Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science

Return to Campus Principles

The following are goals and guiding principles related to proposals for returning campus.  

De-densifying campus is the primary strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and maintain teaching and research continuity (in addition to minimum requirements to return to campus).  As we review and approve plans, teaching activities that require specialized facilities or research that cannot be done remotely will be given priority in our de-densification strategy. 

Goals

  • Minimize spread of disease and maintain health and safety of the campus community.
  • Provide CMU-quality in-person campus experience for students when possible recognizing dynamic health and safety directives.
  • Build community.
  • Enable productive work by staff and faculty.
  • Carefully design accessible “touch down” spaces for students that are monitored to support de-densification and mitigation strategy adoption.

Principles for Decision Making

  1. No more than 25-30% of staff and faculty can return to campus at any given time.  This is inclusive of research, teaching, and other activities (e.g. office presence). 
  2. To the maximum extent, in-person opportunities should prioritize equity.  (e.g. remote student experiences and in person experiences should be designed to be as equitable as possible.)
  3. If you can work remotely, you should work remotely with approval from administrative and/or college leadership.  
    1. Individual meetings - Office hours or in-person meetings that do not require specialized space should remain on zoom with limited and rotation in-person staffing possible. 
    2. Academic assistance and small group meetings - Academic help sessions, tutoring, and review sessions should remain on zoom.
  4. Offices that provide support to students may be open with minimal staffing and should also be providing remote services.
  5. Limited use of office - full-time return to the office is not possible under the current strategy to de-densify campus.  However, limited access for a specific task, during schedule gaps, or specific hours will be considered and coordinated with other research and teaching activities, which inform campus density.  

Guidance for Implementation

  1. All community members should promote adherence to minimum requirements to return to campus. Please note that these requirements as well as mitigation strategies may change depending on county and state regulations, as well as our understanding of the disease. The health of the community is as important as each individual's health. Promote this idea to make it reality.
  2. Design plans with flexibility in mind. 
    1. All in-person experiences should have plans to move the entire experience to remote delivery with limited notice.  
    2. Collect information and utilization patterns and take action to adjust as necessary
  3. Prioritization and exceptions to the guidance should be based on the incremental benefit relative to risk.  
  4. Offices that would normally have students drop-in are encouraged to communicate how to make an appointment or drop-in hours over zoom. 

Final Draft adopted by Dean's Council on July 24, 2020