Important Information: COVID-19

Important Information: COVID-19

Good morning:

Over the last several days I have been working with the offices of the President and Provost to stay informed about COVID-19 and what it means for our university. We have worked to coordinate our messages to students, faculty and now this message to you as our staff.

There’s no doubt that this is a difficult time for all of the UNM community. We are experiencing fear, doubt, and anxiety. The invisible virus, SARS-Cov-2, and the disease it causes, COVID-19, has spread around the world.  And while most of us are in little danger of a poor outcome even if we should contract it, too many of our New Mexico neighbors -- the elderly, the immunosuppressed, those with some chronic health challenges -- are threatened.

We must take action to protect our most susceptible community members.  The transmission of this virus is currently one of exponential growth, and we are early in the pandemic stage.  We can mitigate and greatly minimize harm to our susceptible community members if we implement what public health experts call containment.  Vulnerable populations infected by this virus can require complex hospital care.  If we control the rate of exposure and slow the growth of the infected population, we “flatten the curve” and can ease the burden on vulnerable populations.

Our experts tell us that our window of opportunity to implement containment steps remains.  If we pursue business as usual, we will not be able to flatten the curve and the mortality rate could be high in those vulnerable populations.

At the same time, both the present and the futures of our students depend on UNM.  Some are at financial risk, and their ability to complete a college degree is delicate and easily derailed, too often forever.  For many, we are their only provider of room and board, of health care, and of employment.  While a few universities around the country are closing, this course can cause harm that may even be irreparable.  In consultation with UNM experts on health, with UNM academic leadership, and with input from other academic institutions, we are launching a strategy to continue educational activities while also contributing to a national goal to reduce the rate of transmission and infection from this virus. 

Right now there are some important steps that you can take to support our Lobo learners and the whole UNM community, and to contribute to the flattening of the curve.

Regarding Students:

1. Please ask students in your orbit to read this website http://www.unm.edu/coronavirus/critical-info-for-unm-students.html as they depart for spring break (or, in the case of pharmacy students, as they return).
2. Ask students to remain alert to email communications from UNM, and from you.  Point them to the http://www.unm.edu/coronavirus website for updates.
3. Let them know that we expect to continue classes after break, March 24, 2020, although there may be some changes in learning modalities for some of their classes.
4. Ask students to stay home if they are sick, and do not ask them to produce health care provider documentation of illness – securing such notes places healthy people with sick people, strains health care resources, and disincentivizes ill students from staying home.

Regarding Instructional Continuity:

1. Faculty have been instructed to take necessary steps to ensure that classes can continue in ways that minimize in-person contact – including creating their courses on Learn so that students can continue to engage in their academics.

Regarding You:

Your health and wellbeing matter.  Most of us are at low risk relative to COVID-19, but some among us may have a suppressed immune system, or a respiratory problem, or other health condition that puts us at greater risk.  Communicate your concerns and needs to your supervisor, and discuss strategies to both complete your work and support your health.   Get enough sleep, practice the other habits of good health, and don’t come to work if you are sick. Supervisors have been informed that flexibility will be granted in terms of the leave that is used for a specific employee’s situation, and if you are a supervisor discuss this with your Deans and Directors when an uncommon situation arises.

The university is also asking faculty, staff, and students to register university events of 30 people or larger via this form (and Amy is has done this on our behalf for meetings through May) as well as to report all travel (both personal and business-related) via this form. Important travel guidelines and quarantine protocols should be observed and supervisors should be tracking employees and their travel to ensure that these policies are followed (as outlined in the President’s March 9 message). I’m asking you to help encourage our students and colleagues to follow this guidance.

This world-wide public health challenge is evolving in a dynamic and complex way.  It will vex us in new ways each day.  This is the time to stand together with good humor, good will, and good grace.

Calm and conscientious behaviors – combined with a new approaches to our daily activities – will go a long way to ensuring that UNM is safe and can continue to serve our mission to the our students and New Mexico. I know I can count on you to promote pragmatic prevention and to mitigate unnecessary panic and anxiety. 

Respectfully,

Ryan E. Gregg
Data Manager | Admissions
President | UNM Staff Council
greggr@unm.edu 
scpresident@unm.edu