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Update to the Bay Path University Community

March 17, 2020

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I begin today’s email with the most important message: I hope that you and your loved ones are, and remain, healthy.

While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Bay Path, the escalating concern on the part of local, state, and federal officials compels us to consider the best ways to ensure the ongoing safety and well-being of our community.

As a world, a nation, and as individuals, we are navigating unchartered waters and it feels disconcerting to us all. I appreciate your patience as we work together to address the many challenges that confront us. This communication contains critical updates that impact students, faculty, and staff and I encourage you to read this information immediately and carefully.

SUMMARY OF KEY UPDATES:

Students

Classes:

All classes will continue to be delivered remotely through the end of the spring semester. Ending dates are program-specific and will be communicated by the covid19info@baypath.edu email address within the next 24 hours.

Residence Halls:

Students who live on campus will receive an email from Dean Anne Chapdelaine in the next 24 hours regarding access to your room to retrieve any belongings you may have left behind. As a reminder, you will receive a credit on your student account (based upon the number of room and board days that are cancelled). A refund check will be issued prior to the end of the semester if applicable.

Commencement:

As of this writing, our Commencement is still scheduled for Sunday, May 17. State and federal guidelines regarding the size of gatherings seem to be in effect through late April. However, given that the coronavirus situation is changing hour by hour, we will continue to evaluate the Commencement decision.

A final decision regarding Commencement will be made and communicated by Wednesday, April 8 to provide time for you and your families to confirm plans.

I appreciate how difficult all of this is, especially for our traditional undergraduate seniors who had looked forward to the remainder of the spring semester. I can assure you that no one is more disappointed than I am! Truly, I miss you and the vibrancy you bring to campus.

Employees

Working remotely: Starting tomorrow, Wednesday March, 18 we will implement a temporary remote-working model that will be in effect through Tuesday, April 7. Please note, not all employees will be able to work remotely; your supervisor will confirm remote status with you.

During this time, Bay Path will be open and we will, to the best of our abilities, keep all of our operations functioning. This means that many Bay Path employees will be working full-time remotely. Business continuity—for the sake of our institution and especially for our students—is critical.

This will take some getting used to for us all. But there’s one point I’d like to especially underscore: this is not a time for any of us to shy away from the work at hand. While we may not be conducting every aspect of our normal duties, this may give us a chance to work on projects that have been “back-burnered.” Working remotely will present opportunities to function in new, collaborative ways. You may even be asked to assist another area where additional resources are in demand. Embrace and learn from these opportunities.

We are being called upon more than at any other time in our history to work creatively, boldly, and with each other in mind. Let’s show the world just how brightly the Bay Path community can shine!

If you have been approved to work fully or partially remote during this period, you will be sent a Temporary Remote Work Agreement via e-sign within the next few days. Please review this document carefully and contact your supervisor if you have any questions. Please electronically sign the document by Monday, March 23rd.

Important guidelines regarding working remotely:

Technology Support:

  • Technology needs for all employees are being quickly assessed. Your supervisor should be able to confirm details with you within the next 24 hours.
  • All employees who will be working remotely will need to set up DUO security on a mobile device or tablet in order to authorize sign-in from outside our network.
  • Each area will establish ways to ensure team members stay connected, for example ZOOM or Google Hangouts.
  • All employees are expected to check their email throughout the day as well as voice mail. It is recommended that you set up your voicemail to send an email to you when messages are left on your extension.
  • As a primary resource, please refer to https://support.baypath.edu to search for instructions on IT related functionality or to connect with IT services helpdesk. Resources are also posted to the University’s COVID webpage at https://www.baypath.edu/coronavirus.
  • There will no doubt be many questions surrounding IT needs during this unprecedented time and we expect high volume as we transition our community. Your patience is greatly appreciated as we all learn to work remotely together!
  • Additional guidance, as needed, may be provided by Amanda Gould, Vice President for Analytics & Innovative Technology.
  • Additionally please note that any connectivity issues you may face while working remotely may be a function of available bandwidth at your home. Our IT department cannot resolve this but may be able to help troubleshoot alternative options if necessary.
  • Also regarding your personal/home technology access, please note that many carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Comcast, have removed data caps in support of the Federal Communications Commission 'Keep America Connected' Pledge.

Coming to Campus:

  • Although we will be working remotely, you may conduct work from your on-campus location. However, please confirm your plans to be on campus with your supervisor. Our goal is to greatly reduce the number of people on campus at any one time, and especially in locations where employees work in close proximity.
  • A limited number of staff, for example campus public safety and custodial staff, will be on campus every day.
  • Mail will be delivered daily to designated locations in each department.
  • During this time, all campus facilities will be maintained at the enhanced standards of cleanliness that were communicated yesterday.

In addition to these key updates, please stay current by checking https://www.baypath.edu/coronavirus daily. As noted, you will also receive additional information and details via email from designated staff over the coming days. If you still have questions, please email covid19info@baypath.edu.

As I indicated to students above, I miss the vibrancy that they bring. The same pertains to employees. It is always a joy to greet you on campus and it will be hard to get accustomed to not seeing you face-to-face. So here’s the challenge: how can we stay connected? I know there are many creative ideas out there and I look forward to hearing yours! Email me at carolleary@baypath.edu.

Take care of yourself and your family. That includes your Bay Path family. We are in this together.

Yours,
Carol A. Leary
President