Since the COVID pandemic began in March, Liz Dobson Davis, Union’s director of environmental health and safety, has been part of a small army of Union staff going through a long to-do list in preparation for the new normal.
Next on her list: worry.
“I’m worried about complacency,” said Dobson-Davis. “This is an ongoing public health emergency, even though things are going well in New York State. It’s important to realize that it’s everybody’s responsibility to keep the campus safe.”
To help with that, the College has an awareness campaign, “A Healthy Union Starts with U,” to educate the community on health and safety guidelines.
Among the many changes on campus, Union staff have:
- established health screening and attestation requirements, a testing center, enhanced cleaning protocols and frequencies, and created quarantine and isolation spaces
- reconfigured classrooms, labs, dining areas, the library and bookstore, mail services, athletic facilities, dorms, restrooms and common spaces to meet social distancing guidelines
- added two tents for classrooms and a tent behind Reamer for Dining Services, as well as new outdoor furniture, including picnic tables and Adirondack chairs
- installed signs around campus to reflect building requirements and traffic patterns
- installed hand sanitizer stations throughout campus
- distributed to all students and employees care kits with masks, a thermometer and hand sanitizer
- upgraded ventilation systems and installed transparent barriers in high-traffic areas
In a video message to the Union community, President David Harris said, “If we are to be on this campus engaged in face-to-face activities, and keep our friends, families, neighbors and our community members safe, it’s up to all of us to follow health and safety protocols and to hold one another accountable to our shared expectations.”
“As our motto says, under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers and sisters,” he continued. “It’s about wisdom. It’s about looking out for one another. It’s about supporting one another.”
For more on Union’s health and safety protocols, visit the Union Where You Are site.