EVCAA Ryan is planning to roll out use of Microsoft Teams to support conversation among faculty given our physical dislocation. This will enhance faculty and staff communication outside of email, a place where more formal communication often exists. To get started on Microsoft Teams, check out our Knowledge Base page. You will receive an invitation to take part in our Academic Affairs Teams group.

Faculty are encouraged to share materials and make use of Open Resource Educational Tools as we face building new online shells for our hybrid and online courses. These tools can be shared on Teams.

We have extended the number of faculty in our online training cohorts, which come with $1,000 stipends.

Faculty under duress should make use of our Emergency Assistance Program, which offers free short term assistance, professional counseling, and referrals when you are experiencing issues such as: work-related pressures, stress and anxiety, grief and loss, substance abuse, marriage and relationship problems, and/or depression.

If faculty are unable to work, they should report to their coordinator and dean, as is our normal policy, in cases of illness.

It’s important that faculty communicate clearly in their syllabus and Canvas sites their plan for the semester. Having the class fully completed on Canvas, including assignments is a best practice that will enable continued instruction should something happen. Another strategy is to develop a buddy system within disciplines and be in communication with your coordinator.

The UFC approved the following mandate (March/April 2020):

1. Offer all currently employed Tenure Track and Lecturer-rank faculty the option to extend their probationary clocks by one year.
2. For those faculty due to go up in 2020-21, they have until May 1, 2020 to ask for that extension.
3. For those going up in 2021-22, the decision deadline is December 31, 2020.

Given the uncertainties under COVID-19, we are encouraging amending our syllabi to support student success and obtain compliance with health and safety concerns. Please see our “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Syllabus Checklist” for details.

Students and faculty will affirm their commitment to social distancing and mask wearing policies when they sign-in to CAS and through our Community Responsibility Agreement (CRA). Facial coverings are mandatory in campus buildings, and so they are required to be worn while in the classroom and during class.

Effective Monday, June 1, 2020, IU Policy requires all faculty, staff, students, contractors, suppliers, vendors, and visitors wear cloth face coverings in all hallways, elevators, public spaces, and common areas, and when entering all IU buildings.

• Cloth face coverings must also be worn in office spaces and outdoor spaces where physical distancing is difficult to maintain.
• Wearing a face covering is not required in private offices or when alone in a space.
• This new requirement aligns with the CDC’s recommendation to wear cloth face coverings in public settings.
• IU will be providing two cloth face coverings to all faculty, staff, and students before the fall 2020 semester begins.

In addition to wearing cloth face coverings, the CRA requires the following personal precautions while on campus:

• Practice physical distancing at all times (at least six feet of physical separation between yourself and others).
• Practice good personal hygiene, including washing hands frequently with soap and water or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap is unavailable.
• Routinely clean and sanitize your workspace and shared equipment.
• Adhere to the guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as federal and state governmental authorities, to protect your own health and the health of the entire IU community.

Faculty are vital to fostering a culture of compliance on campus, which includes the important work we perform as supervisors within our learning spaces.

Faculty will need to model behavior in their face-to-face classrooms by reminding students about their obligation to wear masks in face-to-face classes, wearing masks themselves, and/or modeling appropriate behavior and mask wearing using a video. At the time of writing, IU has not issued its policy regarding use of face shields, but they would be expected to cover the nose and below the mouth.

Facilities will have disposable masks available to faculty through school offices. Faculty teaching night classes should make sure to have access to those masks via office support staff.

A student’s failure to comply with these policies will be handled according to the Student Disciplinary Procedures that accompany the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct and may result in academic sanctions, up to and including expulsion. To report misconduct, visit the Grievance Process and Form webpage.

Students may also report behavior they deem to be disruptive and in noncompliance with IU policies using the same form.

The first step in assuring PPE should always be to distribute a disposable mask as people will forget and make mistakes. Faculty may eject individuals from class who do not adhere to policies. If a student indicates needing an accommodation to not wear a mask during class, they should be referred to Disability Services to develop a plan to accommodate their need and the safety of the rest of the class participants.

As always, you may contact the police if you have concerns about personal safety and security (not for managing student use of masks). The office is located in University Center North, room 027, and the telephone number is (812) 941-2400. Students and employees should report any criminal or suspicious activity on campus to this department immediately.

Facilities will provide cleaning supplies and proper disinfectant in classrooms and public spaces, and hand sanitizer is available throughout our buildings.

Guidelines within disciplines and schools should be developed for cleaning and limiting use of necessary common equipment, in addition to more frequent hand washing and hand sanitizing.

We recommend frequent hand washing and hand sanitizing when using common equipment, such as keyboards, as such equipment cannot be cleaned between uses.

Encourage students to be familiar with the symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and that staying home also prevents spread of the flu. Let students know they should report to IU Health Virtual Visit if they have symptoms and to get tested.

We need to approach students as individuals and with care. We do not want students who are ill coming to campus, but many students also suffer from allergies common to our region.

Faculty may report students who have confirmed they contracted COVID-19 to avppsia@iu.edu.

IU asks all faculty to take attendance for face-to-face classes to help with contact tracing. Attendance and participation further support our Student Engagement Roster reports.

Given our imperative to keep campus safe, participation, rather than attendance, is suggested as a method of assessment. For more information, see section on Grading and Participation.

IU Southeast wants to reduce harm. Please see guidelines about items to be included on syllabus regarding student health and participation. Encouraging open lines of communication is of primary importance. Establishing how you will handle student illnesses in your syllabus may assist you in developing this.

It is in the best interest of instructors who teach face-to-face portions of their class to be flexible about in-person participation for coursework. Should students believe they are getting sick, we desire that students perceive they can remain at home without suffering harm to their grade.

To that end, we encourage faculty to have policies that allow for flexibility with students who are unwell or quarantined. Creating alternative assignments – when feasible – provides students with some security. Be gracious with deadlines for students who suffer illness or family emergencies to complete work.

Faculty continue to determine if coursework has been completed and the quality of student work.

IU Southeast’s grading policies will not alter during the pandemic, and students continue to have access to P/F grades as well as other rights and responsibilities.

As has always been the case, IU’s OOE recommends that online proctoring be used only as a “last resort” for course design. In many cases, courses can ensure quality and provide a better (and less stressful) student experience through different assessment strategies. However, we certainly understand that, in some cases, proctored exams are necessary and as a result IU has established Examity as the proctoring option for IU courses.

For the regional campuses, the costs of Examity for synchronous (HD) and asynchronous courses (OA and OI) will be covered as part of the Distance Education Fee which will be assessed. If you are teaching a hybrid course, you must get permission from your dean to use Examity so the cost is covered. OOE recommends instructors use the “Auto-proctoring premium (Level 1P)” option.

OOE recommends delivery of a practice test for students (lasting about 15 minutes) when delivering Examity prior to delivering a test for credit.

Faculty should not use Zoom as an alternative to Examity.

Avoid passing out paper or any other material in classrooms. Handouts may be delivered digitally via Canvas or email. Use projectors to share material. Encourage student submissions over Canvas.

During class periods, do not bring or distribute food inside our classrooms and lab spaces because students would have to remove their masks to eat and drink.

Please be mindful of documented accommodations for students in need of access to food and beverages. Student may get documentation by contacting Disability Services.

We ask faculty to work with students needing these accommodations to do so safely. Students could excuse themselves briefly, for example, as needed to avoid eating or drinking within the classroom.

Under ordinary circumstances, faculty allow guests in our classes because it assists our students and allows us to share our expertise. To reduce harm, the restart committee encourages faculty to disallow guests and children in their classrooms. Adding individuals to classes increases the likelihood of transmission and the need to ensure PPE and social distancing obligations are met with individuals who are not bound by our CRA policies and procedures.

We often hold on-campus events to build belongingness and explore our majors outside of the classroom. In order to minimize risk, we are encouraging faculty to hold events virtually or outside. According to IU’s Restart Guide: “Large events significantly increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Decisions about whether to permit large gatherings need to be evaluated with respect to the importance to the university's mission, the extent to which physical distancing is possible, the risk to vulnerable individuals, and federal, state and local guidelines.” For additional information, see IU’s event approval process page.

Guidelines exist for research and creative labs, which include a safety plan developed for each lab/facility. After July 1st, a permission form needs to be completed and the guidelines followed. Research that can be conducted remotely, should continue to be for the foreseeable future. For undergraduates to continue their on-campus research an exception form should be completed, in coordination with your dean.

In light of the pandemic, faculty in individual disciplines may need to make exceptions or develop alternative plans for research, teaching assistants, and internship requirements. We encourage departmental and school-wide conversation on this.

IU has a number of resources to support our students during this difficult time. Our Personal Counseling Center can put students in touch with resources in the community should they need additional assistance.

Adult Student Services: (812) 941-2650

• Dedicated staff to assist with transitioning adults to campus
• Family programming and events throughout the year

Disability Services: (812) 941-2243

Financial Aid Office: (812) 941-2246

• Support with budgeting, FAFSA completion, grant and additional financial aid application

Personal Counseling: (812) 941-2244

• Free, individual, couple or group counseling to current students
• Grenadier Grab & Go
• Emergency Student Grant Funds

IT Services: University Center South 212; call (812) 941-2447 and choose option #2 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or email helpdesk@ius.edu anytime. You can also submit an online IT Service Request anytime.

24/7 computer lab/lounge is located on the 2nd floor of University Center South near the Help Desk. Other open study lounges with computers exist throughout campus. Check out locations and hours.

• Kelly A. Ryan, Chair

• Faye Camahalan, Education

• Pam Connerly, Natural Sciences

• Donna Dahlgren, Student Success

• David Eplion, Business

• Joanna Goldstein, Music

• Elaine Haub, Natural Sciences

• Jim Hesselman, Arts and Letters

• Meghan Kahn, Social Sciences

• Barbara Kutis, Arts and Letters

• Steffany Maher, Education

• Julia Mattingly, Nursing

• Jay McTyier, Registrar

• Rebekkah Meixner, Theater

• Robin Morgan, ILTE

• Rob Poff, Facility Operations

• Kirk Randolph, Ogle Center

• Marty Rosen, Library

• Eric Schansberg, Business

• Lee Staton, UITS

• Diane Wille, Research

The IU Southeast Activities Building and Fitness Center will be restricted to only student-athletes, coaches, and athletic staff until Spring 2021 or until reevaluated and safe to open to a larger segment of the campus.

If you suspect you have contracted the Coronavirus, please enroll in an IU Health Virtual Visit, where you will receive a health assessment and be given instructions on receiving a COVID-19 test. You will also be instructed about self-quarantine or other measures to protect you and those around you.