Additional Guidance About the Chancellor's Covid-19 Message

Dear Faculty and Instructors,

Chancellor White shared an important  COVID communication on Sep 23 that also included a link to Governor Dunleavy's memo that asks for “enhanced hybrid work posture with an emphasis on telework to the maximum extent practical, while still maintaining public facing presence and services." President Pitney also sent out a message today on UA’s plan to stay the course using our current CDC-informed, multi-layered mitigation strategy. 

I have received some questions on what this means for faculty and I am sharing responses to these questions more broadly:

Are we still teaching face-to-face or are we switching everything to distance education?

Yes, we are still teaching face-to-face. We are not making a switch to all online/distance delivery. The intent of the message was for Vice Chancellors and supervisors to look at positions that are currently working on campus but could practically be moved to telework for the next month to help bend the current COVID curve.

I teach an in-person course. What does the Chancellor’s message mean for me?

Each course has unique needs. For many traditionally in-person classes, it is not practical to teach via distance. For a small number of classes it may, in fact, be more practical to add or increase elements of hybrid delivery. Please discuss your individual needs and plans with your dean as you adapt your course offerings.

What guidance can I give to a student attending my class who shows COVID symptoms and is waiting for results, or has tested COVID positive?

Please tell the student:

  • Do not attend the in-person class. 

  • Fill out the student illness reporting form. This is the most important step as it triggers outreach to the student, initiates contact tracing protocols, connects students to CSRR and provides other resources and guidance, including guidance on where to get tested and when it is safe to return to class. 

  • Get tested, if you haven’t already done so. Students can get tested at the Student Health and Counseling Center or (added on 9/29/21) at their community health organization / clinic because rural students do not have access to the Student Health and Counseling Center. 

This information and additional guidance for faculty is also available at the Faculty FAQ section. More specific responses are also available for different scenarios you may encounter in your class (see definitions and scenarios) 

I do know that faculty are taking care and being very flexible as they work  one-on-one with impacted students to help them make up for missed classes and assignments. Thank you for the accommodations you are providing.

What should I do if I show COVID symptoms and am waiting for results, or have tested COVID positive?

The steps you follow are the same that the students follow, except that you fill out the employee illness form.

There is no one unique way to cover the course material when a faculty member is unwell and it varies from course to course. Please work with your department chair and dean to determine the best way to cover materials for the time you are ill and unavailable. For some courses there may be a colleague who is willing and able to step up for a short time; for others a TA or a guest lecturer may fill in. For others there may be reading and other assignments that the faculty can assign for that time. In some cases there may be no other option but to cancel some sessions. Please work with your  department chairs and deans/directors to help minimize the disruption. I will also continue to work with the deans/directors to monitor needs and assist as needed.

When can the student (or I) return to class if we were ill with COVID symptoms or had tested positive for COVID, or were deemed a close contact:

This information is available on the COVID scenarios site. I reiterate the guidance in Chancellor White’s message:  If you are ill, stay home until you are well or, if you tested positive for COVID-19, until 10 days have passed, whichever is longer. 

If you test positive for COVID-19, you must isolate at home for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status. Receiving a negative test a few days after testing positive does not relieve you of the requirements to isolate for 10 days. Employees and students may return to campus after 10 days as long as their symptoms have improved and they do not have a fever and are not taking any fever-reducing medications; a negative test is not required. If your severe symptoms persist beyond 10 days, you should seek medical attention if you have not already done so. 

Once again, thank you for your efforts in maintaining academic continuity in these challenging times. As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your deans/directors or to me at aprakash@alaska.edu 

Resources: