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