Chancellor Judy Miner sent the following message via email to Foothill-De Anza district employees.
Aug. 27, 2021
Dear Colleagues,
I’d like to provide an update on a number of logistical issues that we have addressed to implement Board Policy 3507 on mandated vaccinations for students and employees. As a reminder, all Foothill-De Anza employees working on campus, must be vaccinated by September 15. Students will be notified of their deadlines by the colleges.
VERIFICATION OF VACCINATION
Thanks to accelerated efforts by Educational Technology Services (ETS), the PyraMed platform for uploading verification of vaccination and exemptions will be available to all students and employees on or about September 3 and we will send instructions at that time. De Anza students currently have access as that has been their medical records system for the past year.
Additionally, ETS is developing a program to cross-check on-campus enrollments with vaccination status. This approach will allow us to identify students who are not in compliance with the mandate while also protecting their privacy.
EXEMPTIONS
Employees requesting exemptions for medical or religious reasons can find forms and instructions here:
https://hr.fhda.edu/_covid-19/index.html
Medical exemption requests will be reviewed by our colleges’ health services professionals and accommodations will follow our established processes for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Religious exemption requests will be reviewed by Chancellor’s Cabinet and supervising administrators will be consulted regarding possible workplace accommodations.
Workload permitting, we aim to respond to requests within three business days of receiving forms that are complete.
VENDORS, VISITORS, VOLUNTEERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
Throughout the district, signs will be posted indicating that we require masks indoors regardless of vaccination status and recommend wearing masks at large outdoor gatherings. Additional guidance will be forthcoming for individuals who perform work on district sites but are not employees of the District.
EVALUATION OF FALL 21 IMPLEMENTATION
Knowing that we are venturing into new territory, Chancellor’s Advisory Council will assess the strengths and areas for improvement in our processes before the end of fall quarter, and our Board of Trustees will revisit BP 3507 at its meeting of January 10, 2022.
Thank you for your patience and assistance as we attempt to address a wide range of needs and desires. The stress level is high for everyone so I hope we can be kind and supportive of each other. I’d love to hear from you about a moment you felt appreciated by one of our colleagues and if I might share that at my open office hour on September 8.
Be well,
Judy