Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen shared her plan to gradually reopen campus starting June 1. 

Wintersteen sent out a letter May 8 to faculty and staff outlining the first phase of reopening campus. 

The first phase of the plan will begin June 1 and include the return of a limited number of employees who have been working remotely. The slow return will also include plans to social distance, monitor personal health and infection control strategies consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Iowa Department of Public Health and Gov. Kim Reynolds’ guidelines.

In the plan, supervisors must contact employees two weeks in advance before requiring them to come back to work. Supervisors can direct employees to continue working remotely after June 1 or they can rotate schedules to help out with limits on workspace capacity and social distancing. 

Employees can discuss their options for flexible work arrangements after June 1 with their supervisor who can work with them for any special arrangements for personal issues. Employees are still allowed to go to their normal work locations while practicing social distancing and appropriate hygiene and cleaning practices to perform necessary job functions they can’t do at home.

The guidance issued next week will also include more detailed information on the following:

• Facilities that have been shut down since March will require attention from Facilities Planning and Management, including resuming ventilation systems to normal operation and flushing pipes. 

• Most buildings will remain locked and accessible by keycard.

• Facilities Planning and Management will continue regular cleaning, but all employees should take responsibility to keep their workspace clean.

• Employees can wear plain or Iowa State spirit cloth face coverings.

• Employees should work on non-contact interactions such as virtual meetings and phone calls. 

• Anyone who is sick or showing symptoms should stay home and monitor their health. 

“I want to recognize and thank the hundreds of front line staff who have been working on campus throughout the pandemic to maintain critical university operations,” Wintersteen wrote in the letter. “You continue to play an important role as we address the ongoing challenges of this crisis and resume other campus operations. We understand that COVID-19 is still present in our community and across the state. While it is not expected that all risk can be eliminated, we must work together to monitor, evaluate, and adapt to mitigate that risk.”