Coronavirus/COVID-19 Information
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Instructional Faculty Telecommuting Expectations

As part of our efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our faculty, staff and students, the President recently announced the suspension of in-person instruction.  The goal of this approach is to reduce the number and density of students and visitors on campus, reduce person-to-person contact, and reduce the chance of person-to-person transmission of a communicable disease.  With the understanding that Chico State will sustain its educational mission by providing instruction through alternate teaching modalities, Academic Affairs has adopted “Instructional Faculty Telecommuting Expectations” valid until further notice. 

As we are all aware, the COVID 19 emergency has caused many changes and disruptions to our daily lives and has been hard, not only for faculty and staff, but for our students as well.  First and foremost, our concern is to the health and safety of everyone at the University and attending to the continuing education of our students.  It is in this spirit, the following expectations have been developed - to assist faculty with teaching and working remotely during the suspension of in-person instruction.

  1. Workload: CBA Article 20 duties and responsibilities for Instructional Faculty will continue uninterrupted, as applicable to each faculty member. 
  2. Pay and Attendance: All pay and leave will be based on the faculty's official Chico State appointment and position in accordance with current provisions.
  3. Sick/Vacation Leave: If faculty are sick and unable to work in their telecommuting location, they are required to report those absences as they would in a normal office setting. All use of vacation (if available), sick leave, or any other type of leave is subject to approval by the supervisor and/or appropriate administrator in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and FPPP.
  4. University-owned Equipment: In order to perform their work effectively, faculty may use University equipment, including their desktop computer, at the telecommuting location, with the approval of their supervisor.  The equipment must be protected against damage and may be used for University work only. University-owned equipment will be serviced and maintained by the University. Faculty must have all state property that is removed from their University workplace documented in accordance with the University Property Management protocols.  If an Off Campus Use of University Equipment form has not previously been signed, then faculty shall complete one. https://www.csuchico.edu/pm/forms.shtml(opens in new window)(opens in new window)
  5. Liability: The University will not be liable for damages to the faculty's property resulting from participation in the Telecommuting Program.
  6. Cost: The University will not be responsible for operating costs, home maintenance, or any other incidental costs (e.g., utilities, internet, cell phone, printer, scanner etc.), associated with the use of the faculty's residence. All expenses must be pre-authorized by the Dean.  Faculty will be reimbursed for authorized expenses only incurred while conducting official duties at the Telecommuting location.
  7. Workers' Compensation: Faculty are covered by Workers' Compensation if injured in the course of performing official duties at the Telecommuting location. If a faculty incurs a work-related injury while telecommuting, workers' compensation laws and rules apply just as they would if such an injury occurs at the campus office. Faculty must notify their supervisors immediately and complete all necessary or management-requested documents regarding the injury.
  8. Work Assignments and Communications: Faculty are required to provide instruction using virtual or alternative modalities.  Chairs and/or Deans, in consultation with faculty, will plan processes for completing all other work assignments remotely, i.e. office hours, student advising, supervision, committee service.  Chairs need to review service assignments with their department faculty to determine which services are a priority and which may be postponed.  Faculty should focus their efforts on completing their priority service assignments.  Regular communication between faculty, chairs and deans is expected to continue as needed by phone, email or video conferencing.
  9. Work Continuity and Completion: It is expected that faculty complete their normal workload with the adjustments noted above.  Faculty must submit grades in a timely manner, no later than May 22, 2020.  Failure to perform responsibilities and duties assigned, without approved leave or other work release, will be addressed in accordance with the CBA progressive discipline provisions.
  10. Faculty Rights: Faculty rights provided for in the faculty's Collective Bargaining Agreement are not affected by participation in a telecommuting program. None of the rights or benefits provided under the faculty's Collective Bargaining Agreement are enhanced or abridged by the guidelines of the telecommuting program.
  11. Security/Confidentiality of Information: Faculty who telecommute are expected to follow all appropriate rules and regulations of the University regarding security and confidentiality of information, including computer data and files security. Faculty will apply approved safeguards to protect records from unauthorized disclosure or damage.  All records, papers, and correspondence must be safeguarded for their return to the office. Specifically, faculty must keep student educational materials confidential in accordance with FERPA requirements. https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html(opens in new window)

RESPONSIBILITY FOR EQUIPMENT ASSIGNMENT, USAGE, AND MAINTENANCE

  1. All maintenance on any University-supplied equipment will be performed by a University-authorized person at a University work location at the University's expense. Faculty must bring equipment to the designated University location.
  2. The University will repair or replace, if practical, lost, damaged, or stolen University equipment provided the faculty has taken appropriate precautions to safeguard the equipment.
  3. Faculty may not use University-provided equipment or use or duplicate University software for personal use or allow non-University personnel to use it. Passwords may not be stored on faculty-owned equipment and security measures must be initiated whenever the computer is left unattended.
  4. Telecommuting faculty must return University-provided equipment to the University and guarantee to erase University software on their personal computers when requested by their supervisor or when employment is terminated. Software provided by the University remains the property of the University. Any software provided by the University shall be returned at the end of the telecommuting agreement or upon termination of employment.
  5. As appropriate, a telecommuter may have access to the University communication network, including electronic mail, calendar and/or telephone contact between the faculty and supervisor. The extent of this access can vary.
  6. If the telecommuter is using personal computer equipment for telecommuting, the hardware and software must be compatible with the University configuration. A faculty who telecommutes and who elects to use his, her, or their personal computer is expected generally to provide any necessary hardware and telephone lines to telecommute successfully. Use of non-university computing equipment should be limited to personal computers that have up-to-date system patches and currently supported operating systems (e.g., Windows 10, MacOS 10.13 or newer) in addition to anti-virus and anti-malware protection. See https://www.csuchico.edu/isec/remote-access(opens in new window)(opens in new window) for additional information.
  7. Expenses for the faculty’s personal equipment and work site (e.g., maintenance, repair, insurance) are the faculty's responsibility.
  8. The faculty shall release the University from any and all liability resulting from the use of his/her own computer.
  9. Telecommuters shall comply with computer software licensing agreements, University policy and federal laws, including copyright and patent laws.
  10. Use of University-provided software and data supplies at a remote work location is limited to the authorized faculty and is authorized for purposes related to University business only.

WORK PLACE HAZARDS ASSESSMENT

Liability considerations

If a faculty member is conducting authorized University business and his/her actions are within the course and scope of his/her/their employment, the University's liability is the same whether the faculty is at home or at a regular work location. Therefore, faculty who work at home must keep their home offices in a businesslike manner, and as clean and free from hazards as their regular University office, in order to minimize the chance of accidents. Work-related accidents shall be reported to the supervisor and the Benefits and Leaves Office immediately (530-898-4670).

Health and Safety

Home offices must be clean and free of obstructions. The home must be in compliance with all building codes. The facility must be free of hazardous materials. Telecommuting faculty are responsible for ensuring their homes comply with these health and safety requirements. In addition, they should also have furniture, seating, and lighting that is conducive to a good work environment. The home "office" also should be out of the home "line of traffic," especially if other members of the family are present during working hours.