As was previously communicated, staff members (other than essential personnel whose functions cannot be performed remotely) are required to work (at minimum) 70% of the time on campus for the Fall 2022 semester, with the other 30% of their hours being remote. Having more in-person classes and activities has increased the number of students we have on campus on any given day and it has become increasingly more important to ensure proper staffing in each office to be able to provide the best customer service possible. To that end, it is important that all offices, especially student-facing offices, are open throughout regular business hours, as well as some extended hours (as determined by the appropriate administrator), so that we can also serve our evening students.

Please note that administrators, in consultation with the President, continue to have discretion to require a higher percentage of onsite work if necessary to meet operational or academic needs. Thus, if there are not enough staff in certain offices to keep the doors open to welcome guests, directors should consult with the appropriate administrator to discuss changing/reducing scheduled remote hours.

Each department should establish a minimum number of staff that should be working on campus each day to ensure appropriate coverage and schedule staff hours accordingly. To accommodate evening hours, directors and supervisors should stagger staff hours to cover early start times and late end times. Virtual office hours should continue to be offered, but do not necessarily have to be covered by those working remotely. As was the case pre-pandemic, administrative work should be performed during business hours while the office is open for visitors. Supervisors and employees should continue to refer to CUNY’s Flexible Work Guidelines for helpful information. 

Please keep in mind the following:

  • Regular business hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm (this does not include departments that provided greater service hours due to the nature of their work (e.g., Public Safety, IT HelpDesk, Facilities, etc.);
  • Main department telephone lines should be answered by staff during office hours;
  • Voicemails and office signage should be clear, current, and consistent, and reflect business hours;
  • Thursday evenings, until 6:30pm will be the universal late night/hours for student-facing offices (Bursar, Recruitment and Admissions, Enrollment Services, Advisement, Registrar, or other student-facing offices, as determined by the Provost or VP for Student Affairs)
  • Full-time staff are required to work a 35-hour work week and should be available to assist students from the start of their shift through the end of their shift (other than when on scheduled lunch break), regardless of whether they are working in-person or remote; and
  • Administrative duties should be performed throughout the workday, while the office is open to visitors.

When unforeseen and/or exceptional circumstances result in departments having no on-site coverage for a temporary period, supervisors should consult with the appropriate administrator and ensure proper signage and notifications are in place so that visitors know how they may reach a representative of the department. Contact information, including telephone and email addresses, as well as instructions on how and when they can access virtual hours, should be posted on department doors. 

Should you have any questions concerning the above, please do not hesitate to contact Human Resources.

Best wishes for a great semester.

By Jessica Collura