Message 5-24-2021 | FWA Policy | FWA FAQ | FWA Resources

Campus Life Team,

We are at the threshold of returning to full density after more than a year of unprecedented pandemic-related challenges to Emory’s mission and work. We met those challenges together and, time and again, transformed them into opportunities to carry on our mission and our commitment to excellence in serving and supporting Emory students on-campus and around the world.

Many of our Campus Life colleagues have continued that commitment on campus every workday since March 2020. Others have done so remotely. Now, we all are poised to come together again with our colleagues and the students we serve.

We know that most of our work is done best when we are physically present and available to our students and colleagues. Campus Life’s work and our university campus are designed to facilitate collaboration and engagement; both are essential to the full Emory experience that our more than 15,000 students seek.

As President Fenves noted, “By our very nature as a university, we are an in-person, experiential workplace. Because of this, staff are expected to return to campus this fall for in-person work.”

Much work has been done to prepare for our return – and much remains to be done. While the university community as a whole prepares, each of us individually must also prepare. The good news is that there are processes and resources to facilitate our return, including Campus Life’s Policy on Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA), located here online.

The policy was informed via feedback in meetings with ECL Senior Staff, the Convening Committee, Wellness Ambassadors, and Enrichment Committee. It is also predicated on the best information known to the university at this time and may change based on environmental shifts in COVID-19’s impact on our community.

The policy details FWA options for staff and includes protections for our division’s most vulnerable colleagues. We’ve also developed an FAQ that should be helpful, although it does not provide the detail found in the policy, along with a list of additional resources for individuals.

The FWA policy offers the same pre-pandemic flexible work options that support staff success, including flexible and compressed work schedules. It also provides opportunities for all staff to request one day of work per week to telecommute, based on supervisor and ELT approvals.

Please note that the process for handling extenuating circumstances such as personal emergencies during a normal workday will be handled as they were pre-pandemic, with notification to and coordination with your supervisor.

Please review the resources described above and bookmark them for easy access.

By the way, our next Campus Life all-staff meeting will be a “Welcome to Fall 2021” outdoor, in-person event in early August. It will be a time for us to reconnect, meet new colleagues, and celebrate our Campus Life team. More information coming soon.

We look forward to seeing you all in August. Meanwhile, have a great summer – and stay safe and well.

Sincerely,

Executive Leadership Team
Emory Campus Life