SJSU's RSCA Adapt Plan Update

Sent: 06/02/2021
From: Dr. Mohamed Abousalem, Vice President for Research and Innovation

Dear faculty,

The Division of Research and Innovation’s goal throughout the pandemic has been to allow on-site and field research and creative activities to take place safely and within all applicable county guidelines, university policy, and regulations. With the improving pandemic environment, the current Phase 3 of SJSU’s RSCA Adapt Plan [pdf] has been updated as shown below. Please visit the Office of Research RSCA Adapt Plan webpage for all the details and the necessary forms.

Project Plan Approvals: On-site and field RSCA projects that are approved by the VPRI and Dean are permitted to operate. Requests for new on-site and field RSCA Project Plans may be submitted using the SJSU RSCA Project Plan | COVID-19 (Phase 3) form for approval.   

Travel: All RSCA travel requires VPRI approval either via a RSCA Project Plan approval under SJSU’s RSCA Adapt Plan and/or SJSU Research Foundation Travel Authorization. Any approved RSCA travel should follow the guidelines outlined in the California Department of Public Health advisory.   

Volunteers: All RSCA volunteers and human research subjects must complete (1) RSCA Volunteer / Human Subject Acknowledgement Form [pdf], and (2) the Self-Certification of Vaccination Status form required by the County Public Health Office and submit a copy of each to the SJSU Principal Investigator or faculty member in charge of the project. If unvaccinated, volunteers must complete the Self-Certification of Vaccination Status form every 14 days.

Project Plan Date Extensions beyond June 30, 2021: Project Plans previously approved for operation up to June 30, 2021 may be extended using this short RSCA Project Plan Date Extension Notification form.

Approved Project Plan Updates/Changes:

(1) Principal Investigators / RSCA Leaders wishing to make Project Plan changes that only involve a project date extension and/or project personnel name changes without the need to access different RSCA spaces or change the capacity of approved RSCA spaces do not need to submit an updated Project Plan through the RSCA Adapt Plan approval process. However, they must:

(i) update their project access name list and schedule with their College    through their respective college-defined process and wait for approval from the College before proceeding with the new or expanded personnel list,

(ii) if changing the project end date, complete the RSCA Project Plan Date Extension Notification form, and

(iii) in all cases, maintain at all times up-to-date project personnel lists (including volunteers and human research subjects), work schedules, and acknowledgement forms for all current project personnel.

The above does not apply to changes involving the addition of project volunteers / research human subjects to approved Project Plans that did not previously include volunteers / research human subjects.

(2) All other RSCA Project Plan update/change requests must be submitted using the SJSU RSCA Project Plan | COVID-19 (Phase 3) form for approval. Requests will be assessed critically to ensure project criticality and/or time-sensitivity (for priority), operation within the allowable space densities, and the appropriate health and safety measures.

(3) Principal Investigators / RSCA Leaders of project plans previously approved under earlier phases of SJSU’s RSCA Adapt Plan wishing to increase vehicle/boat capacity during Phase 3 operation up to the allowed maximum occupancy prescribed are not required to submit a Project Plan change request. Proceed with the change within the allowed Phase 3 occupancy limits during Phase 3 only.

Finally, as a reminder, while there have been a few steps in the right direction for our state lately, SJSU’s mask and face covering guidelines as part of the SJSU Adapt plan remain the same and all approved RSCA Project Plans are subject to immediate shutdown and reverting to Phase 1 [pdf], if/when requested.

Thank you for your continued hard work and for keeping yourself and your RSCA teams safe.

Sincerely,

Mohamed Abousalem
Vice President for Research and Innovation