BukSU shifts to skeletal force-work from home operations amidst COVID-19

 (- BukSU Community Advisory – 18 March 2020 – )

CITY (OP-IPS) Bukidnon State University is now operating on skeletal force and work from home scheme.

This is based on interim guidelines issued on March 17 by University President Dr. Oscar B. Cabańelez, in support of previous pronouncements and a special meeting of top management officials on March 18 to ensure continuous operations of the university amidst the COVID-19 national calamity.

The university constituted its university crisis and disaster response team to be its con-current CoVID-19 Task Force chaired by Dr. Cabańelez with the three vice presidents as vice-chairpersons and key university officials as members.  The university’s planning officer serves as the head of secretariat.

The task force was created to coordinate a whole-of-university response to the CoViD-19 outbreak that effectively mitigates the risk to university community members, among other functions.

The interim guidelines provided pronouncements on classes and work, general protocol, mandatory disinfection, visitors, travel, major and important gatherings and health reporting.

Classes and Work
The university has suspended the classes in all of its campuses from March 16 until further notice. The suspension also covered students who are in their internships and related learning experiences.  The move also meant the faculty will not report to the university. However, they have to adjust instruction such as coverage and modes of delivery, learning platforms, requirements and assessment of their classes. Make-up classes will be conducted to recover lost instructional time, as soon as the suspension is lifted.

The deans of the colleges and the director of satellite campuses will continue to monitor and evaluate the deliverable outputs reflected in the faculty’s work plan.

For the non-teaching officials and employees, the university has approved work from home (WFH) arrangement for those whose work can be brought home. However, the management has put in place a skeletal force for units whose functions are involved in vital services. The university has also released contact details (see BukSU Community Advisory  – 17 March 2020) for its general clientele to use about key external transactions such as requests for transcript of records, queries on admission applications and exams, accounts and fees, among others.

The scheme was arranged based on guidelines from the Civil Service Commission and university performance standards, such as compliance to the 40-hour work week and performance of equivalent deliverables. The university allowed its contract of service-based employees to avail of the WFH scheme.

In relation to this scheme, the management has urged the conduct of internal transactions be coursed through email, text messages, social media and/or phone and video call. However, personnel who opted for the work from home scheme were encouraged to keep communication lines open.

For employees who compose the skeletal force, the university has offered car-pool service to fetch them from home to work and back, as needed.

The university has also identified and advised its employees considered as highly vulnerable to COVID-19, such as elderly, those suffering from chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, among others, to do work from home, instead.

The university strongly urged employees to refrain from official and personal travels outside Bukidnon.

However, the university has allowed workers of construction activities inside the campus to continue, with disinfection, hygiene and work safety measures.

Disinfection
For example, the university plans to operate three foot baths, two at the entrance gate and one in the administration building. It has also rolled out disinfection of work spaces, buildings and amenities during suspension of classes and skeletal force operations.

As part of general protocol, everyone is encouraged to practice personal cleanliness (respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene, among others) and social distancing measures. The university is also implementing thermal scanning and disinfection for the public entering and leaving the university’s main campus. The university will sanitize and disinfect work spaces, classrooms, and other facilities during suspension of classes and work.

The interim guidelines also provided mandatory disinfection of frequently touched apparatus, equipment, furniture and fixtures.

Major Gatherings
The university has also cancelled all major gatherings in all its campuses except when it is necessary for the delivery of vital services and prevention, control and mitigation of the spread of CoVID-19.   As part of this pronouncement, the university has postponed all its bidding and hiring activities until further notice.

The university is also regulating entry of visitors and has suspended accommodation of guests in the university hotel, hostel and dormitories.

Health reporting
BukSU has required all its faculty, staff and students with history of travel from COVID-19 affected areas since February 28, 2020 to report to the Medical Unit in coordination with the HRDU for personnel and OSS for students. They were urged to observe mandatory self-quarantine, if recommended. The Medical Unit will coordinate with the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team of Brgy. 3, Malaybalay City and other external agencies.

For those in the satellite campuses, the satellite campus in-charge report directly to the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) and/or CoVID Hotline Number in their locality.

All BukSU personnel and students are advised to regularly check emails, the BukSU website and Facebook page for updates/announcements or connect directly to the CoVID 19 Task Force Secretariat at and the BukSU COVID-Hotline: 09564074455 or the Director of ESC for the satellite campuses.

The university will release public information during this alternative scheme of operations only via the OP – Information and Publication Service. All personnel and students were urged to refrain from sharing wrong and unverified information about the COVID-19 virus. (OP – Information and Publication Service, BukSU)