05/03/2021
By Steve O’Riordan

UMass Lowell’s Operations and Logistics Committee has developed guidance and recommendations for senior leaders across academic and administrative units as they work with members of their teams to develop and submit plans consistent with public health guidance to return to pre-pandemic levels of service and on-campus operations this fall.

Nearly 90% of employees shared in a recent survey that they expect to be vaccinated and all students will be required to be vaccinated or receive an immunization exemption. Widespread vaccination is critically important as we work to restore normal campus operations and services for students.

UMass Lowell will continue to closely align our safety and health guidance with that of public health state and federal organizations. It is for that reason that social distancing, face coverings, daily symptom checking and regular cleaning, which have been consistently part of our lives during the last year, will continue into the fall semester. As state and national guidance changes, so too will UMass Lowell’s.

To ensure the best possible experience for employees and our students, a series of welcome back events have been organized to provide the assistance that you may need as you prepare your workspace on campus.

Employees who have not been on campus for an extended period are strongly encouraged to participate in these events dedicated to the building where their workspace is located. For your convenience, a four-day window has been allocated for each building during which time Facilities, IT, access services, office services and administrative support will be on-site and ready to assist with your preparation. Additional details will be communicated to individual areas in the coming weeks.

From updating computer software – which may take several hours for computers disconnected from the university network for an extended period – to testing printers, changing batteries and replacing lost UCards or keys, your participation in these events will help you avoid significant wait times and delays as a very high demand for service requests from students is expected as September nears.

We know the return to normal operations won’t be instantaneous and believe this gradual transition will provide a smoother logistical process – and just as importantly – reduce some understandable reservations and potential anxiety.

We also recognize this past year of remote work has created opportunities for revised work modalities. And we greatly appreciate the dedicated work of our faculty and staff, whether on or off campus, despite extraordinary challenges. But our initial focus must be on restoring the on-campus experience our students expect and deserve and to support the faculty and staff who will be on campus. We plan to continue reviewing where remote and hybrid work options fit into UMass Lowell operations moving forward.

Finally, on behalf of Chancellor Moloney, our students and the entire campus community, I’d like to again thank every employee across this university. Simply put, UMass Lowell could not have faced the last year as successfully as we did without all of your efforts.