UGA Campus Update
Fall 2021 News for Faculty and Staff
In this issue:
Have You Answered the Call to Get Vaccinated? You Can Win $1,000! Current UGA faculty, staff and students who have received a full series of the COVID-19 vaccine—whether at the University Health Center or elsewhere—can register beginning tomorrow, Sept. 1, to win one of 100 cash prizes of $1,000.
Not vaccinated yet? It’s not too late. Individuals vaccinated in the coming weeks will be able to add their names to the pool as soon as they receive their second dose (or single dose of J&J).
The first 50 winners will be drawn on Sept. 15 with 25 additional winners being drawn on Sept. 30 and Oct. 15. Faculty and staff winners will be processed through UGA’s payroll and taxed accordingly, and those at senior leadership levels (University Cabinet members and deans) will not be eligible to participate. Students will be provided the aid through their student accounts.
Get Vaccinated On Campus The University Health Center is partnering with the Georgia Department of Public Health to administer COVID-19 vaccines at the Tate Center. Walk-ups are available this week from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Sept. 2 in room 137.
Vaccinations are also available at the UHC. Click here to make an appointment. Getting your vaccine is fast, easy and at no cost to you.
Faculty, staff and students who get vaccinated at the University Health Center or Tate Center Mobile Clinic may choose to enter a drawing to win a Visa gift card worth $100. This incentive ends Sept. 3, with 10 individuals being randomly selected each week to receive a $100 gift card. In addition, everyone vaccinated will receive a $20 gift card as well as a specially designed UGA T-shirt. While supplies last, options include gift cards to the UGA Bookstore, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Fully Loaded and El Barrio.
Gift card and T-shirt incentives are for new vaccinations only. Share the word with friends and colleagues!
Sept. 3 Vaccination Day & Administrative Leave To encourage unvaccinated University System of Georgia faculty and staff to schedule COVID -19 vaccine appointments and to thank those who are already vaccinated, the University System of Georgia will provide all employees, including temporary faculty and staff, with up to eight (8) hours of paid time off. This time off is in lieu of and aligns with Governor Kemp’s COVID-19 Vaccination Day closing of state offices on Sept. 3, 2021. To make this process as convenient as possible while maintaining service to our students and University communities, UGA faculty and staff may request approval to use this paid time off between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021.
USG Increase to Well-being Credit for COVID-19 Vaccine To encourage vaccination, the University System of Georgia is offering an increased well-being credit to all employees and their eligible spouses who get vaccinated. Effective August 30, 2021, the University System of Georgia well-being credit maximum will be increased to $200 from $100 and employees/spouses that receive the vaccine will be eligible for the full $200. Employees/spouses must be registered on the University System of Georgia well-being platform to receive the credit. The University System of Georgia will waive the current requirement for employees to complete a health assessment to become eligible for well-being credits for 2021.
Face Coverings Strongly Encouraged Indoors Please remember that face coverings are strongly encouraged when inside buildings on the UGA campus.
UGA has a number of face coverings available in several types and designs. Disposable masks are also available. Departments that are interested in having masks on hand can order them at no cost through UGAmart. Orders will be limited to the number of employees in the department or unit. Instructions for ordering face coverings can be found here.
Any students who want cloth face coverings can pick them up at no cost at Information Desks in the Tate Student Center and the Miller Learning Center.
Pursuant to state and University System of Georgia rules, we cannot ask our students or fellow employees for proof of their vaccination status, and we should not treat vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals differently unless dictated by law or applicable guidance. In addition, students should not be asked about their vaccine status and segregated in a classroom or from other instructor-student interactions (e.g., office hours, group work, field trips, labs, etc.) based on their vaccination status.
However, students may be required by off-campus partnering organizations to wear masks and/or be vaccinated as a condition of participation in experiential learning opportunities such as study abroad programs, externships and delivery of medical services.
Off campus, masks are required indoors in Athens-Clarke County. As of 8 a.m. on Wed., Aug. 4, masks are required when indoors for most people while inside public spaces or private entities with limited exceptions. Click here for more details.
Face Coverings Required on Buses The University of Georgia Transportation & Parking Services team is making a concerted effort to ensure masks are worn on our University buses. A few examples of the efforts that are being made include:
Please know Transportation staff continuously remind patrons to follow public health guidelines.
DawgCheck DawgCheck is UGA’s easy-to-use, COVID-19 reporting tool for the UGA community.
When should you use DawgCheck?
Why should you use DawgCheck?
COVID-19 Testing UGA will continue to offer free asymptomatic testing for COVID-19 to all members of the UGA community at the University Health Center. Based on CDC and DPH guidance, any individual, vaccinated or not, should get tested if they have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 within 3 to 5 days of that contact. Appointments for asymptomatic testing can be booked via the Vet View scheduling process. If you are experiencing symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with your provider. Students may obtain symptomatic testing at UHC, but faculty and staff should contact their primary care provider or the local department of health for testing.
Asymptomatic testing is conducted outdoors where social distance may be maintained. Symptomatic students must enter the UHC for testing and are directed to waiting rooms designated for sick patients. Appointments are encouraged, and students should visit the patient portal to schedule or call the health center.
Update Signage in Buildings Thank you for your diligence in updating signage and graphics as messages have evolved. It’s critical that the signage displayed reflects the most recent messages put forth by the university and the University System of Georgia. Please continue to refer to this link for the most current COVID-19 Signage and Graphics. Units are encouraged to place updated signage in all classrooms, break rooms, common areas, and other commonly used spaces.
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