As The University of New Mexico continues the planning process for its full return to normal operations on Aug. 2, UNM senior leadership will host a staff virtual town hall on Thursday, June 24 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Join President Garnett S. Stokes, Provost James Holloway, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Doug Ziedonis, Sr. Vice President of Finance and Administration Teresa Costantinidis, and VP for Human Resources Dorothy Anderson for an informative hourlong town hall on UNM’s return to campus plans.

During the town hall, University leadership will discuss the accomplishments of UNM over the last year, share institutional plans for returning to campus, and hear from staff about their ideas and concerns. Additionally, as the University moves into the post-pandemic period, UNM is relaunching its 2040 multi-year planning work. Senior leadership will also hear ideas about the staff’s long-term vision for the University as part of the town hall.

To register for the town hall, visit Staff Town Hall. If registration exceeds the 1,000 participant capacity limit, the town hall will be made available on YouTube and linked from the President's web page. The session will be moderated by Staff Council President Scott Sanchez.

In preparation for the town hall, the Human Resources department has been working to develop comprehensive guidance and information for transitioning back to campus over the next couple of months. The information, which was sent out campuswide via email (English, Español) is also available on the Bringing Back the Pack website. The town hall format will provide for questions submitted through Zoom. However, attendees are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the content provided by HR to inform their questions. Below is a list of highlights from HR's email to help guide possible town hall questions.

Highlights from HR email

Transition begins in July
Prior to UMM’s full return in August, departments should use the month of July as a transition period. Schedules for this transition period should be discussed and determined between employees and their supervisors. 

Phases of Return
While departments are beginning to collaborate on their return throughout July, HR has created a guide - UNM’s Phases of Return to the Worksite for supervisors and employees to use in preparation for full operations on Aug. 2.

Remote Work and Telecommuting
UNM is officially launching a remote work and telecommuting program where employees may be eligible to work fully remote or partially from a UNM worksite and partially from a remote site (telecommuting). Interested employees can review the program guidelines and request process on our Remote Work & Telecommuting Program website.

What else do I need to know about returning to campus in August?

  1. Masks: Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a mask but those who are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask while on UNM property. Vaccinated individuals may still choose to wear a mask; please be respectful of others’ choices.
  2. Physical Distancing: Fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to physically distance themselves, except where specifically required as identified by signage.
  3. Daily Symptom Screening: UNM plans to discontinue this attestation process when the requirement is officially lifted by the governor, which is expected to occur around mid-July. Employees should continue to complete the screening as long as they are receiving the daily emails.
  4. COVID-19 Symptoms/Positive Case Reporting: Employees who experience symptoms of COVID-19 or who are diagnosed with COVID-19 must continue to follow the Self-Reporting Guidelines until further notice.
  5. Vaccines: The COVID-19 vaccination is not currently required for UNM employees. The feedback collected on the Proposed Vaccination Policy is under review and a decision is pending. Being vaccinated is the best defense against the virus, both for individuals and for our community; therefore, UNM highly encourages vaccination against COVID-19.
  6. Please remember to review UNM’s Phases of Return to the Worksite to begin your planning.
  7. For more information on the above highlights and details on other related guidance, review the updated sections of On-Campus Worksite Protocols and COVID-Safe Practices. HR has also updated the FAQs on the HR website regarding the full operations phase. 

For more information, visit Bring Back the Pack.