BSU Faculty and Staff Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine
January 27, 2021
All members of the Bowie State community are encouraged to take the COVID 19 vaccine according to your earliest eligibility status under the state of Maryland COVID-19 vaccines plan. Employees of USM institutions working on campus are now included in Phase 1B and 1C and eligible to schedule an appointment. Keep in mind that vaccine supply is unpredictable at this time and the ability to schedule an appointment may not be immediate.
Based on guidance from the University System of Maryland, Bowie State faculty, staff and frontline contractual workers who are regularly working on campus are eligible for the vaccine. This includes faculty providing in-person instruction and staff working on campus in the following departments or positions:
- Housekeeping
- Dining
- Residence Life
- Facilities Maintenance
- Health Centers
- Public Safety
- Campus Transportation
- Faculty
- Employees providing in-person education or student support services
- Employees with potential contact with students living in residence halls
- Employees who require on-campus housing
Some other faculty, staff or students may be eligible based on age, medical condition, or other criteria designated for each phase.
Registering for a Vaccine Appointment
Eligible members of the BSU community are encouraged to schedule vaccination appointments with your county health department, healthcare provider, hospital, or local vaccination sites. Please check the state of Maryland vaccine locator webpage to find a vaccine site in your area and follow instructions to register. BSU faculty and staff whose on-campus work schedule form was approved for spring 2021 will receive additional instructions.
Bowie State continues to work through the process for approval to offer the vaccine on campus and we hope to have it finalized in the coming weeks.
Individuals who have received the vaccine must continue to comply with the university’s COVID-19 safety protocols for masks, testing and daily screening. Information about how the vaccine affects transmission and when it becomes effective is still being evaluated. We will continue to monitor medical guidance and make adjustments as appropriate.
Campus Testing and Compliance
As part of our enhanced testing regimen for the spring semester, faculty, staff and students who are on campus two or more days each week are asked to take a COVID-19 test twice during the week. Those who are on campus once a week or occasionally should test each time you come to campus. This will significantly enhance our capability to quickly identify and isolate occurrences of the virus before they are able to widely spread within our community. Testing is available five days a week on campus, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., and twice a week at the Enclave. Appointments should be made in advance through the Wellness Patient Portal.
Completion of the twice weekly testing and daily symptom screening will activate the green badge within the Wellness Patient Portal indicating each individual’s negative COVID-19 status. The green badge can be required for entry into the residence halls, Student Center, library, classrooms, buses and fitness facilities across the campus. Individual offices may also ask you to show your badge before entering.
COVID-19 Sick Leave Extension
While the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) expired on Dec. 31, 2020, the USM has extended the paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave provisions for specified reasons related to COVID-19 through June 30, 2021. Any BSU employee who contracts the disease or must care for a family member should contact the Human Resources office for guidance on available leave options.
Technology Resources
As students and faculty resume hybrid/in-person and remote instruction, please remember that technology resources are available to support your needs. Available items include loaner laptops, hotspots, webcams, and mice. Students should submit a Help Desk ticket or email covid19academics@bowiestate.edu to make a request. Faculty should submit requests to the Provost’s Office at provost@bowiestate.edu. We want to ensure that all members of the BSU community have the tools necessary to succeed in this virtual learning and work environment.
Please continue to monitor emails and the COVID-19 Updates web section for the latest information. Any questions or concerns should be emailed to covid19@bowiestate.edu.