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First up: Is it OK if I greet my co-workers with my usual big bear hug? Find out Etta Kitt's answer here, plus listen to her on "The UMB Pulse" podcast starting Sept. 16.
By now, we’ve gotten used to navigating a pandemic world on the home front, but what about now that many members of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) community are returning to campus? What’s the right thing to do when being approached by an unmasked colleague? How does one handle a crowded elevator? Have handshakes gone the way of MapQuest print outs?
Etta Kitt is here to answer the UMB community's questions about tactfully treading through these situations and more. Have a question for Etta? Submit questions at umaryland.edu/ettakitt. You can even remain anonymous if you wish. She looks forward to hearing from you!
Etta Kitt will also make an appearance on "The UMB Pulse" podcast starting Sept. 16. Her appearances are part of a new series of partial episodes that feature updated campus guidance, events, and advice from Etta Kitt in the Decorum Forum. Answers will also appear in the COVID-19 Recovery Recap.
Here’s a look into what has come into the mailbag already.
Dear Etta Kitt: I am so excited to return to campus and see my colleagues after all this time apart! I'm a natural born hugger. Is it OK if I greet my co-workers with my usual big bear hug?
Signed,
Arms Wide Open
Dear AWO: I love your enthusiasm and the adoration you exude for your colleagues. However, due to the workplace environment, not knowing who is vaccinated and who is not, AND not knowing if this affection would be welcome, I recommend you reserve hugs for family and pets only.