Dear Faculty,
As we prepare for the fall term, we are asking all faculty members to take proactive measures around managing student absences this fall. While we look forward to regaining more normalcy this year, the reality is that COVID-19 is still with us. Making your expectations about attendance clear in your syllabus can help minimize interruptions and cultivate the best experience for our students.
Below are a few important steps we are asking instructors to consider and incorporate into their classrooms and instruction:
Before Classes Begin
- Plan to teach your course in the instruction mode that is published in the Course Schedule.
- Be sure your syllabus and CV are available to the public in accordance with HB 2504 by the first day of class (Monday, August 22). A syllabus template is available to download here. Support for developing syllabus learning outcomes is available here.
- Review Instructional FAQs to help prepare yourself for the fall term.
- Remember that the university has made important and significant changes to the academic calendar that may impact your planning, schedule and assignments for this academic year.
- Establish a contingency plan for another faculty member to cover your class in case at some point during the semester you are not able to teach due to illness or emergency.
Student Attendance
- Make expectations about attendance, absences, isolation protocols, sickness policies, and deadline flexibility clear in your syllabus.
- Support the idea that students should stay home if they are sick or contagious, not only to stop the spread but also to promote their personal wellness. Provide advice and guidance on managing absences and how absences may affect coursework and assignments. Include university resources on COVID-19 and a link to the university’s Exposure Action Chart.
- Students are not required to reveal or document their health status to the instructor when requesting accommodation for illness or other absences. If you wish to require documentation for any absences, direct students to obtain a notification from Student Emergency Services (SES). SES will collect their confidential documentation and confirm without revealing protected details.
- If students are isolating, too sick to attend class, or experiencing another type of absence, clearly state how they should communicate with you and how they can continue to meet class expectations where possible.
- Consider building flexibility and grace into your grading scheme to accommodate absences, such as dropping some number of participation or homework grades. To avoid conflicts and challenges later in the semester, make very clear the consequences of absences at the start of the semester. Do not assume that all students will fully absorb information regarding absences within a long syllabus.
- Synchronous online options for in-person courses may be offered at your discretion. In other words, you are not required to livestream in-person classes for students to access over Zoom or Teams. There are other mechanisms for students who must miss class. Options may include access to online materials, attendance via Zoom or Teams, and catching up through class notes or recordings.
Faculty Illness
Before the fall term begins, establish a contingency plan for another faculty member to cover your class in case you are unable to teach due to illness or emergency. This should be done whenever possible rather than canceling class. Work with your chair and/or associate deans as needed for assistance in arranging emergency coverage.
If you are ill or isolating but still able to teach, please remember the following:
- If ill or isolating, faculty members have the flexibility to temporarily move a class online.
- If a class is moved online, you can record the class and make it available on Canvas.
- If you must institute a temporary change in modality for health reasons, ensure that students are notified as quickly as possible and accommodations are made as needed.
Academic Affairs has compiled a list of classroom teaching recommendations and best practices for faculty members here. Included are ideas on how to incentivize attendance and strengthen social, emotional and intellectual interactions in the classroom.
Wishing you the best in the remaining few days of summer and hoping that you are energized for the start of the new academic year.
Sincerely,
Tasha Beretvas