Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
I hope you and your families are staying safe and well. We know the tremendous efforts you are making not only to keep yourselves and others safe but also to continue to support the educational and research missions of the Mandel School. As we end what has been a challenging semester, I want to thank you for all that you have done to make the best of a difficult situation. Despite all that is going on you have continued to remain engaged in the educational and research mission of the Mandel School. You have adapted your homes into virtual classrooms and research offices when the stay-at-home order was announced. For that alone we owe you a special thanks.
As a member of the Case Western Reserve University, you may know that CWRU is exempt from the state’s stay-at-home order as our work is deemed essential. However, the university adopted a conservative approach, moving our extensive research enterprise to occur from home.
As you may have heard, starting immediately and over the coming weeks, CWRU is conducting a multi-phased, gradual ramp-up of research operations. I have worked with Craig and Sue to understand which research activities provided at the Mandel School need to be performed on campus. We have determined that there are only a few researchers who need occasional access to their offices. As such, the Mandel School is not changing any of its current activities or expectations related to research activities. We expect that you will continue to perform your research activities from home. If your research needs change, it is critical that you let me know so that we can ensure the proper precautions are in place.
As part of the CWRU community, you are likely to hear of other schools and departments where their research mission requires them to be on campus. For schools where research activities are ramping-up on campus, they are following a set of safety precautions. When it is deemed essential for on-campus research activity to be resumed in the Mandel School, a set of safety guidelines will be issued.
We cannot stress enough the importance of personal responsibility and how vital of a role it plays in our collective health and safety. Handwashing, social distancing, and staying home when you are not feeling well are critical steps.
Thank you for all that you are doing to flatten the curve, and to ensure the health and safety of our community. I am incredibly proud to be part of the Mandel School community.
Stay safe and healthy.
Nancy Rolock
Henry L. Zucker Associate Professor of Social Work Practice
Associate Dean of Research and Training
Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences