The University asks that students, faculty and staff cooperate with requests that masks be worn in classrooms and individual offices, however it is up to each individual to make a decision about whether or not they wish to wear a mask. At this time, individuals cannot be required to wear a mask, except in situations where masks are required by law.

Faculty members and graduate teaching assistants who want students to continue to wear masks during their classes should communicate this preference directly to their students during class time or in advance via email or Canvas. It is recommended that faculty members and graduate teaching assistants provide the reason behind their request that students wear masks and communicate that the University encourages students, faculty and staff to cooperate with requests that masks be worn in classrooms and individual offices. Individuals who feel like they need an accommodation should contact the Office of Affirmative Action.

Students who test positive and need to enter isolation will be encouraged to reach out to their course faculty. While students will be expected to contact their instructors and make every effort to work with the instructor to complete the work and stay on track, faculty are encouraged to work with students to the extent possible, given the challenging circumstances. Additionally, faculty should receive a message from Student Support Services whenever a student must be absent from class to isolate. Academic advisers will also be alerted when one of their advisees must miss classes due to isolation and students are encouraged to reach out to their advisers for assistance. Student Affairs will be providing support to these students and may be in touch with faculty to assist with the coordination necessary to encourage continued academic progress for these students. For students who are unable to attend class because of isolation requirements, faculty have many options for meeting their needs.

Per University Faculty Senate policy 42-27, instructors should work with students to provide, within reason, an opportunity to make up work that they have missed, recognizing that not all work can be made up. Many of the tools that have been used during the last year may assist in helping students continue learning while temporarily absent. Providing live lecture-streaming or recorded lectures, though not required, can be useful in supporting absent students; these are also great examples of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in that they can support a variety of students beyond those who are absent (e.g., English language learners, those with undisclosed learning disabilities, etc.). It is important to emphasize that while the creation of these materials is good practice, they should be temporary and not used to provide fully remote instruction to students for an entire semester, as it creates reporting and regulatory issues, especially for international students.