Published March 21, 2020
We are pleased to inform you that UB’s research administration and support infrastructure is 100% operational with employees working remotely from home.
However, while staff is equipped and prepared to work remotely, quality service remains a priority. Due to the current situation, staff may have staggered schedules or other extraordinary circumstances impacting their ability to be fully functional during traditional business hours. We anticipate response times may be delayed and strongly recommend that deadline materials be submitted early.
As you know, our priority is – and always will be – the health and well-being of all members of our UB community. While we have received helpful guidance from SUNY and colleagues at other universities, there remains a level of uncertainty among our faculty regarding essential and non-essential personnel in labs. We would like to clarify this by first noting that all work that can occur remotely, should occur remotely to ensure the continuity of our research mission.
With that in mind, please note the following:
As of the close of business on Monday, March 23rd, UB’s research labs are closed for activities except for essential research. Please know that this has been a difficult decision and not one that has been easily or lightly made. The situation will be continually evaluated but is not expected to change in the next six weeks.
In the interim, all UB laboratories MUST employ safety practices below. See SUNY guidelines at https://www.rfsuny.org/media/rfsuny/documents/covid-19/COVID-19-Guidance.pdf
Colleagues, these are challenging times. We understand these measures are not ideal; however, they are necessary at this time. Please contact Venu at vpr@research.buffalo.edu if you have specific questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Venu
Venu Govindaraju
Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Scott
A. Scott Weber
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs