Message from Prescott Chancellor Karlsson

Dear faculty, students and staff:

At Embry-Riddle Prescott, we take the wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff seriously. We have close relationships with our neighbors and the surrounding communities, and as such, we care about their wellbeing, too.

Fortunately, at this point, there are no suspected or confirmed cases of the novel 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community, but we need to implement processes to reduce the potential spread of the virus.

As mentioned in President Butler’s message regarding the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, larger events are cancelled. Please check our website for information on specific events. At this point, we are evaluating our definition of “larger” on a case-by-case basis, but the general guideline is that events with more than 75 people will be cancelled. However, many smaller events will also be cancelled or postponed.

In an effort to stay healthy, we have increased our health precautions on campus by making hand sanitizers more widely available, communicating wellness tips, and implementing new protocols on the flight line such as regular disinfection of aircraft and other equipment. We will also continue to practice social distancing to help keep our community safe.

Here are a few other reminders for your information and continued wellbeing:

• If you traveled over Spring Break and you are experiencing any signs of illness whatsoever, you should contact your medical provider immediately and refrain from returning to the Embry-Riddle campus at this time.
• Similarly, if you were on a cruise ship or in an international location, you should limit interactions with other people for 14 days, in keeping with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and the U.S. Department of State’s global Level 3 health advisory. Students, faculty and staff should notify Health Services.

Students:

Student Employees: If you are a student with a job on campus, please contact your supervisor to let them know if you are planning to come back to campus or not. Each position will be treated on an individual basis, and we will do our best to make sure the job is still there for you once you return.

The Wellness Center will be open on Sunday, March 14 from Noon until 6:00 p.m. The Wellness Center will be fully staffed with three physicians. Normal hours, 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., will resume on Monday, March 15. The phone number for the Wellness Center is (928) 777-6653.

 
Wellness Checks will be mandatory for all students on campus and will be conducted in the Wellness Center on Sunday, Noon – 6:00 pm, and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Residential Students: Please see the special message sent out by Jason Langston, The Director of Housing and Residence Life.

Faculty:

A message has been sent to you regarding online teaching resources. You must migrate your course to an online format, with classes starting on Wednesday. (There are a few exceptions associated with the flight line.)

If you missed the message, please check with Dr. Dina Battaglia, director, Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence. Note that all residential faculty must complete “Learn How to Teach Online in Less Than An Hour,” a self-paced course on the essentials of teaching online using Canvas, by Monday, March 16. Dr. Battaglia, BATTAGD1@erau.edu, stands ready to help you transition to online instruction. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to her.

Faculty and Staff:

As per President Butler’s message, faculty and staff are expected to continue working so as to ensure the continuity of education for our students. Even though campus remains open, if your position can be fulfilled by working remotely and your supervisor approves, this may be an option.

Students, Faculty and Staff:

Check Embry-Riddle’s special COVID-19 information website regularly for all university updates. The current situation is difficult for all of us. Please make kindness and service a priority. Show off your Eagle spirit and values, remembering that we are all part of the Embry-Riddle community. Go Eagles!

With Warm Regards,

Anette M. Karlsson, Ph.D.