Georgia Tech's Recovery Task Force to Guide Return to Standard Operations
President Ángel Cabrera has appointed a new task force to guide and oversee planning for the eventual resumption of Institute operations.
No timetable yet exists for reopening facilities and laboratories and returning to in-person instruction. The recovery task force will begin by modeling different possible scenarios and will coordinate the actions of different units within federal, state, and University System of Georgia guidelines. The recovery task force is led by Frank Neville, senior vice president for Strategic Initiatives.
“As we’re making plans to resume campus operations, our focus is squarely on the safety of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Neville. “Because we don’t yet know when the Institute will be able to resume previous levels of campus-based activity, the establishment of this task force is a proactive measure. As we develop our plans, we are drawing on the expertise of Georgia Tech faculty in public health and other disciplines to ensure that our decisions are informed by the latest research and insight.”
When Georgia Tech transitioned to distance learning and modified operations in March, every unit within the Institute executed a continuity plan unique to its needs, responsibilities, and personnel. These continuity plans coordinated specific responses to alterations in campus operations, such as distance learning, teleworking, incident response teams, and more. The recovery plans will guide units as they prepare for a phased resumption of services and operations.
Since units and their operations may be differently affected by guidelines, the recovery task force will work with individual departments to assess needs and make recommendations. While many administrative offices will be able to plan resumption of operations under similar conditions, some units — athletics, research, or dining, for example — may have additional requirements to consider.
Students, faculty, and staff should continue to check Georgia Tech’s Monitoring Coronavirus site for updates.
Recovery Task Force membership:
- Frank Neville, senior vice president, Strategic Initiatives
- Joi Alexander, director, Health Initiatives
- Robert Connolly, chief of police
- Mark Demyanek, interim senior vice president, Administration
- Dr. Jon Duke, principal research scientist and director, Center for Health Analytics and Informatics
- Kelly Fox, executive vice president, Administration and Finance
- Laura Gustavson, emergency management coordinator, Emergency Management
- Kim Harrington, associate vice president, Human Resources
- Lea Harris, graduate student, Aerospace Engineering
- Kasey Helton, associate vice president, Campus Services
- Jennifer Herazy, chief administrative officer, Academic Affairs and Research
- Dr. Benjamin Holton, senior director, Health Services
- Laurence Jacobs, associate dean, College of Engineering
- Christopher Jones, professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Pinar Keskinocak, professor and director, Center for Health and Humanitarian Systems
- Renee Kopkowski, vice president, Institute Communications
- Gabrielle Lonsberry, undergraduate president, Student Government Association
- Keith McBride, chief of staff, Georgia Tech Research Institute
- James McGarrah, interim vice president, Information Technology
- Ling-Ling Nie, general counsel and vice president, Ethics and Compliance
- Colin Potts, vice provost, Undergraduate Education
- Mark Rountree, deputy director of athletics, Georgia Tech Athletics Association
- William Smith, director, Emergency Management
- John Stein, vice president, Student Life and dean of students
- Michelle Thackray, consultant, Strategic Initiatives
- Nazia Zakir, assistant vice president, Environmental Health and Safety