Policy Title: Public Health Emergency Response	Category: Administration
Owner: University President	Policy ID#: 2.07.00
Contact: University President Web: http://www.csupueblo.edu/presidentsoffice Email: niki.whitaker@csupueblo.edu Phone: 719-549-2951 Also Contact: Human Resources Web: https://www.csupueblo.edu/human-resources/ Email: hr@csupueblo.edu Phone: 719.549.2441	Effective Date: 6/22/2020 Supersedes Policy ID#: 10-01-01

A. POLICY PURPOSE:

This Policy will ensure the health and safety of the campus community and minimize disruption to the normal conduct and operations of the University in the event of a public health emergency or potential public health emergency.

B. POLICY APPLIES TO (Persons affected by):

This policy applies to Employees, Students, and Visitors of the University.

C. DEFINITIONS:

Employee: any individual employed by CSU Pueblo on either a temporary, on-call/intermittent, part-time, or full-time basis.

Student: an individual who is currently enrolled full-time or part-time or was enrolled at the institution within the previous two semesters (one academic year). Parents, relatives, employers, agents, and other persons acting for or on behalf of a Student are not Students within the meaning of this Policy.

Visitors: any outside group, entity or person that is not a Student or Employee of CSU Pueblo.

Public Health Emergency:  means an occurrence or imminent credible threat of an illness or health condition, caused by bioterrorism, epidemic or pandemic disease, or novel and highly fatal infectious agent or biological toxin, that poses a substantial risk of a significant number of human fatalities or incidents of permanent or long-term disability. Such illness or health condition includes an illness or health condition resulting from a natural disaster.

D. POLICY STATEMENT:

In response to a Public Health Emergency, CSU Pueblo may take any immediate and necessary action in order to comply with an executive order and/or public health emergency order, including without limitation temporarily closing or limiting access to campus and campus facilities, including but not limited to classrooms, offices, athletics, campus recreation, and on-campus housing, as well as temporarily closing or modifying university operations and modifying the method of academic instruction from in-person to remote or online instruction, or such other academic modifications as may be reasonable and necessary in response to a public health emergency. Similarly, in response to a public health emergency or potential health emergency, the President of CSU Pueblo, in consultation with the Chancellor of the CSU System, may take such action as needed to comply with public health emergency guidance and recommendations. 

Due to the nature of a Public Health Emergency and the risk to the health and safety of University Employees, Students and Visitors, this policy, and any procedures and/or guidelines promulgated in response to a Public Health Emergency take precedence and priority over, and will temporarily supersede, any other conflicting policies, procedures, or guidelines, during management of, or when responding to, the Public Health Emergency, including any employment procedures articulated in the Faculty Handbook.

The University requires compliance with any and all procedures and guidelines that are promulgated due to the Public Health Emergency.  These procedures and guidelines will be communicated to Employees, Students and Visitors. It is the responsibility of all Employees, Students and Visitors to know and understand the procedures and guidelines.  Failure to comply with this policy, the Board Policy 131 and any procedures or guidelines promulgated due to the Public Health Emergency may result in Employee disciplinary action, disciplinary action to Students under the Student Code of Conduct, removal from campus or a campus event or other consequences necessary to protect the health and safety of the Campus community and to be compliant with Executive Orders and Public Health Orders. The President has the authority to take any employment action or disciplinary action necessary to ensure compliance with this policy, including superseding the Faculty Handbook disciplinary process.

 E. RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Office of Human Resources,

Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards,

Office of Campus Safety

F. RELATED LAWS, POLICIES & PROCEDURES:

Board Policy 131 – Policy on Public Health Emergency Response Policy

Student Code of Conduct

G. AUTHORITY:

Colorado Revised Statues 23-31.5-101 et al