COVID 19 guidance for Instructors
Posted: 2021-09-20 10:31:54 Expiration: 2021-10-20 10:31:54
John Zumbrunnen, Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, provides guidance to instructors regarding masking, quarantine and instruction during COVID.
As noted in today’s weekly update and as anticipated, campus is seeing a rise in cases of COVID-19. I appreciate all that our instructors and students are doing to protect themselves and one another, including getting vaccinated, masking indoors and staying home if sick.
I know – because I hear from them – that our instructors care deeply about our students. That said, we have also heard some concerns from students, and their parents and guardians. In that context, I’m writing to ask for your help in reminding instructors of some important parts of campus guidance
- Vaccinated individuals are not required to quarantine after a close contact with someone who has tested positive, as long as they are not having symptoms. Instead, they should monitor for symptoms and get tested 3-5 days after the exposure and at any point if they develop symptoms. Unvaccinated individuals are required to quarantine after a close contact, whether or not they are having symptoms. Learn more
- Students who are in quarantine and isolation will be unable to attend class for 10-14 days. These students should not be penalized for missing class during this time, and instructors should exercise flexibility with them. Please ensure your department’s instructors have not established course absence policies that limit the number of days that can be missed to less than what might be needed in order for a student to remain in quarantine or isolation. Learn more
- Instructors should not ask students about their COVID-19 vaccination or testing status. If a student shares their vaccination or testing status with an instructor, that information should be treated as confidential and not passed along to others. Instructors and students alike should rely on daily self-assessment for symptoms and on the university’s masking, testing and contact tracing processes. Learn more
- Campus guidance on face masks states that “all students, employees and visitors to campus are required to wear either a reusable, well-fitting cloth mask or a single-use disposable mask when inside campus buildings.” The university is reminding all employees and students today of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance: Multi-layer cloth or disposable masks that have a nose wire and fit properly over your nose and mouth to prevent leaks provide the best protection.
Instructors may reinforce this guidance but may not impose additional requirements, such as taping the mask to the face or using a mask fitter.
- Instructors who see a student not complying with the face mask requirement should 1) remind the student of the requirement; 2) offer the student a mask, if available; and 3) use their judgment in responding to any continued refusal to wear a mask. This response can include asking the student to leave class and, if necessary, dismissing class. Students who repeatedly fail to comply may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards using this form and may be subject to disciplinary action under the non-academic misconduct policy. Instructors should keep in mind that some students may not be able to wear a face mask. Learn more
- Please remind instructors that the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is low in classroom settings where masks are required. The occurrence of multiple positive cases in a course section is not in itself sufficient reason to change the modality of the section. If multiple students in a course section must miss in-person class for COVID-19 related reasons, please work with instructors and your school or college to explore ways to avoid a disruption of in-person instruction. Interruption of in-person instruction should be temporary and brief.
As a reminder, you can find more instruction-specific FAQs on our “Fall 2021 Instruction” webpage. The university’s COVID-19 Response website also has an extensive FAQ, which includes questions broader than instruction such as campus testing requirements, safety protocols and policies, vaccines and more. Please continue to check and refer staff to these websites for updates.
Thank you for your leadership and service.
John
John Zumbrunnen
Hadley Family Professor for Teaching and Learning Excellence
Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning
Professor of Political Science
Faculty Affiliate, Integrated Liberal Studies
Pronouns: he/him
-- Mead Witter School of Music: Anne Brutosky