Below are guidelines developed in response to current health and safety recommendations related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Classroom Experience:
- Cleaning: Classrooms, instructional spaces and research areas will continue to be thoroughly cleaned overnight and ready for classes the next morning. If there is concern or need to have additional cleanings, please contact your building coordinator.
- Face Coverings: While strongly recommended in all university facilities regardless of vaccination status:
- Any individual who wants to wear a face covering should feel free to do so.
- Instructors may request students wear face coverings in classes but must also make it clear face coverings are not required. It is permissible to provide extra face coverings in the classroom as long as it is clear face coverings are not required.
- Physical Distancing: All university facilities will operate this fall at full capacity.
- While many class and lab sessions will be at or near the full capacity of the classrooms in which they are scheduled, instructors may encourage students to spread out as much as possible.
- Instructors should also encourage students to sit in the same seat for all class or lab sessions. This will support the university’s ability to effectively do contact tracing as needed.
- Technology:
- All university classrooms are now technology enhanced, with the ability to support virtual learning.
- If you are not yet familiar with these technologies, please consider attending one of the following sessions:
- August 13: Learning Tech Conference
- August 16 & 17: Classroom Technology Meet & Greet
- Additional Resources:
Course Mode Modification Requests:
Clemson will follow the normal SAS process for students with documented disabilities to determine if a Course Mode Modification is appropriate.
- If a student without a disability has a documented concern about attending in person courses, we will do our best to work with the student and their advisor, instructors and the undergraduate deans of the colleges to find a path forward, but these situations will not be approved by Student Accessibility Services for accommodation. Students should open this discussion with their instructor.
- Students should also understand that not all classes designed to be taught in person will have options for recorded, hybrid, or online-only learning this fall (e.g. group based work, discussion/participation requirements, some labs, practicums, etc.). Course Mode Modifications are being determined on a course-by-course basis. Hybrid participation may be one of several options provided at the discretion of the instructor.
- Provision of Course Mode Modifications for Fall semester 2021 for an in-person course may look different than Fall semester 2020 and Spring semester 2021.
- Approval of a Course Mode Modification for Fall semester 2021 does not imply approval for any future semester.
- Instructors are asked to include in their syllabi how participation in their course will be provided in the event a student is out for more than a brief period (for any reason, including extended time in isolation or quarantine). Expectations for how students can participate in these circumstances should also be described during the first week of class.
- Instructors are also asked to provide information to their department chair regarding how they intend to conduct their course in the event they (instructors) go into isolation or quarantine and to communicate this during the first week of class. Instructors that provide temporary support for courses of other instructors should include this activity in their annual activity reporting and fold into their annual goals reflection of the 2021-22 academic year.
- Isolation and Quarantine: Instructors will be asked to work with students who test positive or who may have been exposed to someone who tests positive and are required to isolate or quarantine. All considerations should be given. Note that the ability to provide synchronous or recorded access to missed verbal lectures is at the discretion of the instructor and students may be referred to asynchronous materials. For an absence to be considered excused, students are expected to use the Notice of Absence process to inform instructors of their inability to attend in-person classes due to isolation or quarantine.
- Instructors and students will be notified via email if they share a class with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. For confidentially, neither student nor course will be identified.
- Instructors will be asked to contact their academic department chair home(s) for their courses in the event they go into isolation or quarantine to discuss matters related to covering their courses and participation in any activities and responsibilities. For more information regarding contact tracing communications on behalf of instructors (and all employees), please see the section below ‘employee contact tracing’.
Academic Advising / Student Support and Coaching / Office Hours:
- As many advisors, student support staff and instructors do not have personal offices, or have offices with limited or shared space, students should expect most or all advising sessions, student support and coaching sessions, and course-related office hours will take place through remote resources (Zoom, phone, Microsoft Teams, etc.).
- A student request to have an in-person meeting should be accommodated by the staff or faculty member upon scheduling the meeting.
- In-person meetings may be scheduled for a specific date and time in a large conference or classroom where a more comfortable physical distance can be maintained.
- In-person meetings may be held in a staff or faculty office, but face coverings cannot be required. It is permissible to provide extra face coverings in the classroom as long as it is clear that face coverings are not required.
Faculty / Staff Meetings:
- While all are encouraged to attend faculty and staff meetings in-person, meetings should include an option for virtual attendance and engagement.
- It is not appropriate to ask for vaccination status.
- Those attending faculty and staff meetings in-person are not required to wear a face covering at this time. It is permissible to provide extra face coverings providing it is clear face coverings are not required.
- Cleaning: Common areas will continue to be thoroughly cleaned overnight and ready for the next morning. If there is concern or need to have additional cleanings, please contact your building coordinator.
- Face Coverings: Face coverings are strongly recommended in all university facilities regardless of vaccination status.
- Any individual who wants to wear a face covering should feel free to do so and need not provide a reason.
- Meeting coordinators may request attendees wear face coverings in meetings and provide extra face coverings at the meeting at their discretion but must also make it clear face coverings are not required.
- Physical Distancing: All university facilities will operate this fall at full capacity.
While staff meetings may end up at or near the full capacity of the room or facility in which they are scheduled, all attendees may be asked to spread out as much as possible.
- Isolation and Quarantine: All instructors will be asked to contact their academic department chair home(s) for their courses in the event they go into isolation or quarantine to discuss matters related to covering their courses and participation in any activities and responsibilities.
- Contact tracing: Instructors, like all employees, should refer to the following website regarding medical guidance for contact tracing and isolation/quarantine after testing positive and/or exhibiting symptoms: https://www.clemson.edu/covid-19/medical-guidance/index.html
COVID Testing Requirements: Refer to the Return to Campus, 2021-22 Operations Overview and Health Guidelines: https://www.clemson.edu/covid-19/return-to-campus/