COVID-19 Resources & Guidance

Guidance for the Research Community
Page last updated 2/23/21 at 9:00 a.m.

Reopening Research & Libraries

Research & Library Operating Plan 2.0 (RLOP) form (NetID & password required) including Guidance on Farms (Reopening Plan and User Access Protocol), Fieldwork, and Travel and Updated Guidance for Reopening Human Subjects Research
- RLOP 2.0 Kuali Form Procedure Guidance
- RLOP Personnel Change Form - Request removal/addition of personnel for an Original RLOP or RLOP 2.0
- Kuali Form Action List to find saved forms and/or to manage approvals
- Kuali Build Dashboard to create a new form or access the Action List
- RLOP 1.0 form number lookup (NetID & password required)
- Research & Library Operating Plan (RLOP) Reviewer/Approver Instructions V 2.1
- Building/Space Capacity dashboard (VPN, NetID & password required)
Detailed information on Reopening Research & Libraries (PDF) 5/28/20
Please note that the COVID-19 Interim Operating Plan document has been updated to version 1.3 (Word). If you see a previous version when you open the link, please clear your browser’s cache and open it again. There is new information on naming conventions for completed forms on the last page.
Restarting Research - Criteria and Contingency Plans (YouTube video) This presentation, led by Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement Jennifer Donais, is about the approach that UMass is taking to restart research safely on campus. The presentation outlines the guiding principles, the process for gathering information, the context by which decisions are being made, phasing in research based on best practices, continuity planning and a defined contextual framework.
Reopening Research FAQ
University Restarting Research Stages Compared to MA Reopening Phases (PDF)

Please send questions on the reopening to reopening@research.umass.edu.

Further Guidelines and Resources

Topic	Guidance
Personnel	RLOP faculty leads should implement any changes in RLOP personnel via the RLOP Personnel Change Request Form. This process ensures that the Public Health Promotion Center testing lists remain current as to participants who are on-site for RLOP activities. Any individuals on RLOPs who have moved to fully remote, who are now living outside of the Amherst area (Amherst area is defined as Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury and Sunderland), or whose presence on-site is infrequent (i.e., once or twice per month), should be removed to prevent non-compliance notices being generated by the testing management system. 1/19/20: COVID-19 Testing for the Spring Semester - Faculty who are teaching or conducting research on campus are required to be tested weekly. Everyone who comes to campus should complete the COVID-19 Daily Self Checklist. Only personnel approved in the Laboratory Research Continuity Plan (Word doc) are allowed to conduct research on campus until an Interim Operating Plan is finalized. Continuity Plans should be replaced as soon as possible by an operating plan, with the understanding that they may be needed if public health conditions deteriorate and force another closure on short notice. Employees in a high-risk group should follow the Employee Guidance FAQ. Updated (10/21/2020) Guidelines on Undergraduate Researchers in UMass Facilities in Spring 2021
Research Spaces	1/26/21 - An Important Update on Building Access for the Spring EH&S COVID-19 Information for Labs. EH&S Guidance for Vendors and Service Providers Entering Labs. Complete the UMass Amherst Lab Restart Checklist. Lab Emergency Closure Planning Checklist (pertains to longer-term plans).
Safety & Cleaning	EH&S Cleaning Procedures for Labs and Offices. EH&S Healthy Living COVID-19 Posters. EH&S COVID-19 Response site.
Centralized Core Facilities	UMass Core Facilities Restart-to-Research Operations Status. Access and level of service is at the discretion of the Core Director or the Director of Centralized Core Services.
IRB (Research with Human Subjects)	Resuming Human Subject Research Checklist for Human Subject Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic Human Subject Participant Health & Safety Screening EH&S Guidelines for Human Subject Research For IRB guidance for research involving human subjects, please view the COVID-19 & Research Activities F.A.Q. For questions, email humansubjects@ora.umass.edu.
IACUC (Research with Animals)	Important VCRE Communication to Animal Researchers (3/21/20). For questions, please email abardwell@research.umass.edu or mcyoung@umass.edu.
Sponsored Projects: Federal Agency Guidance	The federal guidance on sponsored projects differs across and sometimes within agencies. The Council on Government Relations (COGR) is monitoring federal guidance. See the latest information for specific agengies at: COGR Institutional and Agency Responses to COVID-19 and Additional Resources.
Travel Guidance	1/13/21 - Updated COVID-19 Travel Guidance for UMass Amherst Please follow the UMass Amherst travel recommendations. You will need to register all travel using the UMass Travel Registry to ensure contacts and other emergency information is available. For travel reimbursements, see: Controller's Office Guidance for Travel Preparers (PDF) on 3/4/2020.

Thank you very much for your cooperation and continued attention to the evolving circumstances of this unprecedented public health emergency.

Guidance about UMass Amherst research activities are updated when new information becomes available. See the UMass Amherst Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) for the status of all UMass Amherst operations.

Reopening Research & Libraries

Further Guidelines and Resources

Questions on Reopening?

Recent Updates to this Page

Campus Notices - COVID-19

Additional COVID-19 Resources

Research Administration and Compliance

Research and Engagement

Reopening Research & Libraries

Further Guidelines and Resources

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Questions on Reopening?

Recent Updates to this Page

Campus Notices - COVID-19

Additional COVID-19 Resources