phase; lists reopening committee and reopening communication team members; and hosts reopening plan and communications plan documents.
  • Links to CUNY, NYSDOH, NYC, and CDC guidelines will be shared.
  • This page will be linked to directly from the homepage. We’ll also identify other pages that should include a direct link to this page.
• New 09/21: Hostos Distribution and Student Distribution Lists:
  • Campus-wide emails will amplify important information posted to the website and refer people back to the webpage for additional information.
• Social media:
  • Posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter will amplify important information posted to the website and refer people back to the webpage for additional information.
• Feedback forms (on website & paper) and emails to the COVID-19 communications (covid19@hostos.cuny.edu).
  • Outgoing communications will advertise these mechanisms for feedback.
  • To be determined: how we'll make the paper feedback form available to complete and submit.
  • One or more Communications Team members will be responsible for managing feedback and handing associated tasks, including addressing concerns and forwarding messages to the campus coordinator, campus liaison, or others as needed.
  • We’ll also consider organizing virtual events in the future to allow for further community input.

On-Campus Safety Protocols

This information will include what the college is doing to keep everyone safe, and what we’ll each need to do when visiting the campus to keep each other safe. (Outgoing communication)

Audience: General audience, including students, faculty, staff, visitors, parents/guardians, alumni, donors, and the general public

• Website: hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • A new page will be located at Hostos/ready/safe campus.
  • Information will be available about what services are available on campus during current (and upcoming) phase, and who is and is not permitted on campus during the current phase. (In particular, this will specify that unannounced/unapproved visitors are not permitted on campus at this time.)
  • Additional information in this section will include the following:
    • What people can expect when visiting the campus, including requirements that everyone use a face covering, keep appropriate physical distance from others, have no COVID-19 symptoms or exposure, and complete any mandatory training.
      • Requirements that staff and faculty gain approval from Public Safety about planned essential visitors to coordinate screening, tracing, and cleaning & disinfecting processes.
      • How we’ll handle people who don’t follow campus safety rules about face coverings, physical distancing, and other behaviors, and who to speak with if you see someone that isn’t.
    • Information about pre-visit and entrance protocols, such health check-ins to screen for people who may have COVID-19 (or another infectious disease), proof of vaccination, or COVID-19 testing.
    • Who to contact if you feel sick on campus or off campus, how you can get tested for COVID-19, and what happens if someone tests positive.
    • Changes to campus facilities, plus new, enhanced, or continued procedures:
      • Information about changes to movement through and use of entrances & exits, lobbies, hallways, staircases, elevators, and rooms. (Information about specific areas will be provided as needed.)
      • Limits on the number of people in an area, including elevators and restrooms, plus areas that are closed
      • Ventilation and air handling systems.
      • Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols for housekeeping, and information for staff, faculty, & students to clean shared surfaces and workspaces.
      • What signage and decals are posted across our campus.
    • Training information:
      • CUNY-wide training coordinated by Human Resources, as relevant.
      • Specific trainings coordinated by the Campus Liaison or Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
    • Recommendations for commuting safely to/from campus, with the recognition that many in our campus community rely on public transit.
    • How we’ll handle ramping down or reclosing, if necessary.
    • Feedback forms.
• Social Media
  • Posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter will amplify important information posted to the website and refer people back to the webpage for additional information.
• Signage
  • Signs will be posted in high visibility areas and will include specific protocols and behaviors where needed.
  • Many of the signs include the COVID-19 communications email address (covid19@hostos.cuny.edu) for people to submit questions and comments.
  • Select signs will direct people to the website for more details.

Audience: All faculty, staff, & students.

• Distribution lists or other email lists
  • A detailed "arriving on campus" message (targeted to specific mailing list), which includes requirements for coming on campus, including public health behaviors, any required training.
  • Messages will remind staff and faculty that Public Safety must be informed about planned essential visitors to coordinate screening, tracing, and cleaning & disinfecting processes, and that Public Safety must provide approval for those visitors in advance
  • Messages will advertise the / ready website as a hub for information.

Audience: Faculty and staff scheduled to be on campus (including those involved with a course taking place on campus).

• Direct emails
  • Updated 09/21: Reminder messages that staff & faculty must complete required training from Human Resources, as relevant.
  • Updated 09/21: Reminders of new protocols for coming on campus will be sent by Public Safety when responding to visit requests.

Audience: Students registered for a course taking place on campus

• Emails and other messages based on lists for degree students from the Registrar, and non-degree students from CEWD
  • Reminder messages that students must complete training, as relevant.
  • Reminders of new protocols for coming on campus.

Distance Learning and Student Services Communications

Audience: Students and prospective students

• Website: hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • Updated 09/21: We’ll update and maintain links to relevant webpages to support students with distance learning and support.
  • We’ll link to CUNY information on academic continuity for additional guidance.
• Distribution list emails
  • Emails will point students to the website for information.

Audience: Faculty & Staff

• Website: hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • Updated 09/21: We’ll update and maintain links to relevant webpages to support faculty with resources for distance education.
  • We’ll link to CUNY information on academic continuity for additional guidance.
  • A page will gather remote work resources for faculty & staff.
    • Technology solutions & training.
    • Employee resources including Human Resources & payroll information.
• Distribution list emails
  • Emails will point faculty & staff to the website for information.

Audience: General Audience

• Social Media
  • Posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter will amplify important information posted to the website and refer people back to the webpage for additional information.

Training Communication

Audience: General audience

• Website: hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • Provide information about CUNY-wide training coordinated by Human Resources, as relevant.
  • Provide information about the specific trainings coordinated by the Campus Liaison/Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
  • Determine if there is general content we can curate from trusted sources, including the CDC, NYSDOH, and NYCDOHMH.
  • Training information:
    • CUNY-wide training coordinated by Human Resources.

Audience: Faculty and staff scheduled to be on campus (including those involved with a course taking place on campus).

• Direct emails
  • Reminder messages that staff & faculty must complete required training, as relevant.
  • Information about specific trainings that will be coordinated by the Campus Liaison/Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

Mental Health Communication

Audience: General audience, but targeted to students, faculty, staff

• Website: hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • Develop sub-page of coronavirus web-section that draws attention to the importance of mental health during the pandemic and expands on links already available
  • Highlight mental health resources, including anxiety about traveling to/from campus and around distance education
  • Supplement mental health content of webpage with resources: Encourage employees and students to take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media if they are feeling overwhelmed or distressed; Promote employees and students eating healthy, exercising, getting sleep and finding time to unwind; Encourage employees and students to talk with people they trust about their concerns and how they are feeling; provide phone number for Statewide Mental Health Hotline
  • Additional content will be developed in the future, through collaboration with Health & Wellness and Human Resources.
• Social Media
  • Posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter will amplify important information posted to the website and refer people back to the webpage for additional information.

Confirmed Case Communications (Updated 09/21)

• Updated 09/21: The Communications Team may work with the Campus Coordinator, Campus Liaison, and CUNY Central to prepare and distribute communications in the event a case is confirmed on campus, as determined by CUNY protocol.
  • Contract tracing: Messages to notify individual students about exposure to a confirmed cases will be sent by the College Nurse. Messages to notify individual staff and faculty about exposure will be sent by Human Resources.
• Updated 09/21: As per CUNY guidance, the Communications Team may send out general messages to the campus community through email, and post information online as needed. The Communications Team plays a supportive role and will not be directly involved in contact tracing communications.
• The Communications Team will use a template to inform the campus community about confirmed cases. This template will be prepared and updated by the college and approved by CUNY Central Office before use.
• Updated 09/21: College-wide updates of positive case numbers may be posted on the New York State Dashboard or a CUNY-managed website. They are not posted on the website or social media channels.
  • In addition to contact tracing efforts and depending on CUNY protocols, the College may communicate to the Campus Reopening Committee and campus at large on instances where someone who tests positive for COVID-19 has been on campus.
    • As of August 25, 2021, CUNY publishes safety metrics through its COVID-19 Safety Tracker. Results are listed by campus/facility and include data from its testing pool (including unvaccinated faculty, staff, and students coming on campus) and self-reported positive cases (results from outside of the University’s program/sites). Note that confirmed cases on campus are no longer broadcast through Collegewide emails.
    • If the New York State School COVID Report Card is in use, cases where the individual was not on campus are not communicated but will appear on the College’s COVID-19 Report Card page. (Note: As of August 2021, this dashboard is no longer updated by New York State.)
• For confirmed cases that result in partial or full closures, see Emergency Closing Communications plan.

Ramp Down/Shut Down Communications (Updated 09/21)

• Updated 09/21: The Emergency Closing Communications Plan will be deployed if a ramp down or shut down of the campus is deemed necessary (as per CUNY guidelines).
• The Campus Coordinator will communicate the decision to scale back or close operations to Communications Team.
• Updated 09/21: The Communications Team will prepare communications to the campus community aligned with other COVID-19 messaging and in consultation with CUNY Central Office. This message will provide details on the closure (date, location) and relevant operational changes.
• Partial and Full Closure communications may include but are not limited to:
  • CUNY Alert
  • top banner on Hostos homepage
  • hostos.cuny.edu/ready
  • distribution list email to faculty, staff, students
  • email/text messages via Hobsons, Succeed@Hostos to students
  • email to CEWD students
  • social media
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
  • automated message on main phone line

Timeline (Updated 09/21)

We are in the middle of situation with many unknowns and a chance that things can change rapidly. The following information addresses messages—based on the above list of Communications by Focus Area—we expect to share in the coming weeks and months.

Universal signage: Current and ongoing

Signage (Attachment B) will be posted across campus before reopening to meet basic needs for the campus and revised as necessary.

Campus Reopening Update: August 2020

Once the Hostos Campus Reopening Plan and Communications Plan are approved by Central Office, we’ll begin sharing messages across platforms that will focus on educating them on what they can expect in the first phase of reopening.

Information will be posted online, and content will be distributed through email and social media to address which services and facilities will reopen first, what new procedures and rules will be in place, and the guidelines we’ll be following.

The majority of staff will continue to work remotely part or full-time, and almost all teaching and learning will take place off-campus. We’ll review the information online supporting this, and work with IT and EdTech to make changes if necessary. We’ll also work with Human Resources and SDEM to send separate reminders to our campus community about the required CUNY-wide training that must be completed via Blackboard.

At this time, we’ll also begin to share what we hope to resume at each phase—with the recognition that the exact dates are unknown—and how we’ll prepare for a possible ramp down or reclosing of the campus if there’s a positive COVID-19 case on campus.

Start of Semester Update: Late August or early September 2020

An email message will be sent out to welcome everyone back, virtually, as a standalone message or by the college President. The information we post or amplify will include reminders about what services and areas are open, plus procedures and rules for visiting the campus.

This message will also be an opportunity to provide information supporting the mental health of our community as we start a new semester of distance education and remote work.

Phase 2 Reopening Update: Planned July and August 2021

Once the Phase 2 revisions to the Hostos Campus Reopening Plan are approved by Central Office, we’ll begin sharing messages across platforms that will focus on educating them on what they can expect in the second phase of reopening.

Information will be posted online, and content will be distributed through email and social media to address which services and facilities will reopen first, what new procedures and rules will be in place, and the guidelines we’ll be following.

Most staff and faculty will return to work on a part-time basis, and additional teaching and learning will return to campus. We’ll review the information online supporting this, and work with IT and EdTech to make changes if necessary. We’ll also work with Human Resources and SDEM to send separate reminders to our campus community about the required CUNY-wide training that must be completed via Blackboard.

At this time, we’ll also continue to share what is included in Phase 2 reopening (expected start on August 2, 2021), what health and safety measures have been undertaken by the College, campus guidelines for those coming on campus, and how we’ll prepare for a possible ramp down or reclosing of the campus (Attachment F) if necessary.

Campus Health Updates

General email messages may be sent out approximately once a week, on the same day of the week. The recommendation—originally from a Reopening Committee member—is to do so even if the message simply notifies the campus community that there have been no significant changes. In a time of uncertainty, where we may feel a lack control over the situation around us, offering something predictable can help. It’ll also remind the campus that we’re regularly reviewing all the available information. This email also provides us with a consistent opportunity to amplify a message within this communication campaign.

• Fall 2020: Because most operations continued remotely during Phase 1, a limited number of general email messages were sent. The messages that were sent were primarily used to amplify messages within this communication campaign and campus protocols. Messages were sent through the COVID-19 Communications email address to the Hostos Distribution list (staff and faculty) and current student distribution list, with additional copies to key personnel at CUNY Central Office
• Spring 2021:
  • During the semester, weekly campus reopening information has been included in a President’s Office newsletter, El Semanario Hostosiano/The Hostos Weekly. Information for the week is prepared by close of business Mondays for inclusion in that Friday’s newsletter. El Semanario is distributed by the President’s Office email address and other college communications channels.
  • Additional messages to highlight information about campus protocols and campus reopening have been sent out, particularly as we prepare the college community for additional on-campus activity before and during the Fall 2021 semester (Phase 2, starting August 2021). Messages are sent through the COVID-19 Communications email address to the Hostos Distribution list (staff and faculty) and current student distribution list.
  • Messages advertising relevant community events (e.g., informational events, temporary vaccination sites) have also been distributed to the campus through the COVID-19 Communications email address.

Updated 09/21: If campus updates on confirmed cases are sent by the college, they will be sent as soon as possible and when needed. Content of these emails is based on a template, and general details are added and reviewed by the Campus Liaison and CUNY Central Office before distribution. Messages are sent through the COVID-19 Communications email address to the Hostos Distribution list (staff and faculty) and current student distribution list, with additional copies to key personnel at CUNY Central Office.

Future communications

Additional messages will be added as needed, to address concerns that arise. Specific details will be added to a later version of the Communications Plan, when more information is available.

NEW YORK STATE MANDATORY HEALTH SCREENING PROTOCOL AT HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Purpose

The information below establishes the criteria for safe management and performance of the New York State (NYS) mandated health screening at Hostos Community College (HCC).

State agencies and authorities are required to designate select employees to conduct these screenings.

Note: If daily health screenings (as outlined below) are not required by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), the following may occur:

• Similar protocols for the College may be established and implemented according to CUNY guidelines
• The College may employ other pre-visit and entrance protocols such as proof of vaccination or COVID-19 testing.

Procedure

Designated Screeners:

• Screeners must be a mid-level supervisor or a health care professional.
• Prior to conducting screening activities, screener must complete the New York State COVID-19 Daily Screening Program Information for Screeners by logging in to their CUNY BlackBoard account.
  • For assistance with accessing or completing the training, contact Hermina Reyes (718-518-6857) in the Human Resources Office, at hreyes@hostos.cuny.edu.

Records Management

• Screeners are required to maintain a record of all staff who are screened, as well as if the screening was passed or if the employee was instructed to return home.
• Screeners must only disclose information about sick individuals to the Director of Human Resources, or his designees, and the designated Coronavirus Campus Liaison.
  • Screeners and the College cannot share any specific health data that can personally identify an individual. Health information (e.g., temperature) must not be collected by screeners.
• All paper records must be secured in a locked office, or drawer, when not directly in use. Electronic documents must be saved and used only on HCC IT approved devices.

Screening Procedures (Updated 09/21)

When mandated by New York State, all students, faculty, staff, and visitors entering HCC-owned or leased premise must be screened prior to arrival on campus except in emergency situations.

Updated 09/21: CUNY discontinued the use of the Everbridge Daily Symptom Checker effective August 16, 2021, and of Everbridge Vax Pass effective September 27, 2021.

Daily Symptom Screenings (Updated 09/21)

• Updated 09/21: Daily screenings of symptoms are managed through Everbridge. Students, faculty, and staff are required to complete the Everbridge Health screening prior to coming to campus through one of the following methods:
  • Screening through the Everbridge app Daily Symptom Checker. The app is completed prior to arriving on campus; approval is confirmed upon arrival on campus and temperature is taken by the screener.
  • Screening with the Everbridge Daily Symptom Checker emails. The email questionnaire is completed prior to arriving on campus; approval is confirmed upon arrival on campus and temperature is taken by the screener.
• Screening must be performed before employees report to their office or work location. Employees must be re-screened every 12 hours if they continue to work on campus.
• All individuals must show that they have received a “Access Approved” designation through the Everbridge Health Screening before they are allowed to enter any Hostos facility. (“Access Approved” indicates the individual answered “No” to all daily health screening questions.)
• Additional temperature checks will be completed by screeners are completed at building entrances. The temperature check should be completed within the first hour of reporting to work.
• Visitors and Third-Party Business Associates:
  • Visitors, third party contractors, and service providers are not allowed on campus without a prior appointment until further notice.
  • All such individuals permitted on campus are expected to complete a health screening upon arrival on campus.
• If any of an individual’s answers to the daily health screening questions change to “Yes” after the screening or while at work (indicating they suspect they have been exposed to or have symptoms of COVID-19), they should inform a supervisor and wait for further instructions.
• In addition to completion of a health screening through Everbridge, every person who wishes to enter the campus must show proof that they are fully vaccinated or have had a recent negative COVID-19 test. This requirement (beginning no later than August 25, 2021, and following CUNY protocol) is in addition to completing a health screening and temperature check.
  • All CUNY students must be fully vaccinated to attend in-person classes in Fall 2021. Exceptions will be made for religious and medical exemptions, as required by law.
  • All students, faculty, staff, and visitors coming to campus will be required to utilize the New York State Excelsior Pass to confirm proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative result from a recent COVID-19 test. Individuals unable to use the Excelsior Pass will be asked to confirm proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test result using other means.
  • Negative COVID-19 tests are required weekly or within the last seven (7) days.
  • Faculty, staff, and students who have tested positive for COVID-19 will not be required to test for 90 days. They will resume the required COVID-19 testing frequency after that period and must share proof of a negative test within that time period or note from a medical doctor.

Protocol for Designated Screeners to Safely Check an Individual’s Temperature On Site:

• Perform hand hygiene as per instructions in the training video.
• Put on the supplied personal protective equipment (PPE). A face mask and a single pair of disposable gloves.
• Check the individual’s temperature using the provided no contact thermometer
• You can keep the PPE on to screen more than one individual at a time.
• Once all temperatures are taken:
  • Disinfect the thermometer with an alcohol wipe before sharing or returning for storage.
  • Facemasks are to be disposed at the end of your shift, or when damaged or soiled.
  • Face-shields and safety glasses can be reused after disinfecting before and after use.
• Perform hand hygiene as frequently as possible, and before touching any part of your face.

Verification of Vaccination or Negative COVID-19 Tests (Updated 09/21)

Updated 09/21: Every visitor to Hostos campus, whether accessing indoor or outdoor spaces, must provide proof to Hostos that they (i) are fully vaccinated or (ii) have had a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test performed by an accredited lab no more than 7 days prior to the visit.

• CUNY may mandate proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test as part of its pre-visit and building entrance protocols. This requirement may either: A. be implemented in addition to health screenings through Everbridge, or B. replace the Everbridge health screening process.
  • Based on CDC guidance, CUNY may stop entry screening (Everbridge self-reporting) and rely on individuals to stay home when they are sick. Beginning August 2021, CUNY will end use of Everbridge daily health screenings and switch to requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
• All students, faculty, staff, and visitors coming to campus may be required to utilize the New York State Excelsior Pass to confirm proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative result from a recent COVID-19 test. Individuals who do not or cannot use the Excelsior Pass (such as those vaccinated outside of New York State) will be asked to confirm proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test result using other means.
• Updated 09/21: Pre-visit/building entrance protocols employing proof of vaccination or COVID-19 testing are as follows:
  • Updated 09/21: All CUNY students must be fully vaccinated to attend in-person or hybrid classes or to come on campus in Fall 2021, as per CUNY guidelines. Exceptions may be made for religious and medical exemptions, as required by law.
  • Any individual visiting the College who does not share proof of vaccination will be presumed unvaccinated. Those individuals must show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than seven (7) days prior to the campus visit. This includes:
    • Updated 09/21: Any student accessing the campus MUST be vaccinated except when granted religious exception or medical exemption. This includes students not taking in-person classes who wish to access campus areas or offices. Exceptions may be made for some emergency/critical services, as determined by the College.
    • Faculty, staff, and visitors who do not share proof that they are vaccinated.
    • Exception: Faculty, staff, and students who have tested positive for COVID-19 will not be required to test for 90 days. They will resume the required COVID-19 testing frequency after that period and must share proof of a negative test within that time period or note from a medical doctor.
  • Anyone who arrives at the campus without a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination will be denied entry and informed of the testing requirement.
• New 09/21: Visitors who are on campus for 30 minutes or less per visit do not have to comply with any COVID-19 vaccination or surveillance testing requirements applicable to CUNY staff unless the visitor expects during that time to be less than 6 feet distant of another person for a total of 15 minutes of more.
• New 09/21: Visitors under the age of 12 do not have to comply with any COVID-19 vaccination or surveillance testing requirements unless they are enrolled in programs, but are subject to mask requirements. Testing requirements for visitors under 12 years old are described in the following chart.

Updated 01/22: Policies for Minors under 5 Years Old

TYPES OF UNDER 12 GROUPS	DESCRIPTION	CUNY PROTOCOL
1. Accompanying a visitor	Children accompanying a visitor who have business to tend to on campus for a limited time.	Exempt from testing. Require masking for those 2 and up.
2. Attending events	Children attending an event, performance, or assembly where a large group will congregate for an extended period.	Exempt from testing. Limit access on campus. Require masking for those 2 and up; enforce social distancing.
3. Enrolled in programs	Children who routinely come to CUNY facilities to participate in a program.	Require Weekly Testing. Require masking for those 2 and up.

Monitoring / Tracing Plan

• The College has formed a contact tracing team that will work with the College Campus Coordinator and Campus Liaison to perform the on-campus contact tracing in the event of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case. The Contact Tracing team will be trained as required by the NYS mandated tracking unit.
  • The Campus Liaison will lead the College’s tracing team. Along with the Campus Liaison, staff in Student Health Services and Human Resources will be designated to handle on-campus contact tracing for employees and students at the College.
• The college contact tracing process will help alleviate the burden of outreach on the part of the NYS Contact Tracing program that typically includes reaching out to contacts from individuals of closer relation, shared social spaces, or employment sites. Having an internal system will also allow for an increased ability to conduct tracking of potential cases amongst the college community.

Confirmed Positive Notification to Coronavirus Campus Liaison/Coronavirus Campus Coordinator

• Upon receiving notification of a positive test, the Campus Liaison/Campus Coordinator will contact the on-campus Contact Tracing team.
• The Contact Tracing team will coordinate with course instructors and department liaisons to identify the roster of students that need to be notified of potential exposure. For employees, HR will work with the Coronavirus Campus Liaison and the Contact Tracing Team.
• The Contact Tracing team will reach out to potential exposed students enrolled in the on-campus courses to complete the tracing process with recommendations for obtain a test (providing a list of recommend testing sites) and a mandatory self-quarantine (see current CUNY guidelines for self-quarantine). For employees, HR will work with the Coronavirus Campus Liaison and the Contact Tracing team.

Potential Positive Symptom Presentation of Students, Faculty, Staff, or Visitors While on Campus

• If an individual presents symptoms while on campus, they will remain in place and the room will serve as a temporary quarantine area (see Part 2, Section III.B. Tracing, Tracking, and Isolation > Isolate and Transport Those Who are Sick) where a more detailed health assessment can be completed by an identified staff.
• The Campus Liaison will be notified of this adverse event and, in accordance with applicable regulations, appropriate notification to the Department of Health in applicable scenarios.
• The campus-based contact tracing team will be notified to begin the process of accessing course rosters and providing notification to potentially exposed individuals.
• The New York State Contact Tracing Program will be informed, via the Campus Coordinator or Liaison, of others that may have been in close contact with the symptomatic individual. Monitoring of the case will be conducted on the campus level by the Campus Coordinator. If confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test for the case individual is identified, the College Campus Coordinator or Liaison will complete the tracing process.
• The College will assume that the COVID-19 positive occupant may have been communicable for a period of 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms and that occupied areas may be contaminated up to seven days after the positive occupant was present.
• The identification of potential locations will be obtained as part of the Campus-based contact tracing team’s process when assessing the movements of infected individuals throughout the campus.
• The College will follow the disinfection procedures which will be enacted for the potential occupied spaces (Attachment D: Cleaning and Disinfection Plan).

Coronavirus Campus Coordinator and Coronavirus Campus Liaison

The CUNY Guidelines for Safe Campus Reopening state that the Campus Coordinator, Campus Liaison, and Campus Reopening Committee are all required for the reopening process and that they are also all crucial communications plan stakeholders.

The Coronavirus Campus Coordinator leads the Campus Reopening Committee. The Campus Coordinator oversees preparation, review, and implementation of the reopening plan as outlined in the CUNY Guidelines for Safe Campus Reopening, and designates roles and responsibilities as indicated throughout the CUNY Guidelines and related documents.³ All final decisions related to the campus reopening will be made by the Coronavirus Campus Coordinator. Senior Vice President Esther Rodriguez-Chardavoyne (Senior Vice President of Administration & Finance) serves as our Campus Coordinator.

The Coronavirus Campus Liaison is responsible for monitoring exposures to COVID-19 and provides data to the Campus Coordinator, Campus Reopening Committee, and the CUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Institutional Affairs, Strategic Advancement and Special Counsel (SVC for Institutional Affairs). Christine Dias-Singh (Executive Director of Human Resources) serves as our Liaison.

Both the Campus Coordinator and Campus Liaison may delegate tasks as necessary to continued operations of the college, though they hold ultimate responsibility for these activities outlined above.

The Campus Reopening Committee

The Campus Reopening Committee assists with the preparation, review, and implementation of the Campus Reopening Plan. The College has the responsibility to ensure all health and safety protocols are met and will share this information will be shared with the Committee. If necessary, the Committee will also serve as the Campus Closing Committee to implement the campus reclosing plan.

Within the Campus Reopening Plan, “Campus Reopening Committee” may refer to the committee group, or to members of the committee directly engaged in reopening operations. This is particularly true for committee members who handle private information as part of their regular campus roles. This, plus any changes to roles and responsibilities between the Campus Reopening Committee, Coronavirus Campus Coordinator, and Coronavirus Campus Liaison over the time the Campus Reopening Plan is active, reflect feasibility and privacy concerns. Therefore, the College notes the following:

• In its commitment to protecting and respecting individual privacy, the College may make changes to reopening processes and the plan to provide information to the Campus Coordinator or Campus Liaison instead of the Campus Reopening Committee (individual members or the group).
• The College may inform or work with individual members of the Campus Reopening Committee (rather than the group) based on privacy concerns, or how a specific reopening process links to existing roles or existing campus business processes.
• When appropriate, information may be shared directly with the committee group or with the entire campus community (inclusive of the committee group).

Campus Reopening Committee members hold the critical role of communicating about and supporting the Reopening Plan and its processes. As such, committee members represent college community stakeholder groups for the communications plan and the reopening plan. Committee membership is also based on recommendations from the CUNY Coronavirus Planning Task Force.⁴

Updated 09/21: As of October 2021, the current Campus Reopening Committee members are:

• Esther Rodriguez-Chardavoyne – Senior Vice President of Administration & Finance (Coronavirus Campus Coordinator & Committee Chair);
• Christine Dias-Singh – Executive Director of Human Resources (Coronavirus Campus Liaison);
• Updated 09/21: Su Ng – Deputy Director for Administration & Finance (Communications Plan Owner & Reopening Communications Team member);
• Elizabeth Friedman – Director of Campus Planning and Development (Reopening Communications Team member);
• Soldanela Rivera Lopez – Director, Office of Communications (Campus Communications Leader & Reopening Communications Team member);
• Chief Arnaldo Bernabe – Director of Public Safety;
• Zack Korenstein – Environmental Health & Safety consultant for Hostos;
• Frank Virone – Chief Administrative Superintendent, Campus Operations;
• Craig Bernardini – Associate Professor of English and PSC-CUNY Representative;
• Sarah Brennan – Executive Associate to the Provost;
• Nicole Campos – Student & CCSD@Hostos student leader;
• Evelyn Fernández-Ketcham – Executive Director of Workforce Development;
• Johanna Gomez – Assistant Dean of Students;
• Updated 09/21: Diana Kreymer – Chief of Staff, Office of the President (Reopening Communications Team member);
• Updated 09/21: [Currently vacant – representative for Office of Institutional Advancement];
• Matt Moses – Lecturer of English and Senate Executive Committee Representative;
• Nelson Nuñez-Rodriguez – Coordinator and Professor of Physical Sciences and Middle States Self-Study Co-Chair; and
• Clifton Pierce – Administrative Assistant, Office of Student Development and Enrollment Management; Campus DC37 Shop Steward