Speak up Be heard: Health and safety

Feeling at risk of COVID

Submitted: August 20, 2021

Last updated: August 31, 2021

Status: In progress

Comment or issue submitted:

The hallway I work in is extremely high traffic because of its proximity to a large lecture hall. I feel incredibly uneasy even walking around my own building due to all the students who wait in our halls with no social distancing or masks. I haven’t been to the MU at all this past week because I have heard how packed it gets. I feel like my tiny office is the only space where I feel comfortable. It was much harder to focus on my work with concerns of COVID spreading in my building at the forefront of my thoughts.

Resolution:

TBD

Concerned about health and safety

Submitted: August 17, 2021

Last updated: August 17, 2021

Comment or issue submitted:

I am concerned about health and wellness now that my team has had to return to the office 5 days a week. I was relieved to see that masks would be strongly recommended again, but many people (including leadership) in my office are not wearing them. We were told to "stay home if we are sick, just like always," when it's pretty well-known that most people feel obligated (not just in my office, but across campus) to go to work if you "just have a cold." One woman in my office today was sniffling and finally said, "Oh, I guess I should put my mask on. I'm all stuffed up." We were forced to sit in a very small meeting room together and now I am wondering if I need to go get a COVID test in a few days since she was maskless and sniffling two feet from me during the meeting. I've been vaccinated, but the breakthrough cases are concerning. Why are some offices allowed to continue to work from home at least part-time when others are not? My previous unit is a student-facing advising team going into the office 3 days a week. I love my team, but I don't understand the dissonance (masks required, but they aren't wearing them. Work from home is not allowed by president Crow, yet I see other units doing it, etc.) and don't feel safe (physically) or supported to be able to speak up to leadership there due to the confusing messaging.

Resolution:

More money in support for student mental health

Submitted: May 2, 2019

Last updated: August 17, 2021

Status: Resolved

Comment or issue submitted:

Please invest more money in support for student mental health. ASU is known as a top class university, an innovator. Can ASU be the university that creates a very open forum about mental health? Let's create the best mental health support for our students, with an open and honest dialogue and say to the country/world, "Yes mental health is an issue on our campus and here is what we are doing to support our students.

Resolution:

We are pleased to be expanding access to ASU Counseling Services to a 24/7/365 Phone/Chat/Video/In person for all students, for free, from anywhere in the world. More information is available at: https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling/services/open-call-and-open-chat Chat is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Korean, and French. Telecounseling is available in over 60 languages.

Current mask policy

Submitted: July 9, 2021

Last updated: July 13, 2021

Status: In progress

Comment or issue submitted:

Mask "recommended" indicates not mandatory. Am I interpreting that mandatory correctly? Masks are not mandatory for unvaccinated staff and students?

Resolution:

TBD

Need for flexible hybrid policy

Submitted: June 3, 2021

Last updated: June 25, 2021

Status: In Progress

Comment or issue submitted:

The last year has shown that staff can still be productive from home and that remote work has helped improve quality of work/life balance for many. Returning to campus will be great for in-person collaboration again, but there is still a significant benefit to staff if we can continue to work remotely at least one day a week. Many staff would benefit from a flexible hybrid policy (especially for those of us with a long commute or family needs at home) but are too afraid to ask if it is not a common university policy. There seems to be discussion about flexibility for students and faculty, but minimal information about what this flexibility will look like for staff. Is leadership considering a policy that would allow staff to opt-in to a permanent hybrid schedule?

Resolution:

Mandatory vaccinations

Submitted: June 3, 2021

Last updated: June 25, 2021

Status: In Progress

Comment or issue submitted:

Why isn't it mandatory for everyone to get vaccinated on campus? How will we know if were in the same room or walking by someone with out their vaccine?

Resolution:

Concerns about vaccination and ASU policies

Submitted: June 3, 2021

Last updated: June 25, 2021

Status: In Progress

Comment or issue submitted:

Can you ask a co-worker if they have been vaccinated? Who has the right to ask me if I have been vaccinated? How is the University handling employees with auto-immune and other conditions that counter-indicate vaccination? Will ASU continue to do contact tracing and quarantine? How will quarantine rules change? If there is a Covid-positive person in your home, can you still work on campus?

Resolution:

Daily health checks for vaccinated staff

Submitted: June 2, 2021

Last updated: June 25, 2021

Status: In Progress

Comment or issue submitted:

Now that we're vaccinated, can we stop having to do the daily health check?

Resolution:

Vaccine requirements

Submitted: June 1, 2021

Last updated: June 25, 2021

Status: In Progress

Comment or issue submitted:

If you haven't received the vaccine, will you be allowed back in your office to work?

Resolution:

Student vaccinations

Submitted: June 1, 2021

Last updated: June 25, 2021

Status: In Progress

Comment or issue submitted:

I haven't heard what the university's official stance is on student's getting vaccinated for COVID-19. It seems that it is not being required, though I wonder if it is being explicitly encouraged. What is the best lingo to use when speaking with students about getting vaccinated?

Resolution:

.