8/5/2020 Announcement-Returning to Campus for the Fall Semester

DEAR SUL ROSS FAMILY IN ALPINE:

We look forward to seeing everyone on campus soon! The health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff remains our top priority. We have been working diligently to create a campus environment in which everyone feels secure.

We have prepared a document about returning to campus and I hope that you will read it and use it to plan your own return. It may be found at the link below.

Rising to the Challenge The Sul Ross State University Return to Campus Plan

If everyone does their part, we can limit the spread of COVID-19 and study and work in a safer and less stressful environment.

Wear a face covering when in public. Wash your hands regularly, for 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer with at least a 60% alcohol base. Practice social distancing, of at least 6 feet.

Please stay safe — and let’s take care of each other. -pete

7/31/2020 Memo from Pete Gallego

Dear Fellow Lobos:

I’m excited to welcome you back to Alpine for the 2020 Fall semester, which marks my first semester as president of our university. I hope you and your loved ones are doing well and have found a way to safely enjoy the summer. 2020 is definitely going in the record books; we are seeing something many of us thought could only happen in the movies.

I’m writing today to ask that you take part in our efforts to prevent the spread of COVID on campus by voluntarily quarantining yourself by limiting interaction with people outside your household for 14 days before arriving to school this fall. As we are approaching our first days back to campus-We need this in effect immediately. This will help protect not only our campus community, but the larger Alpine community as well. Since you left this spring, we’ve been continuously updating our procedures and our entire campus to make Sul Ross a safer place for your return. Sul Ross already has some great advantages due to our size and temperate climate. Seats in the indoor classes have been marked to provide acceptable distancing and we will be utilizing outdoor spaces where possible; hand sanitizers have been placed at entrances and exits to all of the buildings; and a mandatory campus-wide mask policy is in place.

COVID is still a threat, but each day we learn more about the virus and how to live with it. We continue updating our plans to include the most current local and federal guidelines. Personal responsibility, though, remains the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID. We’ve all now learned the importance of social distancing, washing our hands regularly, and wearing a mask in this “new normal” setting.

Many of my best memories are from my own experiences when I was a student here at Sul Ross. Despite the pandemic, myself and our dedicated faculty and staff hope you can create your best memories here, too. We are working around the clock to provide a safe environment that can help foster those experiences for you. We ask that you take part in helping to do the same for others in the Sul Ross community.

We’re in this together; let’s take extra care of our Lobo family.

-pete

6/16/2020 Memo from Pete Gallego

DEAR SUL ROSS FAMILY IN ALPINE:

At this point, we know of no positive COVID-19 cases on campus — but the virus is definitely circulating. We know that some members of our Lobo family have been in close proximity to individuals in our area who have, in fact, tested positive. If you fall in this category, WORK FROM HOME. DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS. You should also notify anyone else you’ve been around. They should work from home also.

I want to reiterate the responsibility we have as a university community to take care of each other. If you or anyone around you is showing symptoms of COVID 19, or has been in contact with someone who has tested positive, report the situation to your supervisor immediately and begin following CDC recommended precautions.

Rest assured that your supervisor will be flexible in finding a solution that will allow you to work remotely. Understand that, if you arrive at work showing symptoms — or if you begin to show symptoms during the workday — your supervisor is being directed to send you home immediately. If you’re feeling ill, please let your supervisor know at once.

In all such instances, the following protocol is to be observed:

‣ Supervisors will report the incident to the president’s office. ‣ Physical Plant staff will be deployed to deep clean offices and high trafficked areas. ‣ A decision will then be made by the administration in concert with the supervisors, regarding any additional steps to be taken.

For those who report possible cases to their supervisor, please follow the CDC recommended steps and immediately contact your medical provider. You and your primary care doctor can make the best decision for your individual case. You may not return to work until your medical provider has cleared you to return to work.

If everyone does their part, we can limit the spread of COVID-19 and work in a safer and less stressful environment. Again, please:

Wear a face covering when in public. Wash your hands regularly, for 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer with at least a 60% alcohol base. Practice social distancing, of at least 6 feet.

Please stay safe — and let’s take care of each other. -pete

6/13/2020 Memo from Pete Gallego

My policy is to be transparent, always. To that end, I am providing all of you with the following information.

Recently, Alpine received news of a handful of positive COVID-19 cases. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), this now brings our total to eight cases. Though this is not welcomed news, I am told that the individuals involved are all now self-isolating at home. DSHS is working to contact those who may have had contact with the individuals who tested positive.

As I write this, no patients have close ties to the university itself. However, Alpine is a small and close-knit community. It is not inconceivable that the university could have its first COVID-19 case in the near future. For now, our campus remains closed to the public. Employees on campus will notice limited or no access to buildings and hand sanitizing stations at or near all building entrances.

Our plans do not stop there. Over the next several days, we will be receiving shipments of sneeze guards for use at various locations. We will also be receiving a shipment of infrared thermometers so that we will have the ability to measure the temperatures of individuals on campus.

We continue to encourage our employees to WEAR A MASK or other face covering both on campus and off. The mask or face covering should cover both nose and mouth. As I often say, “If you don’t like the mask, you really won’t like the ventilator.”

The health and safety of our students, staff and faculty is our priority. Thus, we continue to fine-tune our anti-COVID-19 “Safe School, Safe Students” prevention plans.

We receive new information almost daily from health professionals as well as federal, state, and local authorities. Our response plans must remain flexible to allow for changes in circumstances.

This past Friday, the CDC issued new guidelines for the summer. These guidelines revolve around the same core principles: (1) respect individual space (2) wash your hands regularly and (3) use face coverings.

For everyone except staff now assigned to the physical plant, working remotely from home remains acceptable.

For all faculty and staff coming on campus, please follow these simple and basic recommendations while you are here:

• Wear a mask or other face covering while on campus;
• Wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds with soap and warm water;
• Use the hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol-base found at or near entrances and exits;
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose;
• Avoid close proximity to those who are sick;
• Clean surfaces before and after use;
• Maintain social distancing, at least 6 ft (two arms’ lengths) away from others;
• Cover your face when sneezing or coughing (but not with your hands); and
• Dispose of tissues properly.

PLEASE STAY AT HOME IF YOU ARE SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19.

We hope for a successful and speedy recovery for anyone affected by this virus. As we continue through these trying times, I ask everyone to do their part and to act responsibly. Together, we can stop the spread.

I will be sure to keep you updated as things progress.

Pete-

Pete Gallego, President

4/15/2020 STUDENTS

The following information includes updates about the Sul Ross State University Coronavirus Response.

• Summer I and II classes will be delivered online.  Students will be charged regular tuition and fees including the distance learning fee and will receive an institutional aid award to cover the traditional residential campus-based fees, such as recreational sports fee, medical fee and student center fee. This action is consistent with other universities in the Texas State University System.
• On campus residents may continue living in university housing for the remainder of the semester and continue to shelter in place per the Brewster County Executive Order. Students wishing to check out of housing should schedule appointments with the Housing Office by calling 432.837.8190 during regular business hours (Monday-Friday between 8 am and 5pm). Appointment block options will be explained and a confirmation email with further instructions will be sent after scheduling.
• While the graduation ceremony will not take place, we are asking May graduates to send their pictures to Robert Greeson (robert.greeson@sulross.edu) to be included in a commemorative video. All campuses are invited to participate. Graduation completion requirements will be verified before photos will be added to the video.
• All University events and external events have been cancelled until further notice. University officials will evaluate the conditions in June to determine whether any activities may resume. These activities include but are not limited to university functions, sports, department events, and external events.
• The Office of Information Technology sent out an email about Wi-Fi and technology access from David Gibson earlier this afternoon to your Sul Ross accounts. Please read that email for additional ways that the University can assist you.

4/15/2020 EMPLOYEES

The following information includes updates about the Sul Ross State University Coronavirus Response for Employees.

• According to reports, we may have employees who travelled outside the tri-county area (Brewster, Presidio, and Jeff Davis Counties) or received visitors from outside the area over the past few weeks. For the safety of our families, friends, neighbors, and the community, effective immediately, Alpine Campus employees are asked to stop travelling outside of the tri-county area to assist the area-wide effort led by city and county officials to limit the spread of the virus in this region. Employees are asked to report to their supervisors if they travelled outside of the tri-county or received visitors from outside of the area within the past two weeks. Employees will be asked to self-quarantine and will be put on administrative leave for 14 days if they travelled or had visitors from outside of the area. Employees may be asked to make up hours for the administrative leave for those business days during that time. The CDC issued instructions for essential employees exposed to the virus: we ask employees to monitor your temperatures, especially before reporting to work, wear a mask, and practice social distancing at work.
• Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde campuses will continue to operate business under the current conditions including remote work, limited on-campus staff, and by practicing guidelines from the CDC. This includes social distancing, washing hands, and wearing masks at work when around others or generally when in public according to city or county executive orders at each site.
• While the graduation ceremony will not take place, we are asking Faculty to send their pictures and encouragement signs to Robert Greeson (robert.greeson@sulross.edu) to be included in a commemorative video. All campuses are invited to participate. Look for an email from Jessica Velasco for details.

The list below shows frequently used offices but please go to srinfo.sulross.edu/directory to search for a specific individual to find directory information.