Information for Faculty

University Operations

• Gannon University’s Erie and Ruskin campuses will be closed by end of the day Tuesday, March 17 with the exception of essential services and staff.
• Supervisors will determine the personnel required to report to work on campus to provide essential services after that date. All other employees are expected to work from home until further notice.
• Please be assured that hourly, and all, employees will continue to be paid during this shutdown, even if they are unable to work from home.
• In Erie, we will suspend face-to-face classes effective Monday, March 16, for the rest of the semester. We will have faculty and instructors available this Monday and Tuesday to provide students the opportunity to meet with faculty and staff to answer any questions about their classes. Classes will resume Monday, March 23, using an alternative delivery method designed by the instructor and approved by their Chair and Dean.
• In Ruskin, we will suspend face-to-face classes and effective Monday, March 16, for the rest of the semester. Classes will resume Monday, March 23, using an alternative delivery method selected by the faculty and approved by their Chair and Dean.

University travel

• All travel abroad learning trips for the spring and summer terms have been suspended and are being reviewed.
• Professional travel for staff and faculty is not permitted without the prior review and approval of a divisional vice president.
• Students, faculty and staff returning from level 3 warning countries or anyone who potentially has been exposed to coronavirus are required to complete the International Travel Report and to observe a 14-day period of self-quarantine.

Events on campus

• Public health authorities recommend that we practice “social distancing” as the best way to prevent the spread of the virus. To support that, all mid- and large-scale events are canceled until further notice. All club and student organization activities are also canceled.

Facilities

For up-to-date information on facilities schedules while campus is closed, please visit https://update.gannon.edu/facilities.

Working from Home Tips for Success

We find ourselves navigating through some challenging times as a University and as a community. We appreciate your flexibility, patience and understanding as we transition to work remotely. HR, ITS and CETL are here to assist you in this journey. HR has compiled a list of helpful tips for you to consider as you begin setting up your workstation at home. We want you to be successful and we will do what we can to help you through this process. We encourage you to review these helpful hints and contact the HR team with any questions you might have.

Set your office hours

Gannon University office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our continued success during this timeframe depends on us all being available as much as possible during this atypical “work from home” period.

If you are not going to be available during regular office hours, you will need to communicate your unavailability to both your supervisor and your team members. Should you wish to discuss working an alternative schedule outside of Gannon’s office hours, please reach out to your supervisor to discuss your specific needs.

Have dedicated office space

Decide where you will be working, whether that is in your home or another location. This area should be set up with safe ergonomics in mind. You can learn more about setting up a home office space by using this assessment tool provided by the National Institute of Health. We do anticipate that this will be a short-term working arrangement so please be creative where and how you can to avoid purchasing furniture or equipment you will only need for this short-term period.

Think security and confidentiality

You may have access to proprietary information or personal information related to students, faculty or staff. This information must be password protected or kept locked away.

You may also be on conference calls or video meetings in your home office. Please use earbuds or close your door so that your household members are not overhearing confidential conversations.

Embrace technology

Many resources have been made available by ITS and CETL to assist the Gannon community to teach, learn and work from home. Common technology needs and instructions to guide you during this “work from home” period have been made available online:

https://gannon.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/2057/Portal/KB/

In addition to this, ITS Help Desk support is continuing to operate. For questions or assistance, please email helpdesk@gannon.edu or click here to submit at ticket.

Avoid homebound distractions

In order for you to stay focused, you will want to limit the amount of external distractions around you.

Is there a place in your home you can set up your office space that is free of noise and clutter? If you will be taking phone calls, you want to be sure that you are able to fully participate in these conversations without distraction or interruptions, as much as possible, out of respect for everyone on the call.

Have honest conversations with your family and friends about your “work from home“ schedule and define boundaries so that they know when you will be available to them and when you will not.

Dress as if you were going to the office

When you wake up in the morning you may benefit from adhering to your normal routine and prepare as if you were coming to campus for the day. Wearing your pajamas all day may be tempting and comfortable BUT you may not feel as productive as you would if you are ready for the day. Remember that you may be engaging in online meetings, so you will want to be prepared for this.

Take Breaks

In the office, we may experience many distractions and often have meetings that take us outside of our office; this will not be the case during this “work from home” period. Do remember to take regular breaks to get up, rehydrate and move around, so that you are able to stay focused and productive. Take a walk, get some fresh air, especially if you feel drowsy or need a short break.

Stay in Touch

We want to reassure our students, staff and faculty that we are intensely focused on your well-being. If anyone at any time has a concern, please reach out and speak up. Talk to your faculty member or supervisor. You can also submit concerns or questions to www.gannon.edu/Questions-or-Comments/