Faculty Labs
All labs should be organizing a continuity plan that includes flexibility for remote work and social distancing. Here is sample language you can customize to communicate with your lab members about what is happening
With the rapidly evolving response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we ask you to consider your safety and the safety of others by modifying work habits.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance recommends that everyone practice social distancing. To do that effectively while maintaining campus operations, it is important to activate remote work arrangements for those whose work can be done from an off-campus location.
The goal is to reduce the number of people and the amount of time that employees and students spend physically in labs and offices.
If you can work from home, please notify your supervisor or lab manager immediately with your plan. Please make sure to update the progress of your work using [insert appropriate guidance here].
If you have lab work but can safely perform data entry from home, please plan to complete your lab work and enter data at home. [If a pathogen laboratory: Please do not take papers or items from the lab home with you.] Lab responsibilities may be reviewed and temporary changes to assigned duties may be needed to reduce the number of people coming to the lab.
We ask that everyone take time now to prepare for a further reduction in access to the laboratory. This means carefully considering which experiments are essential to continue in the next month.
We realize that some of you will need to continue working in the lab. You will be allowed to do so as long as the university remains open and you are in good health. Should the university close, senior personnel will be responsible for shutting down the lab, and you will not be able to work in the offices or lab space.
As we transition to working remotely, please take the time now to:
- Empty trash bins
- Clean your lab benches
- [Insert additional preparations here]
To keep in touch while working remotely, Zoom can be used for videoconferencing or calling in to meetings.
It's critical to take steps to reduce your risk of infection. Follow CDC guidelines, including washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, getting enough sleep, practicing social distancing, and if you are sick, stay home except to get medical care.
We realize that this is a particularly stressful time, and many of you will need to modify your work plans, which may introduce added anxiety. Please don't hesitate to reach out at any time.
Cornell University Research Services has posted a COVID-19 resource page with guidance on essential services, as published in the working copy of the Cornell University Public Health Emergency Plan dated March 2020, and a list of links with updated information for researchers working with federal agencies.
Sincerely,