Preparing for Power Outages

To: Faculty and staff

From: Vincent Del Casino, Jr., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Charlie Faas, Vice President for Administration and Finance

State Guidance on Persons Authorized on Campus and Form For Returning Activities or Services

SJSU faculty and staff,

With students moving in this past week and classes set to resume this Wednesday, August 19—including some in-person classes—campus will be the most populated it has been since the middle of March. Although many of us will continue to telecommute for most, if not all, of the fall semester, campus activity will be increasing. 

Rotating PG&E Power Outages: Week of Aug 17

It is also important to note that every day this week, due to extreme heat and high demands for electricity, PG&E is instituting rotating outages lasting one to two hours from 3-10 p.m. Faculty, please be mindful of the possibility that you or your students might be out of power while you are teaching a class. We ask that you provide the flexibility to meet course objectives and goals should you or your students temporarily lose power. Assignments may need to be postponed and some content may need to be delivered in an alternate manner.

State Guidance Regarding Campus Signage and Authorized Persons

On August 7, 2020, the California Department of Public Health and Cal-OSHA issued COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Institutions of Higher Education that directs all universities and colleges to:

“Limit, to the greatest extent permitted by law, external community members from entering the campus grounds and using campus resources, as the number of additional people onsite and/or intermixing with students, faculty, and staff increases the risk of virus transmission.” 

Until further notice, access to campus property, grounds and facilities of SJSU is restricted to authorized students, faculty and staff only. Everyone must carry their Tower ID and/or access card with them to provide evidence of authorization. SJSU is in the process of placing signage across campus. 

Subject to applicable law, those authorized to enter the campus must comply with the following requirements:

  • Self-checking for symptoms (see below) consistent with COVID-19 before arriving on campus.
  • Proper wearing of face coverings that cover the mouth and nose.
  • Strict adherence to the rules of public distancing (maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between persons), as a means of minimizing the transmission of pathogens.
  • Strict compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, directives and orders regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any member of the public who refuses to comply is subject to expulsion from campus property and/or criminal prosecution for trespassing (CA. PC 602.6).

Please direct any requests for access to University Personnel at 408-924-2250 (for employees) and Student Affairs at 408-924-5900 (for enrolled students).

Self-Check for Symptoms

Employees and students who will be on campus are expected to self-check for symptoms consistent with COVID-19 before coming to campus. Ask yourself the following questions: 

  • Am I experiencing any of the following COVID-19 related symptoms which cannot be attributed to some other known cause:
    • fever or feeling feverish,
    • chills,
    • congestion,
    • runny nose,
    • nausea,
    • vomiting,
    • diarrhea,
    • cough,
    • shortness of breath,
    • fatigue,
    • muscle or body aches,
    • headaches,
    • or new loss of sense of taste or smell?
  • Have I been in close contact (within 6 feet) for more than 15 minutes with someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19?

If you answer yes to either or both of the questions above, you should stay home. If you are already on campus and begin to exhibit any of these symptoms, notify your supervisor and go home. Please contact your primary care physician and review Santa Clara County Public Health Department’s Home Isolation and Quarantine Guidance. 

Additional guidance on self-checking symptoms is forthcoming. If you do test positive for COVID-19 during the fall semester, please fill out the confidential Report a Case form, where information can be collected and shared with only the necessary campus officials to ensure that we can appropriately assist you.

Request to Bring In-Person Activities or Services Back to Campus

Should you seek to bring in-person activities or services back to campus, please complete and submit this form to request permission. This does not apply to teaching or research, which has a separate process. Before submitting your request, you are welcome to consult with Traci Ferdolage, Senior Associate Vice President for Facilities Development and Operations (FD&O) or Matt Nymeyer, Director of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S).

The President's Cabinet will handle preliminary approvals, and you will be notified of the outcome of your request within a week. In order to be considered for final approval to return, you must work with FD&O and EH&S to develop an operations plan that puts in place appropriate administrative and facilities measures that protect the health and safety of our campus population and is compliant with state and county guidelines.

Obtaining Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

As a reminder, Facilities Development and Operations (FD&O) will provide COVID-related safety supplies and equipment including face coverings, disinfection supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for students residing on campus or for faculty/staff members who have on-campus work requirements during the pandemic. To request supplies, complete the Obtain COVID-19 Safety Supplies form. Supplies will also be available throughout the campus, as well as at the FD&O Customer Service Center (Corporation Yard A building) and at a kiosk located near the Event Center and Student Wellness Center.

Parking Services

We anticipate San José State University will have plenty of parking spots available around its main campus this year. However, we would like to remind everyone that a valid parking permit is required at all times while parked on campus. Parking is enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A parking permit is also required beginning the first day of classes in order to park on campus.

Park & Ride permits will not be sold this semester and shuttle services, although currently accessible, will be limited until further notice. In addition, we will be running a very limited South campus shuttle service to start the semester. Check online for service times/locations.

In an effort to comply with physical distancing guidelines, Parking Services is limited to three people in our parking lobby at any time. We encourage you to purchase your parking permit online via Parking Online Services. For Fall 2020 parking permit options, please visit Student Commuter Virtual Permits webpage. 

If you have any questions regarding parking, please email us at parking@sjsu.edu or call us during our business hours:

Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 408-924-6557

Please continue to stay up to date by visiting the SJSU Health Advisories site, where you can find FAQs, resources, and the SJSU Adapt plan for the fall 2020 semester. 

Sincerely,

Vincent Del Casino, Jr.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Charlie Faas
Vice President for Administration and Finance