REVISING YOUR SYLLABUS AND COURSE POLICIES FOR FALL 2020:

PREPAREDNESS & FLEXIBILITY

UNCW Center for Teaching Excellence

Diana Ashe, Matthew TenHuisen, & Colleen Reilly

July 6, 2020

PLAN FOR THIS SESSION

1. Official guidance from Academic Affairs

2. Resources from UNCW3. Resources from outside UNCW

4. Focus on preparation and flexibility

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

Dear Colleagues,

Hello! I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and well. I am reaching out to provide you with some updates regarding the implementation phase of reopening campus for fall 2020. Over the past few weeks, we have received a lot of questions from faculty regarding everything from required face coverings to syllabus content. This email will hopefully provide some clarity on some key topics – although as you can imagine, this is a dynamic landscape and things are apt to change depending on the behavior of the virus within our community and throughout the state.

The information below is divided into two main areas: (1) Issues of Health and Safety; and, (2) Course Considerations. The content is based on feedback from the committees on Health & Safety and Teaching and Instructional Design of the Fall 2020 Implementation Planning Team. The information was also reviewed by the Faculty Senate Leadership. While we realize this information may raise additional questions, we hope it will also provide some needed guidance for fall preparation.

HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONSUNCW will follow CDC guidelines, UNC System Office directives, and our own Seahawk Respect Compact to ensure the health and safety of our campus community. We have implemented physical distancing measures, and we are limiting seating capacity in classrooms and meeting rooms. We will also conduct additional facility cleanings and make accessible disinfectant wipes in all classrooms. Per below, we are requiring face coverings for all face-to-face interactions. Detailed information regarding specific measures is forthcoming and will be provided by the Health and Safety Committee for Fall Reopening; but we provide current guidance on face coverings and courses requiring off-campus activities below.•Face CoveringsAll faculty, staff, and students are expected to wear face coverings while inside buildings. We firmly believe that faculty, staff, and administrators will serve as positive role models in establishing this culture on campus. It is important that students receive clear and consistent messaging that the health and safety of our campus community is our first priority. Students who are unprepared or unwilling to wear protective face coverings will not be permitted to participate in face-to-face interactions. In the unlikely event a student refuses to comply, faculty can follow existing procedures for disruptive students. Also, any student who has a medical concern with wearing a face covering should contact the Disability Resource Center at (910) 962-7555.

To help make these guidelines clear to your students, we are providing suggested language for your course syllabus (for courses requiring face-to-face sessions), as follows:

Following CDC Guidelines, UNC System directives, and out of mutual respect as outlined in the UNCW Seahawk Respect Compact, all faculty, staff, and students will wear face coverings while inside buildings. Students who are unprepared or unwilling to wear protective face coverings will not be permitted to participate in face-to-face sessions and will need to leave the building. Noncompliant students will be referred to the Dean of Students for an Honor Code Violation. Any student who has a medical concern with wearing a face covering should contact the Disability Resource Center at (910) 962-7555.

Please note that faculty may wear clear face shields for instruction only. Cloth face coverings will be required at all other times. Any faculty or staff member who has a medical concern with wearing a face covering should contact Human Resources at (910) 962-3160.•Courses Requiring Off-Campus InteractionsCourses that require off-campus interactions (e.g., internships, clinical sites, field work, community engaged research, service learning) are subject to additional health and safety guidelines. These guidelines, including the use of waiver forms and other risk management protocols, will be communicated by appropriate campus units at a later date.

COURSE PREPARATION CONSIDERATIONSBelow is information regarding online delivery, faculty illness, instructional minutes, syllabi expectations, attendance policies, and course evaluations. We will continue to provide updates on these topics as they evolve, but we wanted to share with you current thinking on these matters.•Online DeliveryFaculty need to be prepared to deliver course content online if needed. Such online delivery may be employed for at least two reasons:1) Individual student quarantine. If students need to self-quarantine, we should ensure that those students can access course materials (e.g., slides, lecture notes, visuals) in an online format. To facilitate this, synchronous online meetings (and face-to-face meetings when possible) should be recorded for viewing at a later time.2) Online class pivot. If we need to pivot entirely to an online modality, we should ensure that all students will have access to course materials to meet the learning objectives of the course.

Official guidance: Provost’s email regarding fall instruction, sent June 25, 2020

SNIP FROM PROVOST’S EMAIL (EMPHASIS ADDED)

HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONSUNCW will follow CDC guidelines, UNC System Office directives, and our own Seahawk Respect Compact to ensure the health and safety of our campus community. We have implemented physical distancing measures, and we are limiting seating capacity in classrooms and meeting rooms. We will also conduct additional facility cleanings and make accessible disinfectant wipes in all classrooms. Per below, we are requiring face coverings for all face-to-face interactions. Detailed information regarding specific measures is forthcoming and will be provided by the Health and Safety Committee for Fall Reopening; but we provide current guidance on face coverings and courses requiring off-campus activities below.

•Face CoveringsAll faculty, staff, and students are expected to wear face coverings while inside buildings. We firmly believe that faculty, staff, and administrators will serve as positive role models in establishing this culture on campus. It is important that students receive clear and consistent messaging that the health and safety of our campus community is our first priority. Students who are unprepared or unwilling to wear protective face coverings will not be permitted to participate in face-to-face interactions. In the unlikely event a student refuses to comply, faculty can follow existing procedures for disruptive students. Also, any student who has a medical concern with wearing a face covering should contact the Disability Resource Center at (910) 962-7555.

To help make these guidelines clear to your students, we are providing suggested language for your course syllabus (for courses requiring face-to-face sessions), as follows:

Following CDC Guidelines, UNC System directives, and out of mutual respect as outlined in the UNCW Seahawk Respect Compact, all faculty, staff, and students will wear face coverings while inside buildings. Students who are unprepared or unwilling to wear protective face coverings will not be permitted to participate in face-to-face sessions and will need to leave the building. Noncompliant students will be referred to the Dean of Students for an Honor Code Violation. Any student who has a medical concern with wearing a face covering should contact the Disability Resource Center at (910) 962-7555.

Please note that faculty may wear clear face shields for instruction only. Cloth face coverings will be required at all other times. Any faculty or staff member who has a medical concern with wearing a face covering should contact Human Resources at (910) 962-3160.

Courses Requiring Off-Campus InteractionsCourses that require off-campus interactions (e.g., internships, clinical sites, field work, community engaged research, service learning) are subject to additional health and safety guidelines. These guidelines, including the use of waiver forms and other risk management protocols, will be communicated by appropriate campus units at a later date.

SYLLABUS LANGUAGE FROM THE PROVOST ’ S JUNE 25 EMAIL

To help make these guidelines clear to your students, we are providing suggested language for your course syllabus (for courses requiring face-to-face sessions), as follows:

Following CDC Guidelines, UNC System directives, and out of mutual respect as outlined in the UNCW Seahawk Respect Compact, all faculty, staff, and students will wear face coverings while inside buildings. Students who are unprepared or unwilling to wear protective face coverings will not be permitted to participate in face-to-face sessions and will need to leave the building. Noncompliant students will be referred to the Dean of Students for an Honor Code Violation. Any student who has a medical concern with wearing a face covering should contact the Disability Resource Center at (910) 962-7555.

COURSE PREPARATION INFORMATION

FROM PROVOST’S

EMAIL

COURSE PREPARATION CONSIDERATIONSBelow is information regarding online delivery, faculty illness, instructional minutes, syllabi expectations, attendance policies, and course evaluations. We will continue to provide updates on these topics as they evolve, but we wanted to share with you current thinking on these matters.

•Online DeliveryFaculty need to be prepared to deliver course content online if needed. Such online delivery may be employed for at least two reasons:

1) Individual student quarantine. If students need to self-quarantine, we should ensure that those students can access course materials (e.g., slides, lecture notes, visuals) in an online format. To facilitate this, synchronous online meetings (and face-to-face meetings when possible) should be recorded for viewing at a later time.

2) Online class pivot. If we need to pivot entirely to an online modality, we should ensure that all students will have access to course materials to meet the learning objectives of the course.

[emphasis added]

FACULTY ILLNESS

INFORMATION FROM

PROVOST’S JUNE 25 EMAIL

•Faculty IllnessIn instances where face-to-face instruction is essential and the faculty member is unable to teach due to illness, a substitute instructor should be identified to cover the course in either a face-to-face or online modality, depending on the nature of the course. Deans will discuss with department chairs the best way to address these situations given the nature of the course and discipline.

[emphasis added]

INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES INFORMATION FROM PROVOST’S JUNE 25 EMAIL

•Instructional MinutesWe will need to adhere to the minimum number of instructional minutes per term as defined by UNCW policy and as required by SACSCOC, using either face-to-face, hybrid, or online delivery.

For example, a 3-credit hour course requires 2250 instructional minutes, which may include the final exam period. Faculty who decide that a given course will finish prior to Thanksgiving Break should ensure these instructional minute requirements are met. We will communicate further guidance and documentation regarding this issue at a later date.[emphasis added]

SYLLABUS REQUIREMENTS FROM PROVOST’S JUNE 25 EMAIL

Syllabi should be released to students at least one week in advance of the fall semester. Syllabi need not contain all curricular details, but enough for students to determine if they are capable of taking the course, given their individual circumstances. Syllabi should minimally include:

•course delivery modes and expectations for face-to-face meetings;•technical requirements for successful online engagement;•specification of virtual and/or face-to-face office hours;•attendance policy and notification of illness (see details below); and,•requirement of face coverings in face-to-face meetings (see details below).

Syllabi should be posted in Canvas and retained at the unit level. Throughout the semester, any changes to the syllabus should be clearly communicated and disseminated to students. The Center for Teaching Excellence and the Office of Distance Education and e-Learning provide myriad resources for best teaching practices.[emphasis added]

ATTENDANCE POLICY INFORMATION FROM PROVOST’S JUNE 25 EMAIL

Faculty will continue to exert individual attendance policies and publish these expectations in the course syllabus. However, just as was the case in spring 2020, we encourage a high level of flexibility with students, particularly those who may fall into high-risk groups, serve as caretakers, or who contract the virus and require alternative course delivery. Be aware that students may not always disclose individual circumstances, and thus flexibility should be widely applied. In order to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on campus, students need to report illness. Please include this statement in your syllabus:

Students who experience COVID-19 symptoms should immediately contact the Abrons Student Health Center at (910) 962-328.

[emphasis added]

COLLECTIVE IMPACT OF PROVOST’S JUNE 25 EMAIL ON SYLLABI AND POLICIES

1. Face coverings will be required.

2. Face shields will be allowed only while teaching.

3. Classes with off-campus components will have additional requirements.

4. Specific face mask policy language is offered for your syllabus.

5. All courses should be prepared for online delivery for

a) students who fall ill and need to be quarantined; and

b) the possibility of a pivot to online instruction at any point in the semester.

6. All courses will need to identify a substitute instructor.

7. All courses must adhere to minimum instructional minutes requirements, regardless of modality (2250 for a 3-credit course).

(continued)

MORE IMPACT OF PROVOST’S JUNE 25 EMAIL ON SYLLABI AND POLICIES

8. Syllabi must be posted on Canvas a week before the start of the semester. 9. Syllabi must include:

•course delivery modes and expectations for face-to-face meetings;•technical requirements for successful online engagement;•specification of virtual and/or face-to-face office hours;•attendance policy and notification of illness; and,•requirement of face coverings in face-to-face meetings.

10. Attendance policies should be as flexible as possible. 11. Syllabi should include the following statement:

Students who experience COVID-19 symptoms should immediately contact the Abrons Student Health Center at (910) 962-328.

UNCW SYLLABUS & POLICY RESOURCES

CTE’S BEST PRACTICES IN SYLLABUS CONSTRUCTION

• Includes Faculty Senate’s required elements, standard practice, plus additional best practice elements to include• Policies covered include:• academic integrity, • accessibility and accommodations, • non-discrimination and Title IX compliance, • Seahawk Respect Compact, • use of personal electronics, • and more.

ADDITIONAL CAMPUS RESOURCES

Faculty Handbookhttps://uncw.edu/facsen/documents/faculty_handbook.pdf

Emergency Managementhttps://uncw.edu/ehs/emergency_management.html

Seahawk Respect Compacthttps://uncw.edu/diversity/src.html

Keep Learning site https://uncw.edu/keeplearning/

SEAHAWK RESPECT COMPACT

In the pursuit of excellence, UNC Wilmington actively fosters, encourages, and promotes inclusiveness, mutual respect, acceptance, and open-mindedness among students, faculty, staff and the broader community.

We affirm the dignity of all persons.

We promote the right of every person to participate in the free exchange of thoughts and opinions within a climate of civility and mutual respect.

We strive for openness and mutual understanding to learn from differences in people, ideas and opinions

We foster an environment of respect for each individual, even where differences exist, by eliminating prejudice and discrimination through education and interaction with others.

Therefore, we expect members of the campus community to honor these principles as fundamental to our ongoing efforts to increase access to and inclusion in a community that nurtures learning and growth for all.

SEND STUDENTS TO UNCW’S KEEP LEARNING SITE

EXTERNAL SYLLABUS & POLICY RESOURCES

https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/syllabus-design/

https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/syllabus-design/

Examples include policies and guidelines from other universities—in this case, from California State, Chico State Northern Colorado, and West Virginia Universities, in addition to Vanderbilt’s own offices and examples.

THESE RESOURCES CAN HELP YOU PREPARE; THE POLICIES YOU CREATE CAN HELP YOU REMAIN FLEXIBLE.

• Let students know what they can expect from you as well as setting forth your expectations for them. How would you like them to communicate with you and with each other? How soon can they expect a response from you? If they encounter a problem or become ill, clarify the steps they should take. Help them make the right choices.

• Focus on your learning outcomes and how you can ensure that all of your students achieve them. Doing so will enable you to avoid spending any energy trying to determine any student’s level of relative hardship; that’s not our job and students are under no obligation to disclose to us. Stick to what makes sense for the completion of course goals in an equitable manner.

• Expect the semester to change in mid-stream. Write policies that enable you to adapt.

• Consider using a syllabus quiz or similar activity to ensure that your policies are clear to your students.