General COVID Information and Cleaning Protocol

• Building Readiness - OPP will have all of the building HVAC systems back to some type of normal operation for Monday, August 3rd. The ongoing effort to increase the amount of outside air introduced into buildings across campus (the new normal) is expected to take right up to August 24th as that effort is considerable. Additionally, on August 3rd OPP Custodial Services returned to full staffing, and while they have some training to accomplish first, they will soon begin deep cleaning the facilities ahead of arrival. Please note: This update does not mean that employees can start to flow back onto University Park campus buildings without approval. The Return to Work form is still a requirement for the Office of Human Resources.
• Masks - There will be a total of 500,000 masks that will be deliver to campus on or around August 17th. The Facilities and Safety Office will handle the distribution of masks within the College of Ag. Additional information will be forward on when available. Masks are also available to order through Shop OnLion if you need masks prior to the arrival of the University-supplied masks. Additional information is available on the EHS Pandemic Supply List.
• Custodial Changes – Beginning August 3, OPP has recalled all Custodial employees.  Between now and the start of classes on August 24, they will be doing deep cleaning in all our facilities to prepare for the start of the semester.  There are many changes they are implementing in response to the Coronavirus and making campus as safe as possible for the Return to State. 

Here are some of the more significant things they are doing:

1. As they have been doing since March, OPP will continue disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, like restroom fixtures, water fountains, bottle-fill stations, and door hardware, daily.
2. They will be disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily in General Purpose Classrooms.
3. They will be increasing the cleaning schedule of Departmental Classrooms to 5 times a week and disinfecting daily.
4. They will be disinfecting frequently touched surfaces (keyboards and mice) daily in 16 public computer labs.
5. They are prepared to immediately respond and do a level-2 sanitation cleaning of spaces a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 positive individual inhabited (according to public health guidance). 
6. They are placing and refilling 3,000 hand sanitizer stations throughout campus academic and administrative buildings.
7. They will be providing disinfecting wipes for personal use in General Purpose Classrooms, Departmental Classrooms, and Computer Labs.
8. As part of recalling their Custodial employees, they will be changing cleaning times for some of our buildings.  If you need further information on cleaning schedules for your facilities, please contact Brad Smith directly.   As a result, you will see more of their staff working during the day when campus is most active.  This change will allow them to be more responsive to cleaning requirements during the day and will provide a healthier and safer work environment for our employees.  Additional changes will be made in the next 6-12 months as they gain experience in our new operational mode.

• Sanitizer Stations - OPP is providing hand sanitizer stations in E&G facilities.  They will be provided at main building entrances, ground level elevator entrances, ground level stairwell entrances, outside of classrooms, and outside of restrooms. OPP will maintain them and refill them. Update: Sanitizer Station distributors are experiencing delays in shipping and delivery to campus is now August 17, 2020.
• Elevators- OPP does not recommend setting occupancy limits for elevators.  Since the University is instituting universal masking and the typical elevator ride has very limited duration the risk of multiple individuals in the same elevator cab is very low.  Elevators must remain available for ADA-compliant access, so we would encourage individuals who can use the stairs to do so.

• Penn State Signage – Departmental facilities and safety personnel should remove any COVID-related, restrictive entrance signs now that OPP has installed official Stay Well signs on entrances to buildings. If you are not considered a high use building; please order the appropriate signage for your admin. area.  The links below provide guidance for your reference.
  • https://news.psu.edu/story/623040/2020/06/24/campus-life/covid-19-signage-available-display-across-penn-state-campuses?utm_source=newswire&utm_medium=email&utm_term=624205_HTML&utm_content=06-24-2020-22-12&utm_campaign=Penn%20State%20Today
  • Guidance Document and Templates-https://pennstateoffice365.sharepoint.com/sites/Covid19CampusSignage
  • Multimedia Print Center Stay Well-https://multimediaprint.prod.fbweb.psu.edu/stay-well-initiative
• Plexiglass Barriers - Departments are responsible to fund any barriers not on the 'highest use' list. Please submit a work order for a cost estimate and OPPs Planners and Estimators in Work Control will follow up with you.
  • Barriers must be free standing "table top". Not fastened to anything.
  • Hanging plexiglass on wires from suspended ceiling is permitted. Nothing can be fastened to the ceiling.

The buildings listed below have been identified as the “highest use" facilities at UP.

• Hetzel Union Building (HUB)

• Forum Building
• Pattee/Paterno Library
• Sackett Building
• Hammond Building
• Thomas Building
• Osmond Building
• Willard Building
• Boucke Building
• Intramural (IM) Building
• White Building

Reduced Room Capacities – all events/meetings/courses held this fall need to adhere to Social Distancing guidelines. Social Distancing capacities in Penn State locations are to be enforced by the stewards of the location.

• Suggested reduced capacities for Dept Classrooms and Dept Labs can be found here.
• Suggested reduced capacities for other Departmental Room Types can be found in the LionSpace Covid-19 Planning Tool.  If you do not have access to LionSpace, please contact a team member in the Facilities & Safety Office.
• Requests for layouts to be drawn for departmental spaces are available.  Please contact a team member in the Facilities & Safety Office to initiate this process.
• Reduced capacities, for dept rooms scheduled in 25Live, can be added.  Please contact Mike Hoffman or Brad Smith to initiate this process.
• Reduced capacities, and layouts, for GPC's can be found in LionSpace at the room level in the photo gallery.
• Departments can provide their own reduced capacity numbers, based on their measurements. Please submit these Mike Hoffman or Brad Smith so that they can be updated.

• Tent Policy - Indoor spaces are being identified to provide Remote Learning Rooms, which is the primary approach being taken to create additional spaces for student use.  Therefore, all tent requests for more specific uses are to be submitted for consideration and coordination with other on-going tent planning efforts.

Consistent with established procedures, anyone reserving outdoor locations or wishing to install a temporary structure, such as a tent, should use 25Live to submit their request.  Assigned approvers of outdoor locations will coordinate with OPP (Sr. Director of B&G, Phillip Melnick) to evaluate the request, and if approved ensure requestors follow policy and operational concerns are considered.

• Leased Property Information - It is important to note that as the University provides guidance and recommendations relative to the occupancy and operation of its facilities, this information is also applicable to space leased from a 3rd party owner.  However, without regulatory mandate from Pennsylvania Officials, DOH or the CDC, not all adjustments may be a requirement, nor are they viable according to local building code.  As such, any intent to integrate, places the full financial responsibility and legal liability on the University.  Therefore, as modifications are being proposed/requested, please be sure to reach out to the University's Real Estate Office via PSURealEstate@psu.edu and your designated Specialist will assist with initiating the necessary review and determine an appropriate course of action.

• Remote Learning Locations – From the office of the Vice President of Facilities Management and Planning.

• With the scheduling of classes for Fall 2020 semester all but completed, approximately 50% of classes will have a full remote learning component. Other mixed mode courses will offer a combination of in-person and remote learning that varies, depending on the discipline of the course. With a large percentage of the University resident student population living off campus, there is an identified need for learning spaces on campus to support remote learning classes when returning to off- or on-campus housing is not feasible. The Office of Physical Plant, through partnership between Planning Design & Properties and the Office of the University Registrar, is designating 45 General Purpose Classrooms at University Park as Remote Learning Rooms.

• Remote Learning Rooms will be available exclusively for student drop-in use. The seating will be configured in accordance with social distancing guidelines and the room availability will be consistent with the open hours of the building. A map layer of these designated spaces will be featured on Penn State's Interactive Map and the Penn State GO app for University Park. The Remote Learning Rooms program, and supporting resources, will be communicated to the student population. Each of these rooms will remain on the current cleaning/disinfection schedule as if they were GPCs.  Students will be expected to maintain social distance and wear masks in these spaces.

• Students at all campuses may also use any General-Purpose Classroom that is not currently in use for in-person instruction. The availability schedule for these spaces is accessible by students through 25Live and will be made available on additional supporting websites. OPP is currently doing everything they can to have specified parking areas outfitted with WiFi at all campuses prior to classes beginning.