Campus Operations Update

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Earlier today, Massachusetts Governor Baker and the state Department of Public Health issued a statement ordering businesses that do not provide essential COVID-19 services to close their physical workplaces for two weeks to curb the local spread of the virus. While most Bentley University faculty and staff began working remotely last week, the university now requires that non-emergency personnel remain off campus and work remotely in accordance with the governor’s order, effective as soon as possible and no later than noon tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24. 

This new order does provide a limited exception to university employees who support online learning or essential student functions, as long as they continue to practice social distancing. These emergency workers will allow us to continue to facilitate online learning and support the small number of students who remain on campus as they wait to travel home. For staff, your manager will inform you if you qualify as a member of the emergency workforce. If so, you will receive a letter from the university confirming your status. As always, please ask your manager if you have questions about these new procedures.  

Faculty will be permitted to visit campus, if needed, to teach their online classes or collect items from their campus office, but we strongly encourage all to teach from home if possible. Remote IT support will be available to you should you need assistance. If you are a faculty member and must come to campus, please go straight to your office or classroom and stay only for the duration of your class. Beginning at noon on Tuesday, March 24, all buildings on campus will be locked and switched to only keycard access.  

Faculty will have keycard access to all classroom buildings (Adamian, Jennison, Lindsay, Morison and Smith). If you have questions about building access, please contact Melissa Diglio in University Police at mdiglio@bentley.edu or (781) 891-2242. For immediate access while on campus, call the University Police at the non-emergency line, (781) 891-2201. In case of emergency, call (781) 891-3131. 

The Cabinet continues to meet on a regular basis, using virtual means as much as possible, and is following updates from the Governor’s Office and Department of Public Health. We will continue to communicate via email and social media with the Bentley community and post all updates at bentley.edu/coronavirus. Thank you for your understanding and support. 

The Bentley University Cabinet 

Alison Davis-Blake
Donna Maria Blancero 
Josh Brand 
George Cangiano 
Carolina Figueroa 
Maureen Flores 
Maureen Forrester 
Christopher Joyce 
Amanda King 
Judy Malone 
Andrew Shepardson 
Bob Wittstein