COVID-19 Remote Unit Operations
In order to prepare for the transition of critical University operations to a remote/teleworking platform, Vice Presidents must designate the appropriate supervisor (Dean, Director, Department Heads, etc.) to identify specific mission critical business functions within their department.
Mission critical business functions are those that have the most significant impact on the University’s operations and potential for recovery. These may be functions performed by a single individual or spread amongst several employees.
Prior to making decisions on individual teleworking assignments or requests, department heads must establish a plan that ensures the effective transition of critical and essential business operations to remote status. Individual employee requests for teleworking assignments submitted prior to the establishment of the plan should be held and evaluated once the plan is established. Where business needs permit, employees should be allowed to use annual or compensatory time until the requested can be reviewed.
The following steps must be completed by department heads in preparation for remote operations:
1. Critical and Essential Functions – Department head should identify functions that must be performed during the closure period. This is to ensure that critical, yet infrequent tasks are not neglected. Additionally, the resources required to perform these functions remotely must be identified and secured.
Department heads must also identify critical and essential functions that cannot be performed remotely. A plan must be established that identifies each function, the primary and secondary responsible employee, and campus access protocols for when work is being performed on campus. This requirement does not apply to operations that included in remote operations.
2. Departmental Communication Plan – Department head must establish protocols and methods of communication. Departments should utilize University supported communication tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Moodle. This plan must be shared with all employees in the department.
3. COVID-19 Cost Tracking – Departments must track all activities related to the University’s response to the crisis. This includes but is not limited to equipment and supply purchases, compensatory, and overtime, special leave, and any other directly related items.
4. Data Security – Department heads must implement data security protocols appropriate for their units and the types of digital data and records required for the continuation of operations. University supported tools should be used for sharing and transferring documents and data. Examples include:
a) OneDrive
b) VPN/Network folders
c) Microsoft Teams
Sensitive and confidential electronic information should only be shared through the secure file transfer utility or stored in a network folder. BDM should be utilized when appropriate and available.
5. Physical Records – Department heads must implement effective protocols to secure and protect physical documents and records that must be used off-site. Suggested elements of a protocol include:
- Storage in fireproof/waterproof carriers.
- Requiring the placement of items in the trunk of a vehicle.
- Encouraging employees to avoid stops when transporting sensitive documents and records.
6. Tasks Reassignment – Department heads should evaluate employee workloads and where appropriate reassign and rebalance tasks so that workloads are equitably spread amongst the members of the work unit as some employees will inherently have more or fewer critical tasks than others.