COVID-19 | Guidance and Resources for Faculty and Staff

It is highly recommended that all students and employees remain up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines. The SXU Health Center currently offers the Pfizer and Moderna updated (bivalent) booster vaccines, which are recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. The Health Center can also administer the primary series to those who still need first and second doses.

Appointments are preferred (call 773-298-3712).

Learn more about Testing and Vaccines.

If you are not feeling well, please stay home. You may contact your primary care provider or the SXU Health Center for testing or advice. If you do leave your home, make sure to get tested for COVID-19 before you go and wear a mask. SXU employees should also notify their direct supervisor to make them aware of their absence.

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NOTE: For faculty, especially those teaching in-person classes, who may feel sick and unable to teach, please alert your class appropriately and immediately of the schedule change as well as your academic dean.

No class, regardless of modality, should be canceled nor changed in scheduling or format -- even if believed to have been exposed -- unless instructed by the SXU Health Center and/or after consulting with your academic dean.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, stay home and isolate. The CDC's Isolation and Exposure Calculator can be used to let you know when you can leave isolation and when you can stop masking in public.

On February 15, 2023 the SXU Health Center stopped tracking positive cases on campus through the COVID reporting form. However, the Health Center is always available to answer your COVID-19 questions or to make you a sick visit appointment with a nurse practitioner. Please call 773-298-3712, email healthcenterFREESXU%2C or send a secure message through the Patient Portal. Someone will respond to your question during business hours.

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NOTE: For faculty, especially those teaching in-person classes, please alert your class appropriately and immediately of the schedule change as well as your academic dean.

No class, regardless of modality, should be canceled nor changed in scheduling or format unless instructed by the SXU Health Center and/or after consulting with your academic dean.

Employees should not assume a diagnosis nor try to contact trace in any way. Employees who know a fellow employee has tested positive for COVID-19 should encourage the employee to go home as soon as possible.

Faculty and staff should show compassion to the student and ask if they need help. It is important to keep the student's disclosure confidential to support HIPAA laws. If you have any specific questions or concerns about exposures in your class, please contact the Health Center at 773-298-3712 or healthcenterFREESXU. The Health Center staff will let you know if there is any reason to make changes to your class schedule or format. If for whatever reason you consider canceling a class, please consult your dean.

SXU employees are working on campus on a full-time basis with campus offices open during standard business hours (typically 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday). Please contact the Office of Human Resources at humanresourcesFREESXU who will consider your workplace accommodation request and further communicate what is or isn't possible.

Modifications to your workspace or classroom work environment can be requested through the Office of Human Resources that can work with Facilities or other offices as needed to try to accommodate your request.

Students may initiate an accommodation request via the Student Request for Learning Adjustments Form. Resolution of such requests will depend on each person's unique circumstances, so we will make sure students are connected with all of the appropriate campus resources. In some circumstances, students may wish to consult with their advisors to adjust their course schedules, keeping in mind that some adjustments may affect academic progress and/or impact financial aid.

Based on public health guidance, SXU has become a mask-optional campus as of February 28, 2022. Those who wish to continue wearing a mask may do so.

For COVID-19 supply requests, please fill out the COVID-19 Supply Request Form, and Facilities will work to distribute stock on hand or place orders if needed.

SXU classrooms and labs will be returning to full capacity. We have adopted a number of strategies to layer protective measures throughout campus. Such efforts include cleaning, distancing to the extent possible, providing hand sanitizer, promoting proper hand washing techniques.

You can contribute in a multitude of ways:

Stay up-to-date on your COVID-19 vaccines

SXU encourages all faculty, staff and students to get vaccinated for COVID-19 to protect oneself and others and slow the spread of COVID-19. The SXU Health Center offers Moderna vaccines (ages 6 months and up, primary and bivalent booster doses) and Pfizer bivalent boosters (ages 12 and up) Monday through Friday.

To be considered up-to-date with COVID vaccines everyone 6 months and up should receive two primary doses followed by a bivalent (updated) booster at least 2 months later.

Stay home if you feel sick

If you do not feel well, do not come to campus. Contact your primary care provider or call the Health Center at 773-298-3712 to discuss testing options. If you must leave your home, make sure to get tested for COVID-19 before you go and wear a mask.

For more information, visit our Testing and Vaccines webpage.

Your well-being is extremely important to SXU during these uncertain times. Employees may call the Guidance Resources hotline at 1-888-628-4824, and you also have access to ComPsych, an employee assistance program that provides expert guidance. At this time, employees can use the program to access:

• Counseling services
• Live webinars for coping with anxiety and other issues related to COVID-19 Work-life resources, including finding child care and financial/legal guidance Digital self-care tools
• Tips for adjusting to working from home
• Communication consultation

Your health plan covers mental health services, including counseling. BCBSIL health plans include 24/7 phone access to licensed mental health care specialists as part of the mental health coverage. The number may be listed on your member ID card, or you can call Customer Service to find out if you have this benefit.