Focus on Fall

The following Hunter College Safety Plan guidelines are based on city, state and federal requirements and recommended best practices, as outlined in the Reopening New York Higher Education Research Guidelines.

The Safety Plan provides a framework for Hunter operations to safely prepare buildings for the return of students, faculty and staff, coordinate communication, address relevant training and educational issues and help principal investigators prepare their labs for research restart.

While at Hunter, everyone must practice physical distancing, maintaining six feet distance whenever possible and following the onsite signage that communicates these instructions for designated paths, cuing and using the elevators. See “Communications” below for more information on signage.

Hunter follows the mandatory and best practices recommended by the New York State Department of Health on physical distancing. For example, shifts will be staggered and physical barriers will be used in transactional settings, such as the public safety desk and mailroom.

Hunter will supply all employees and students with acceptable face covering at no cost, and will have an adequate supply of coverings in case replacement PPE is needed. 

What’s Acceptable

Acceptable face coverings, as defined by the NY Department of Health (NYDOH), include, but are not limited to:

• Cloth masks (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana)
• Surgical masks
• Face shields

Note that cloth disposable or homemade face coverings are not acceptable for workplace activities that typically require a higher degree of protection for PPE due to the nature of the work (e.g. if working with flammable materials or chemicals, ensure face coverings are flame resistant). For those activities, N95 respirators or other PPE used under existing industry standards should continue to be used in accordance with OSHA Standards.

Supervisors must allow their employees and contractors to use their own acceptable face coverings but cannot require them to supply their own face coverings. However, employees may be required to wear more protective PPE due to the nature of their work.

When to Wear

Face coverings are to be worn at all times when on Hunter property and in public areas of the buildings, including but not limited to the plaza, lobby, corridors, elevators, bathrooms, stairwells, research laboratories, shared spaces and rooms when more than one individual is occupying a space.

Face coverings must be cleaned or replaced after use and may not be shared. Consult CDC guidance for additional information on face coverings and how to use and clean them.

For Public Spaces

Hunter College custodial staff will provide rigorous cleaning and disinfection services to public spaces on a regular basis, including the entry, exit, stairs, elevators, restrooms, corridors and shared public spaces.

• Cleaning services include the removal of trash, sweeping, dusting and mopping. This will be completed at least once per day in the public spaces.
• In addition, disinfection of high touch surfaces in public spaces using an EPA approved quaternary cleaner will take place frequently in high traffic areas such as elevators and entrances.
• Facilities will keep a daily log of completed cleaning and disinfection services, and logs will be reviewed and confirmed regularly by administrative superintendents.

For Laboratories

Principal investigators (PIs) or designated personnel will be responsible for cleaning and disinfecting lab spaces and shared research facilities. 

• Shared lab spaces and equipment should be disinfected at the start and end of each shift or use. 
• Laboratory supervisors should develop and post disinfection procedures for each space and equipment. 
• Each laboratory will need to maintain their own log for disinfection of shared spaces or equipment. 
• Disinfecting wipes or spray disinfectant and paper towels will be provided to all designated meeting areas, laboratory and shared resource spaces.
• PI’s or designated personnel shall be responsible for wiping down equipment daily. 
• It is recommended for equipment such as keyboards, microscopes, etc. that personnel wipe them down both before and after use. We encourage each staff member to give frequent attention to decontaminating commonly used surfaces (desks, benches, instrument panels, cabinet handles, etc.). 
• Hand-washing with soap and water for 20 seconds immediately upon arrival is mandatory, and frequent hand-washing during the day is strongly encouraged to reduce contact transmission. 
• Hand sanitizer will continue to be available at all lab building entrances. 
• Additional hand sanitizer dispensers will be installed in public areas and in areas deemed to be high touch. 
• Lab coats should be worn at all times in the laboratory and must be removed before leaving. 

To keep students, faculty and staff up to date on the latest COVID-19 related health and safety measures and campus plans, Hunter will provide the following:

The Research Safety Plan

The Research Safety Plan will be available at the Public Safety desk for employees as well as on this website.
Download the Research Safety Plan (PDF)

Email & Website Updates

Hunter will communicate with employees through email and this website. Updates will be posted regularly and employees are encouraged to visit this website to access planning, training and health and safety management resources. 

Public Service Announcements

Public service announcements will be posted on the college’s digital screens throughout the campus.

Signage

A robust signage program has been developed for employees and visitors to communicate instructions on-site for physical distancing, PPE, personal hygiene and safe practices.

Examples of signage

Screening and Testing

To protect the health and safety of the Hunter community, all employees and essential visitors are required to use the online Health Screening App at home prior to traveling to campus. The app asks the three New York State Department of Health required questions to allow for safe travel and entry to the campus:

1. Do you have COVID symptoms?
2. Have you been exposed to someone with COVID symptoms?
3. Have you tested positive for COVID?

Employees and essential visitors who successfully complete the questionnaire and report having no symptoms of COVID, no diagnosis, or contact with someone diagnosed, will receive approval to come to campus. Self-check terminals are also available on site. This information will be provided to Hunter College Office of Public Safety and shared with Human Resources.

Symptom Disclosure

If employees or essential visitors begin to experience symptoms either during or outside of work hours, they are required to immediately disclose.

Anyone who screens positive for COVID-19 symptoms will not be allowed to enter Hunter and will be sent home with instructions to contact their healthcare provider for assessment and testing. 

In addition, the Office of Human Resources will immediately notify Hunter’s offices of Public Safety, Facilities and Environmental Health and Safety, to initiate the respective cleaning and disinfection procedures. 

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety has been designated as the site safety monitor whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the site safety plan.  

Tracing and Tracking 

The Office of Human Resources will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive COVID- 19 test result by an employee or visitor. 

In the case of an employee or essential visitor testing positive, the Office of Human Resources will cooperate with the state and local health department as required to trace all contacts in the workplace, and the state and local health department must be notified of all individuals who entered he site dating back to 48 hours before the employee or visitor first experienced COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive, whichever is earlier. Confidentiality will be maintained as required by federal and state law and regulations. 

Individuals who are alerted that they have come into close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19, and have been alerted via tracing, tracking or other mechanism, are required to self- report to their employer at the time of alert and follow the protocol referenced above. 

Laboratory Schedules

Staff members may consider resuming their laboratory duties as allowed and individual plans should be worked out with the principal investigator (PI), who will be asked to arrange work schedules that adhere to staffing restrictions and staggered shifts. 

Individual circumstances will be considered and accommodations and staffing schedules should be mutually agreed upon by the PI and the staff member. We anticipate and expect that not all staff will be able to return in the same timeframe or capacity.

Laboratory Safety 

To ensure lab safety, principal investigators are encouraged to use the Laboratory Resumption Checklist (LRC) in their own planning. This checklist will be used as part of the laboratory inspection process. 

Staff should take inventory of the chemicals currently in stock prior to ordering additional supplies, to prevent having surplus amounts of supplies and dangerous quantities of chemicals in the lab. 

Individual labs are responsible for ordering and procuring the appropriate type and number of PPE.

Entry and Exit

• Enter the building at the designated entry and exit. 
• Maintain physical distancing in the lobby area, as indicated by signage.

Escalators, Elevators and Stairs

• Maintain physical distancing on the escalators, elevators and stairs, as indicated by signage.

Corridors

• Keep corridors clean, orderly and clear at all times in compliance with FDNY and NY State law. Only non-flammable materials can be stored in hallways in designated areas. 
• Additionally, keep corridors clear so custodial staff are able to clean, sanitize and disinfect the floors on a regular basis.

Pickup and Deliveries

• The North Building Loading Dock is the designated area for pick-ups and deliveries. Arrangements can be made for pick-up and delivery of necessary supplies, limiting contact to the extent possible.

Essential employees who have remained on campus throughout the NYS Pause and Phase 1 Reopening have been provided with PPE specific to their line of work. Employees who have received masks and gloves have been trained in how to properly wear and maintain them, as well as how to maintain physical distancing and observe hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

All essential employees are being asked to use the Health Screening App prior to arriving on campus. Hunter College essential workers will receive equitable treatment in the protections afforded to research faculty, staff and students.

High-priority, time-sensitive research and scholarship activities that have been pre-approved by the college will be allowed to resume. To learn more about the approval process, see the sections on Priority Research and How to Apply below.

Building Procedures

Hunter will follow all procedures outlined in the Research Safety Plan.

Additional Requirements

• In addition to existing continuous cleaning protocols, principal investigators, designated graduate students and supervisors will be responsible for developing and posting rigorous cleaning and disinfecting procedures for each lab space and shared research facility.
• Labs, studios and office areas will be kept organized to make it easier for regular cleaning.
• Shared labs spaces and equipment will be disinfected at the start and end of each shift or use.
• Disposable wipes and disinfectants will be placed near shared surfaces to encourage cleaning.
• Frequently touched surfaces (such as keyboards and microscopes) will be wiped down after use by research staff.
• User logs will be maintained in each lab to support contact tracing.
• Lab coats will be worn at all times in the laboratory and removed before leaving.
• Principal investigators and lab supervisors are encouraged to use this Laboratory Resumption Checklist when planning for safety.

The goal of our phased restart plan is to continue remote working arrangements when possible and ease workers back into their routines gradually. Accommodations and staffing schedules should be mutually agreed upon by the principal investigator and the individual. Work and studio schedules will be arranged that adhere to staffing restrictions and staggered shifts.

Determining Work and Studio Schedules

• Rearrange schedules and shifts to reduce density.
• Minimize the number of people in each lab or studio to maintain physical distancing.
• Minimize in-person meetings by utilizing video or teleconferencing when possible.
• Reduce the number of days each person must be on campus by conducting remotely activities that do not require presence in the lab (e.g. data analysis, literature searches, writing or research meetings).
• Modify protocols to conduct research online whenever possible.

Scheduling Meetings

• Meetings should be held with the smallest number of in-person participants–under 10.
• Call-in options will be available for those who are not able to attend meetings in person.
• Essential in-person meetings must adhere to room occupancy limits and physical distancing guidelines.
• Training teams should be limited to two people.

Chemicals

Before ordering research materials such as chemicals, principal investigators should take stock of what they already have and keep orders to a minimum for safety reasons.

Human Subjects

Research interactions with human subjects should be limited to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.

Animal Subjects

Essential personnel who are needed to maintain on-site facilities should be identified and trained to ensure coverage.

Tissues and Non-IACUC Materials

For materials such as insects, plants and sea animals, additional orders should be minimal except on a case-by-case basis. Principal investigators should be prepared to scale back research and may have to decide which materials to maintain (e.g. freeze) and which to abandon. Principal investigators who work with such materials should contact Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) to design any necessary contingency plans.

An essential goal of Hunter’s go forward plan is to continue to ensure research compliance. That includes the safe and responsible handling of private information.

Personal Health Information

Researchers who collect and store protected health information (PHI) should develop procedures that protect the confidentiality of PHI when it is transferred, received, handled, shared or stored using remote data collection platforms or solutions as outlined in CUNY’s Acceptable Use of University Data in the Cloud Policy. Zoom, WebEx and Microsoft Teams can be used for real-time videoconferencing, if sessions are not recorded, and are freely available for CUNY affiliates. Learn more about distance learning tools at Hunter.

Data Use Agreements

For studies of data access and analysis covered by data use agreements (DUA), principal investigators may need to request modification if a different platform is required beyond that covered by the DUA. Please contact the agreements point person by emailing the Office of the Provost at provost@hunter.cuny.edu. If the DUA involves human subjects and the protocol requires modification, the IRB modification should be submitted via Ideate.

The Hunter taskforce worked closely with the Office of Research to establish clear research priorities and approval processes for the ramp up of time-sensitive research activities on campus. In establishing these priorities, the taskforce took many things into consideration, including the unique needs and circumstances of early-career researchers and the academic research community at large. Principal investigators and designated graduate students are invited to submit individual laboratory and studio restart plans.

What Gets Priority

Recommended high-priority research includes (in order of priority):

• Externally funded, deadline-driven work requiring stipulated deliverables (grant/contract deadlines) that must be conducted on site or in the field (with documentation of deadlines regardless of researcher rank or tenure status; includes any required research staff).
• Externally funded research that must be conducted on-site or in the field (with award documentation regardless of researcher rank or tenure status; includes any required research staff).
• Research by graduate students who are near degree completion (with advisor or area head support/presence per college requirements).
• Untenured faculty research (with department chair/program head support).
• Research requiring season-specific sample collections.

About Sponsored Research

In supporting on-going research, Hunter is asking principal investigators to:

1. Request bridge funding from sponsors as activities are delayed or other needs arise, if applicable. Please see Hunter’s previous guidance on COVID-related extensions and deadline adjustments.
2. Understand that CUNY Central will make local decisions and will evaluate safety plans to confirm that they include all required elements, and meet local campus requirements to protect the health and safety of the campus community. We are in the process of receiving the authorization now and are working with CUNY Central to approve our plans.

To ensure safe and streamlined research activities on campus, Hunter College requires principal investigators to submit all research plans to the newly formed Research Restart Committee for pre-approval.

The Approval Process

• Principal investigators and designated graduate students will submit the following forms, which guide them through the Reopening New York Higher Education Research Guidelines, CUNY and Hunter specific guidance and the mandatory trainings.
  • PI Individual Laboratory Restart Plan
  • Art Studios Restart Plan
  • Offsite Research Restart Plan (Coming Soon)
  • Human Subjects Restart Plan (Coming Soon)
• Completed forms will be submitted to be reviewed by Associate Provost for Research Dr. Elizabeth Cohn and investigators from the Research Restart Committee. The committee consists of funded and senior investigators who will work in pairs to review all proposed plans.
• Final approval will be given by Hunter’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety.
• Within 10 days the plan will either be approved or returned for revisions.
• Within one week of receiving revisions, the plan will either be approved, or the investigator will meet with Dr. Cohn to make a plan that conforms to all safety standards and local, regional and federal guidance.

Plans for Research Ramp Down

Investigators must be prepared to make changes to their research plans on short notice, depending on requirements dictated by health and safety directives. For this reason, plans for a research “pause” or ramp down must be included in the restart plan application that follow guidelines for promoting the safety of the staff and the integrity of the research. Researchers are advised not to start new long-term projects or any projects that cannot be stopped on short notice during this initial phase.

Hunter’s comprehensive restart plan also requires that principal investigators and supervisors:

• Ensure that all required licenses, approvals and training are up to date.
• Review regulatory compliance and accreditation standards to ensure staff are up to date on all professional/occupational requirements and that facilities meet all appropriate standards.
• Review and follow research protocols and governing documents or approvals from oversight committees including IRB and IACUC.
• Review and follow sponsor requirements and contractual obligations and make sure that all prospective changes (in scope, key personnel or qualifying situations) to research are approved by the sponsor.
• Modify the use and/or restrict the number of workstations (e.g. lab benches) so that individuals are at least six feet apart in all directions and are not sharing workstations without cleaning and disinfection between use. When distancing is not feasible between workstations, they must provide and require the use of face coverings or physical barriers. If used, physical barriers should be put in place according to OSHA standards. Physical barrier options may include: strip curtains, cubicles, plexiglass or similar materials, or other impermeable dividers or partitions.
• Prohibit the use of small spaces by more than one individual at a time, unless all individuals in such space at the same time are wearing acceptable face coverings. However, even with face coverings in use, occupancy must not exceed 50% of the maximum capacity of the space, unless it is designed for use by a single occupant.
• Increase ventilation with outdoor air to the greatest extent possible (e.g. opening windows and doors), while maintaining safety protocols. Additional measures should be taken to prevent congregation in elevator waiting areas and limit density in elevators, such as enabling the use of stairs.
• Mark six feet distance circles around workstations and other common stationary work areas.
• Restrict training teams to two people wearing PPE with physical distancing, where possible.
• Require all employees to sanitize work surfaces.
• Provide soap and/or hand sanitizer near sinks and in other prominent locations within the labs, where possible, and require all personnel to routinely wash hands.
• Coordinate schedules for shared lab space to ensure equal and staggered access to those spaces.
• Prohibit gatherings of more than two physically distanced people under all circumstances in common areas.
• Limit on-site interactions (e.g. restricting access to break rooms, staggering schedules) and movements (e.g. employees should remain near their workstations as often as possible).

Here’s who to contact for questions about….

Instrument Repairs and Vendor Services
Email Joseph Foelsch at jf1128@hunter.cuny.edu.

Shipping and Receiving
Email Joseph Foelsch at jf1128@hunter.cuny.edu.

Travel
Researchers should follow CUNY travel guidelines, as well as avoid international travel per the U.S. State Department. For guidance on reimbursement from federally-funded travel, contact your program director.

Commercialization of Research
Researchers can continue to pursue potential commercial applications by filing invention disclosures, seeking intellectual property protection, establishing contact with companies, writing SBIR proposals and other related work that can be conducted remotely. For further assistance, contact CUNY’s Technology Commercialization Office.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Hunter will supply all employees and students with an acceptable face covering at no cost to the individual. Contact your principal investigator for PPE.

Non-IACUC Materials
Principal investigators who work with tissues and other non-IACUC materials should contact Hunter College EHS before ordering them.