All University of Florida employees still working under remote or hybrid arrangements dating back to the COVID-19 pandemic will transition back to full in-person work within the next 30 days.
The directive comes following an email sent by interim UF President Kent Fuchs on Thursday
“This decision aligns with national trends across business, education and government sectors,” Fuchs wrote in the email. “Organizations are finding that shared physical workspaces promote stronger community bonds, more effective onboarding and mentorship, and enhanced opportunities for creative problem-solving and collaboration – attributes that are essential to UF’s excellence.”
Fuchs noted in the email that hybrid and remote work schedules were created during the pandemic “due to space constraints or transitional needs.”
He has requested that the Chief Financial Office (CFO), Provost’s Office, Office of Construction, Facilities and Real Estate work closely with the UF Human Resources department to address the space constraints as quickly as possible.
According to UF’s website, the university has more than 60,000 students and employs 32,000 people.
UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email to Mainstreet on Friday morning that of the university’s total number of employees, roughly 10%, “currently have some type of hybrid work arrangement.” He added that nearly 1% of those employees are fully remote.
Orlando said UF is currently putting together “more specific guidance” related to how the full return to the workplace will apply to faculty members.
“Faculty are expected to be physically in the workplace, except in cases where their assignment requires them to be elsewhere,” Orlando said.
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News.