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Fall 2021 Teaching and Classroom Resource Reminders

Dear WVU Faculty and Instructors:

With the Fall 2021 semester just around the corner, please remember to visit the Adjustments for COVID-19 page on the WVU Faculty website for details on updated resources and academic policies. As you prepare for the start of the term, please pay particular attention to the following teaching and classroom resources:

  • WVU Attendance Policy

  • Optional Syllabi Statements

  • COVID-19 Assigned Seating and Attendance Tracking

  • COVID-19 Academic Notification Process

  • WVU Teaching and Learning Commons

  • General updates are outlined below for your reference.


    WVU Attendance Policy

    To best accommodate our students before COVID-19 vaccines were widely available, the University’s Undergraduate Attendance Policy was modified for the 2020-2021 academic year. All COVID-related absences were considered “University Sanctioned Absences” under that revised policy, and instructors were asked to provide duplicate course material, assessmentsand exams to students who had experienced a COVID incident.

    This semester we have returned to the standard University Attendance Policy.COVID-related absences between one and three weeks fall under the “Short Term Leave” category of the Emergency Leave portion of the Attendance Policy. Instructors may use their discretion when deciding how to reasonably accommodate students who fall ill or are required to quarantine. In most cases, documentation will be provided by Amanda DeBastiani in the Provost’s Office, but official documentation may not be readily available in cases of self-quarantine or some other circumstances. Instructors are asked not to specifically request medical documentation, but it can be accepted if offered.

    Some examples of reasonable accommodations are:

    • Giving students notes or presentation slides for missed classes
    • Allowing make-up assignments, homework and exams
    • Providing substitute assignments
    • Dropping the lowest quiz and/or exam score(s)
    • Make-up quiz or exam day at the end of the semester

    Optional Syllabi Statements

    Instructors are reminded of two statements created in response to the pandemic that they may choose to include in their course syllabi again this semester. The COVID-19 Syllabus Statement is no longer required, but instructors may include it if they choose to do so. Additionally, instructors may choose to include either the long or short version of the Optional Mental Health Statement, created by the WVU Carruth Center for Counseling and Psychological Services in partnership with the Student Government Association and Faculty Senate. Links to both statements are available on the Faculty Adjustments for COVID-19 webpage.


    COVID-19 Assigned Seating and Attendance Tracking

    As we continue to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will again require assigned seating and attendance tracking for all of our in-person classes to assist in contact tracing efforts if needed. On-campus course instructors on all WVU campuses will be required to do two things:

    • Use assigned seating in each class
    • Take attendance and maintain assigned seating daily, whether attendance figures into course grading or not

    Finalized seating charts for the Morgantown and PSC campuses will need to be submitted by September 1, 2021, and details can be found on the Faculty Adjustments for COVID-19 webpage. While WVU Tech and Health Sciences campuses will follow their own established procedures for seating charts, the requirements for taking attendance and ensuring compliance with those seating charts apply to all campuses.

    Instructors are free to choose their own process for implementing attendance tracking. Available options include CBORD Mobile ID attendance software and iClicker. HSC instructors using SOLE may wish to utilize SOLE Polling or SOLE Surveys to help track attendance.

    Please visit the Faculty Adjustments for COVID-19 webpage for details on these processes and available tools.


    COVID-19 Academic Notification Process

    The Care Services Team and the Office of the Provost will continue to manage classroom contact tracing efforts as they did last academic year. When the University has identified or received notice of a student or instructor having a “COVID-19-related event” (whether a positive test or result of exposure), a series of contact tracing efforts will begin. The Care Services Team will initiate contact with students, roommates, etc., and the Office of the Provost will communicate with the student’s on-campus instructors.

    This process has been updated for the 2021-2022 academic year per the current UniversityAttendance Policy and is outlined on the Faculty Adjustments for COVID-19 webpage.


    Additional Teaching Resources

    The Teaching and Learning Commons will continue to offer workshops, classroom technology support, learning communitiesand select on-demand resources to assist instructors throughout the semester. Consultations are available by request. Continue to visit the TLC website for updates and opportunities.


    Thank you for your continued commitment to providing our students an exceptional academic experience.


    Sincerely,

    WVU Office of the Provost