Looking Ahead to Our Return to Campus (5/19/21)

Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Office of the Dean of Yale College

May 19, 2021

To the staffs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and Yale College,

As you saw from Scott Strobel’s and Jack Callahan’s message today, the university is preparing to bring staff back to campus over the coming weeks and months. We know that many questions remain about details of the return process. Given the range of staff responsibilities in the FAS, GSAS, and YCDO, it will take some time for us to have definitive answers. We will communicate with you regularly as we learn more. Here is what we know now:

Safety is our first priority, and we will be stressing its importance in every aspect of the planning ahead. The university succeeded this past year in bringing students to campus, and we expect to build on those successes as we stage our own return.

Our long-term goal is to return to fully in-person work, since our offices are faculty supporting and student serving. As we move toward this goal, which will take time to reach, we hope to anticipate and address challenges as we return to campus. We are already thinking about the configurations of our different workplaces, the demands of caring for children or parents, and the ways that we can learn to re-engage in person with each other and the public. We will be counting on you to communicate with us in the coming weeks and months, just as we will with you.

As today’s message explained, staff currently working remotely will begin a phased return to campus on August 1. Further details on this return to pre-pandemic standards and expectations are forthcoming, but those of you who typically take vacation time or PTO during early August may continue to do so. If you wish to return to campus earlier, please talk with your supervisor.

Thank you for your patience, your dedication, and all that you do for the FAS, the Graduate School, and Yale College.

Sincerely,

Tamar, Lynn, and Marvin