As shared in the all campus email on March 16, beginning Wednesday, March 18, university operations – where possible – will move to a remote working environment until at least April 10, at which point the university will reassess our overall situation.
Below is additional guidance and information for faculty and staff related to this transition. Direct any questions to this form on the coronavirus website so the information can be included in future communications and the FAQ on that site.
Guidance on working remotely
Employees can use this resource guide for working remotely, which includes best practices on only utilizing out of office replies if you are on vacation, forwarding phones and related information.
Deans, vice presidents and vice provosts are in the process of determining which faculty and staff are critical to be on campus to support our online teaching environment and our students living on campus. Supervisors will communicate directly with employees who are considered critical to be on campus within the next day or two. When on-campus presence is necessary for department operations, leaders may determine that intermittent remote work is appropriate, or that one or more employees in the area can alternate on-campus presence.
Work will continue remotely for faculty and staff who are not required to be on campus. Leaders should work with their teams to best identify how to continue the department’s key operations during this time, including shifting work among the team members to ensure continuity. For employees balancing work-at-home duties with child care and at-home schooling duties, the university requests that supervisors are flexible with hours, e.g., allow employees to work nontraditional hours.
If supervisors manage employees whose roles are not conducive to remote work, the supervisor should first consult with their dean, vice president or vice provost for potential reassignment within the area to maintain business continuity. Both creativity and fiscal responsibility are important considerations. For instance, employees (or teams) can be empowered to document or improve a process, work on “rainy day projects,” complete those projects that there is never enough time for, or spend time on file clean-up, organization or digitization. Additionally, there is an abundance of online training that can be leveraged for team development during this time.
If an employee cannot be assigned work for a given day or portion of a day, employees will be paid for regularly scheduled hours through April 10, but they must be available for remote work during that time. Alternatively, an employee may choose to use accrued vacation hours or move to an unpaid status. Supervisors who need additional guidance or have a critical work-gaps can consult with Human Resources.
Additional EmpCenter guidance will be sent to supervisors this week.
Resources for faculty moving courses to remote learning
The Center for Teaching and Learning website has been redesigned to provide faculty with resources for continuity of instruction and training sessions. Training sessions are now virtual (i.e., not in-person). Videos of the trainings will be recorded and posted soon. A Teams meeting site has been created for department chairs to field faculty questions across disciplines and speed response to key questions. A significant number of additional publishers are now providing access to electronic textbooks. View the ebook resources page for a list.
New remote learning website available
Information Technology Services has created a new remote learning resources page for students, which includes information on accessing classes via D2L, connecting to the VPN, accessing Raynor Memorial Library resources remotely and more. Please share this with your students and email helpdesk@marquette.edu if there is information that should be added to the website.
Student employees
The university will continue paying stipends to graduate assistants, residence hall assistants and tutors. Per U.S. Department of Education guidelines, Federal Work Study students will continue to be paid. Other students actively working on campus will be paid their regular hourly wage. Hourly paid students who are not present on campus and are not being asked to work remotely will not be paid. Supervisors of student employees who are currently off-campus can determine if remote work is an option for students paid hourly. The university will continue to monitor this situation.
Campus buildings and services
Given that only a limited number of essential personnel are working on campus and that only a small number of students are living in the residence halls – limited to those who could not travel home to complete their studies remotely – the following buildings and campus services will have different hours. This list will be updated and is available on the university’s coronavirus website.
- Majority of academic and administrative buildings, including the Alumni Memorial Union: Most buildings will be faculty and staff access only via MUID card. Faculty, staff and graduate assistants, teaching assistants and research assistants will have MUID card access to their “home” building 24/7 and any additional buildings they currently have 24/7 access to.
- Al McGuire Center: Closed effective March 18 until further notice, with the exception of Sports Medicine, which will be by appointment only.
- Athletic and Human Performance Research Center: Closed effective March 18 until further notice.
- Brew locations: Closed effective March 18 until further notice.
- BookMarq: Closed effective March 17; students can access services online.
- Card Office: While the Card Office is closed, the emergency replacement of lost IDs is still possible. Anyone needing a replacement ID should send an email to marquettecard@marquette.edu and include a phone number at which they can be reached. A Marquette employee will contact the person needing the ID and set up an appointment to issue the card.
- Catholic Masses: Archbishop Jerome Listecki has closed all Catholic Masses in Milwaukee to the public through April 3. This includes all on-campus Masses and Masses at Church of the Gesu.
- Child Care Center: Remains open at this time; parents will be communicated with separately if this changes.
- Dining halls: In accordance with guidance from the City of Milwaukee, The Commons is carry out only, effective March 17 until further notice. All other dining halls are closed.
- Marquette University Counseling Center: Will provide mental health services primarily by telephone: (414) 288-7172. If students are in the campus area, please call rather than coming to the center in person.
- Marquette University Police Department: Fully operational; LIMO service running.
- On campus external facing clinics: Each clinic is determining whether to remain open and the hours of operation based on health official guidance. Clinics are communicating directly with their patients and information is available on each clinic’s website.
- Raynor Memorial Libraries: Open via MUID card access for students, faculty and staff during business hours (check Raynor’s website for changes to business hours).
- Rec Center and Rec Plex: Closed effective March 18 until further notice.
- Residence Halls: Front desks will continue to be staffed.
- Spirit Shop: Closed effective March 17 until further notice.
- St. Joan of Arc Chapel: Closed effective March 18 until further notice.
- University Apartments: Front desks will continue to be staffed.
- Valley Fields: Dome closed effective March 18 until further notice. The track and fields will be accessible with an MUID via the 16th Street gate.
Bridge to the Future fund to support students affected by COVID-19 pandemic
Those who wish to support students, Marquette’s Bridge to the Future Fund provides financial assistance to those whose changing economic circumstances jeopardize their ability to continue their education. The fund can be used to support students in these times of need and has immediate impact for students.
Backpack Program available to help students facing food insecurity
The Backpack Program is a free and confidential service that provides groceries to any Marquette student who is having difficulty accessing affordable, nutritious food and other essential household items. After filling out an intake form, students can get a few days-worth of groceries and additional personal products. No student will be turned away. Students should fill out this intake form to participate. Faculty and staff who wish to donate can give online.
Watch your university email for updates and visit the coronavirus site for additional information and FAQs.