[Pols-announce] Fw: Fall 2021 Online Teaching Requests

Thu Jan 21 15:58:19 CST 2021

FYI, see below about teaching online in the fall. If you have any questions please let me know, but otherwise complete the form if you intend to teach a course online in the fall if that course is not typically taught online.
DHM

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Please share this correspondence with your instructors (e.g., faculty, lecturers, GTAs)

Dear Chairs & Directors,

After a year of extreme unpredictability, we look to the 2021-2022 academic year with hope that we will see a return to some semblance of normalcy. We have several reasons to be optimistic. In addition to the fact that KU’s COVID protocols for the 2020-2021 academic year have been effective in preventing on-campus transmission, we anticipate that the emergence of multiple COVID vaccine options (with expected projected periods of extended immunity) will contribute to the safety of students, staff, and faculty as we repopulate campus. As a result, the College is looking to maximize in-person instruction for Fall 2021, especially for lower-level (i.e., 000-299 level) courses that will largely be taken by freshmen and sophomores. We are aware that the degree to which we can achieve this goal may be constrained by public health guidelines (social distancing protocols and mask mandates) that could still be in place at that time. In addition, we are seeking to attain this goal balanced with protecting the health and well-being of the KU community.

On Friday afternoon, the Provost sent an email directing instructors who require an online format for a course to secure approval from the dean of their academic unit.  Thus, we will be screening requests for faculty who seek to offer courses online for Fall 2021. Given that initial course schedules are due January 29, we are faced with implementing processes to address this requirement very quickly. Two points are worthy of note. First, online here refers to courses where half or more of the course meetings will be conducted virtually. Second, if an instructor is offering an online course (or courses) that existed as online offering(s) pre-pandemic, they do not need to file a request with our office.

If an instructor or someone they interact with regularly (e.g., family member) has a health condition that puts them at significantly higher risk for COVID, they should first discuss with their chair whether it would be possible to teach an online course (or courses) that existed as online offering(s) pre-pandemic. If this re-assignment is possible, a request to teach online is not needed. An instructor’s needs can be accommodated within a department’s typical flexibility in assigning teaching responsibilities. If this is not possible, the instructor should submit a request for online teaching. Please note that we are prioritizing in-person instruction for 000-399 course offerings. Instructors currently assigned a 000-399 course offering, should discuss with their chair whether the assignment(s) could be changed to a 400+ course offering and then the online teaching request should be submitted for the agreed upon course assignments.

Please share this correspondence with your instructors (e.g., faculty, lecturers, GTAs) and work with them so that they can submit requests through the following link no later than Friday, February 5.

https://kusurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b2ixmn81eFYGhim

Decisions will be made on a rolling basis. We will field requests to switch to an online format and evaluate them on a case-by-case basis. Parameters for consideration will include the level of the class involved, comorbid and underlying conditions that put faculty and/or their family at significantly higher risk. In reviewing these requests, we will protect the privacy of the instructor to the extent possible. Specifically, the College will review basic course information (department, level) and health information but not the name of the instructor. Likewise, the approval list sent to the department will have the instructor name and course but not the reported health condition.

Please note that the January 29 schedule deadline represents only one step in the scheduling process. There will be opportunities to edit the schedule from February 15 to March 11. However, chairs should request the maximum number of rooms necessary for in-person meetings, as the Registrar’s office will be conducting room optimization from January 29 to February 15. It will be easier to move from in-person to online formats from February 15 through March 11; the reverse will be far more difficult. The College hopes to have all formats set by March 1, so we anticipate that we will have the entire month of February to work this through.

We hope that this is helpful.  As always, thank you.

Sincerely,

John

John Colombo, PhD
Interim Dean

Director, Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies

Professor of Psychology

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clasdean at ku.edu<mailto:clasdean at ku.edu> | 785-864-3661

The College is the heart of KU, educating the most students, producing the most research and collaborating with nearly every entity at KU.

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