Information related to COVID-19 for staff and faculty

Friday, March 13, 2020

Dear faculty and staff,

We know that the continuing spread of COVID-19, and the College’s decision to move to remote learning after Spring Break, has an impact on employees. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to you for your continued hard work, flexibility and patience in this moment.

While students are our first priority, we have also been working to ensure that employee needs are met and questions are answered. To that end, we are sharing additional information focused on employee health, and have developed guidance for staff about telecommuting. Please read the information provided at the links above very carefully, and reach out to your division leadership and/or human resources with any questions.

I also want to share some advice on how to help keep yourself and others engaged and productive in this turbulent time.

  • Get the help you need. At such a time of uncertainty, many of us will need extra support and I wanted to bring your attention to the Employee Assistance resources that are available to you. 
  • E4 Health, our employee assistance program, offers access to a robust website with a number of resources.  Visit:  www.helloe4.com and use the username: mount holyoke college and the password of ‘guest’ to access.
  • E4 Health also provides 24 / 7 access to counselors.  Call: (800) 828-6025. This service is available for faculty and staff and members of their immediate household.
  • Tamp down rumors. Social media is especially rife with misinformation and rumors. If you encounter discussions about coronavirus and Mount Holyoke, please don’t engage but encourage people to visit our coronavirus FAQ page, which has factual, up-to-date information for all concerned and is being updated frequently.

Finally, a special note for staff who are answering phones or receiving questions about our COVID-19 decisions that you can’t answer. In this situation, please refer the caller to our FAQ page or have the caller email their questions to covid19info@mtholyoke.edu.

Thank you again for your dedication to our students and community and for your patience as we navigate this uncharted territory together. If you have questions that aren’t answered in the FAQ, please remember to check back frequently as we update it on a rolling basis. If you have a specific question, please contact Human Resources.

Sincerely,

Heidi Friedman
Associate Vice President, Human Resources