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Ways @LifeAtPurdue can support caregivers. A thread.
Context: Our daycare is closed for 2w dt COVID-19 cases. PU had no oversight/plan: teachers couldn't access campus testing, excluded from surveillance n's, not required to test. Still unsure if fams were told to quarantine? 1/
Context: Our daycare is closed for 2w dt COVID-19 cases. PU had no oversight/plan: teachers couldn't access campus testing, excluded from surveillance n's, not required to test. Still unsure if fams were told to quarantine? 1/
@LifeAtPurdue - let's do better. Purdue could be an innovative leader in designing a Spring 2021 that puts PU on the map for putting $ to words re: caregiver needs. Assemble a task force, gather some funds.
Here are some ideas to start. (others please add)
Here are some ideas to start. (others please add)
1. Treat daycares like essential services, and treat teachers and staff like frontline workers. At minimum: weekly on-site testing, free testing for dependents. Staff sign Protect Purdue pledge and are held accountable. Incl. prevalence stats in PU dashboard.
2. Train and pay PU students/staff to combat staff shortages that are closing schools -- @PurdueEDU students can sub, @PurdueEngineers can obtain CDLs and drive busses, @PurdueHHS students can prep food, provide MH support. Go into crisis mode a la scrap metal drives of WW2.
3. Pay (all) employee home internet, incl. upgrades for overwhelmed bandwith dt e-learning.
4. Allow caregivers of young kids the option to teach remotely Spr 21, no questions asked, d/t unpredictable school closures.
5. Disperse '19-20 COL raises for all
4. Allow caregivers of young kids the option to teach remotely Spr 21, no questions asked, d/t unpredictable school closures.
5. Disperse '19-20 COL raises for all
6. Offer current and future teaching releases to caregivers to provide relief and hope.
7. Provide summer salary to allow caregivers to outsource childcare and catch up.
8. Promise future caregivers sabbaticals and $ to re-sharpen skills dulled by months of overwhelm, stress.
7. Provide summer salary to allow caregivers to outsource childcare and catch up.
8. Promise future caregivers sabbaticals and $ to re-sharpen skills dulled by months of overwhelm, stress.
9. Help our students. Have drop-off system for food pantry -> off campus students to avoid public transit; disperse grocery e-gift cards.
10. Pay grads in summer to help caregivers' labs recover and directly offset many costs grads are incurring dt COVID.
10. Pay grads in summer to help caregivers' labs recover and directly offset many costs grads are incurring dt COVID.
11. HIRE MORE MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS ON CAMPUS and add social workers, too.
12. Do not just stop clocks - change expectations. Stopping clocks delays raises and job security. Reduce expectations by 1.3x time PI was pretenure during COVID (.3=spillover effects and lost momentum).
12. Do not just stop clocks - change expectations. Stopping clocks delays raises and job security. Reduce expectations by 1.3x time PI was pretenure during COVID (.3=spillover effects and lost momentum).
13. Assign highly trained admins to small teams of PIs to help with scheduling, administrative tasks, proofing, lab ordering/organization, paperwork... including for tasks specific to that PI's research (e.g. organizing materials for grant reviews, simple data tasks).
14. .. and my dream policy: Give PI's actual reprieve by hiring skilled PhDs to apprentice/sub across clusters of similar labs so there is actually a backup if PIs need help: they can review drafts, monitor bench and animal studies, respond to IRBs, support students, write grants
We need a plan and funds to make initiatives happen. Now is the time to plan for spring and truly become "family friendly." Caregivers are burnt out, and it's going to get worse as closures continue. Please provide reprieve so that we can do the jobs you hired us to do.
And, to be clear -- there are many PEOPLE at PU who are family friendly and have expressed wonderful support for caregivers, at all levels of administration. I am thankful for support in my college @PurdueHHS in particular. Now it's time for organized, funded changes.
