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Required COVID-19 Health and Safety Training

Re: Required COVID-19 Health and Safety Training
To: All campus
Aug. 10, 2020
 
Dear Campus Colleagues,
 
The disruptive effects of the coronavirus pandemic have California in a tight grip. Thirty-eight out of 58 counties, including Merced County and nine others in the San Joaquin Valley, are on a state watchlist as COVID-19 indicators have not met requirements set by health authorities. It is imperative we do everything in our power to protect ourselves and our community, and to reverse the trends in the Valley.
 
University leadership continues to work in consultation with local and state health agencies and take appropriate action to protect the campus and larger community. As an important step in this process, UC Merced has developed mandatory online training that covers the concepts and resources for mitigating the spread of coronavirus on campus and among our campus community.
 
The training is required for all students, faculty, staff and academic appointees, irrespective of whether your job or academic activities are at a campus facility. It is mandatory under state guidance for resuming higher education activities. We cannot operate the campus on even a limited basis without requiring this training of all of our campus constituents.
 
Everyone must complete the course successfully by Sunday, Aug. 16.
 
As with any mandatory training, you will begin to receive reminders by email as this deadline approaches or expires. Those who don’t finish the course by that date will lose access to campus facilities until the course has been successfully completed. Failure to successfully complete the training also may result in disciplinary action. Supervisors should make the training a priority and ensure their direct reports have time to complete it. If you are off this week, please make the training your first task before you return to campus on your first scheduled work day.
 
The course is available now for all staff, faculty and student employees. Students will receive a separate email soon with instructions. The course takes about an hour to complete. You can leave the course and return, or explore the contents as needed to ensure you understand the expectations, modifications and changes made to our campus to keep everyone safe and successful.
 
Thank you for watching out for each other and for doing all you can to ensure UC Merced continues to meet our mission of learning, research and community service. Watch out for our community, be safe, and remain #BobcatStrong.
 
Sincerely,
 
Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D
Chancellor
 
Gregg Camfield
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
 
Andrew Boyd
Chief Resilience Officer