COSAM News Articles 2020 June Message from Dean Giordano - June 2, 2020

Message from Dean Giordano - June 2, 2020

Published: 06/02/2020

To all COSAM faculty, staff and students,

Thank you for all of your dedication during this time of remote instruction and working from home.

The Auburn campus is planning to re-open at the start of the 2020 Summer Mini-Semester II on June 29. As President Gogue shared in his message last week, the Auburn campus will begin to open on that date as we prepare to welcome students back for the fall. In anticipation of this, I would like to share with you some important information about COSAM operations beginning on June 29.

Auburn University buildings will be open during their regular hours. Card access can be used as usual after normal working hours.
Students, parents, and visitors will be welcomed on our campus.
COSAM offices and departments will resume operations and will need to be staffed at appropriate levels as determined by supervisors. The number of staff present in any particular COSAM office at any particular time should be sufficient to handle the expected amount of traffic through each office. That number will be determined by each supervisor. Any additional staff can continue to work remotely, assuming they can do their work in that way. I expect that there will generally be a rotation schedule in which staff take turns being physically at their jobs on campus. Supervisors can contact me or their department chairs with questions on in-person staffing policy.
COSAM offices and departments should operate with CDC social distancing guidelines and other health safety measures. All of the details concerning safety measures and how they will be enforced are now being worked out and will be announced shortly. I expect that these safety measures will involve the wearing of masks. I also expect that Facilities will be responsible for signage in classrooms that indicate proper distances between students in seats, in hallways, and the separation of students from instructors. Details of these safety measures will be the subject of future messages from the President and Provost.

I want to assure you that Auburn University is taking important steps with detailed health and safety protocols. If any COSAM faculty would like to require all students in their class to wear a mask to make the safety and health of students a priority, it should be clearly stated in the class syllabus. I strongly support our faculty helping to reduce the spread of the coronavirus and encourage everyone to follow CDC guidelines.

Planning is underway for an app with which students will report their health and any possible symptoms, and help us take appropriate measures such as quarantining when necessary.

As we begin to transition back to normal operations, I invite you to join me during my twice-a-week office hours that will begin this week. I will be available to answer your questions and hear your concerns on Wednesdays 2:00-3:30pm, and Thursdays 9:00-10:30am. (Zoom connection info for the first set of office hours is given below.) Please feel free to drop in; I am eager to hear from you.

Get more information about these online office hours and other COSAM news at https://www.auburn.edu/cosam/about/coronavirus.htm.

Nicholas Giordano is inviting you to a scheduled Auburn University Zoom e-meeting.

Topic: Office Hours with the Dean

Time: Jun 3, 2020 02:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Every week on Wed, until Jul 15, 2020, 7 occurrence(s)

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://auburn.zoom.us/j/97424981354

Connect using Computer/Device audio if possible.

Nicholas Giordano is inviting you to a scheduled Auburn University Zoom e-meeting.

Topic: Office Hours with the Dean

Time: Jun 4, 2020 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Every week on Thu, until Jul 16, 2020, 7 occurrence(s)

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://auburn.zoom.us/j/92115126214