Building Manager Update (January 7)

This week’s message includes important information about the university’s COVID-19 response plans for the spring semester, including signage, testing, and loading dock access.

Spring Semester COVID-19 Response

In late December, Chancellor Blank shared details about changes to the university’s  COVID-19 response for the Spring 2021 semester.

For more details, including terminology, answers to some common questions, and other information, refer to the December 17 Building Manager Update.

Signage

New building signage has been created to support the university’s COVID-19 response.

  • New building entry signs will be posted. These will be installed by Physical Plant staff. At this point we anticipate these going up in the next couple of weeks.
  • Some locations will receive entry wayfinding signage to direct people to the designated primary entrance and/or a testing site. These will also be installed by Physical Plant staff.

Other COVID-19 Signage

The signage ordering site has been updated. Signage encouraging public health best practices and procedures is up-to-date and ready for use.

  • As the Spring semester approaches, please review the public health signage in your building and order new signs as needed to support public health and building flow management.
  • There is a new interior sign—an awareness poster that lists the steps for getting tested—that will be available in mid-January. We recommend that you order and post this sign in public areas when it becomes available.
  • Signs at the entrances and elevators will continue to be managed by the Physical Plant. If these signs need to be replaced, please contact Physical Plant Customer Service.

Testing at Your Building

On December 20, 2020, we sent a notification to a list of building contacts for buildings that will be monitored as part of campus testing. If you received this message and no one from your building has responded, we urgently request that you respond to that message and provide your input so that we can implement this program in the best way possible given existing conditions.

If you have any questions, or need more information, please contact Jim Bogan (james.bogan@wisc.edu).

Spring Semester Loading Dock Access

Campus testing needs require some changes to loading dock access in monitored buildings. In general, we recommend that loading docks remain locked in these buildings. However, loading docks may be unlocked under the following conditions:

  • Signage at the loading dock must indicate that it is not an authorized building entrance; this signage should direct people to the monitored entrance
  • The loading dock must be periodically checked to verify that people are not using it as a building entrance instead of the monitored entrance
  • The loading dock must be locked if these checks find that the dock is being used inappropriately as a building entrance.

Buildings that are not being monitored as part of the testing program may continue to provide access to their loading docks as they are currently.

Additional Information

For the latest information about campus operations, check the FP&M Operational Status page and the COVID-19 Response Campus Operations page.