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Cardinal at Work

Operating Standards for Central, Student-Facing Staff - Fall 2021

Julian Nyarko taking an outdoor class

Published September 1, 2021

The long-awaited return to campus life will soon awaken from 18 months of hibernation as frosh and transfers return for move-in day and New Student Orientation activities. 

To support the student experience and the return to full residential operations, below are the guidelines and expectations for student-facing roles, specifically for departments in VPSA, VPUE, VPGE, ORSL, R&DE and DAPER.

Guidelines are effective September 13, 2021:

  • The standard for student-facing offices to be open for in-person, drop-in services is five days a week. Exceptions to this standard (for example, for offices with very small numbers of staff need to be approved by the Vice Provost, Dean or their designee).   

    • There needs to be a critical mass of staff to be present and to welcome students. Critical mass will vary by unit but should be at least two people in each office daily (safety is an important reason for this). 

    • Signs on doors directing students to online resources are not a substitute for open office, in-person hours. 

  • Where appropriate, outdoor spaces can be utilized instead of indoor spaces for student meetings and programs. 
  • Face coverings are mandatory indoors for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals per Santa Clara County Public Health and San Mateo County Public Health orders.
  • Offices can request that students show the Health Check badge upon entry into student service spaces. If it’s red, entry can be denied.   

  • For security and to prevent non-university affiliates from accessing office spaces, many buildings will still require badge or key access. Have your Stanford ID readily available or download the Stanford Mobile app as it can serve as your campus ID and also gives you direct access to Health Check.

    • Buildings that are officially ‘open’ or ‘limited’, but do not have the Lenel key-card system, should generally remain unlocked during open hours. These offices may post a sign on the door stating that access is limited to Stanford faculty, staff, students and postdoctoral fellows.    

Questions?

For questions about these guidelines, please contact the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs at vpstundentaffairs@stanford.edu.