Dear Patriots:
The university is working closely with the state to take precautions and reduce the risk to our community during the coronavirus outbreak. This requires everyone’s help, so we are grateful to everyone who is taking measures to be safe.
As part of those efforts, we’d like to make sure you all saw Virginia Governor Northam’s March 30 Stay at Home Executive Order. This has implications for the Mason community and each of us personally.
The Governor’s order, which is officially known as Executive Order 55, requires all Virginians to remain at home as much as possible, suspend all non-essential travel, and to avoid congregating in groups of 10 or more to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This order reinforces the university’s current guidance for mandatory telework and social distancing precautions with exceptions for healthcare personnel, critical work, research, and instruction that can only be conducted on campus. The order also specifically directs higher education institutions to cease all in-person classes and instruction, and cancel all gatherings of more than ten individuals, consistent with actions Mason has already taken. The order effectively extends these actions on campus until June 10.
To ensure compliance with this order, deans and supervisors will be asked to reexamine all work currently taking place on campus and with the directive that all non-critical functions cease immediately. The university is working on a process to provide credentials for those faculty and staff who must travel to and from campus. University faculty and staff should carry Mason identification when traveling to and from work.
George Mason University has already prohibited university-sponsored or related domestic and international travel. Although public health officials strongly discourage travel, students, faculty, and staff may travel for personal reasons permitted by the Governor’s order. The university strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to avoid all but essential travel necessary to care for yourself or others. If you have traveled internationally, the CDC recommends a 14 day quarantine period.
Residential students who travel internationally or out of state must contact Housing and Residence Life at 703-993-2720 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or through email at housing@gmu.edu, to gain official written approval before returning to their residence hall so that quarantine accommodations can be made. Employees who travel must contact Human Resources and Payroll to discuss their return to campus. If you have questions about symptoms or the need to quarantine, please contact your healthcare provider.
We are highlighting these directives to help prevent the spread of coronavirus within our community. Please visit www2.gmu.edu/coronavirus for the latest Mason updates and thank you for doing your part to help the Mason Nation respond to this outbreak.
Respectfully,
David Farris, PhD
Executive Director, Safety and Emergency Management
And
Lisa Park, MD, MPH
Executive Director, Student Health Services