Skip to content

COVID Resources for Faculty & Academic Personnel

Information for Faculty & Academic Personnel

Instruction

Full capacity occupancy of our instructional classrooms and labs is expected. Only courses with prior approval from the academic senate may be taught in online, hybrid, or hyflex modalities.

  • Instructors and TAs with functional limitations due to medical condition can apply for medical accommodation through Disability Management Services. 

Instructional Spaces When Merced County is at High or Medium COVID-19 Hospital Admission Levels

Face coverings are required for students, regardless of vaccination status, at all times in the classroom. 

Face coverings are available at no cost at several campus locations.  

Students who are not complying with masking requirements should be handed as outlined in the campus policy for “Dealing with Disruption”, which outlines steps for escalation: 

  1. Remind the unmasked student to put on a face covering. 
  2. If non-compliant, ask the student to leave the classroom. If the student refuses to leave, you may dismiss class early for the well-being of all.
  3. After class, report non-compliant students to the Dean of Students Office or the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR). If you do not know the identity of the student, report the situation regardless, which will allow further intervention as needed.  

Classrooms will not have increased cleaning protocols or ingress/egress procedures.

COVID Leave Options and Guidance

Visit the Academic Personnel page for specific COVID Leave Options and Guide for faculty, instructors, and other academic appointments.

 

Information for Instructors

Supporting Students

Vaccination Status: Instructors may not ask students about their vaccination status, nor will this information be shared by the University. Students with questions about vaccinations should be referred to Student Health at (209) 228-2273. 

Instructors may not make individual arrangements with students for long-term remote participation, as this would require Senate approval. However, instructors should allow students to catch-up on missed in-class materials or assignments per their absence policies. Students who cannot participate fully in-person for Fall 2023 should be referred to their academic advisor. 

Student Illness

  • Students are not permitted to participate in campus activities if exhibiting any COVID symptoms and are expected to stay home if sick. 
  • There will not be an immediate, uniform notification system for instructors for students who test positive for COVID. Students are expected to notify their instructors of any absence due to illness.  
  • Instructors are not required to record or broadcast lectures for students who are unable to attend class due to illness. However, instructors are encouraged to be accommodating for ill students. 

Instructor Illness

  • Instructors are not permitted to participate in campus activities if exhibiting any COVID symptoms and are expected to stay home if sick. 
  • Instructors who are ill or test positive for COVID should connect with their department chair to plan for course coverage, which may include online synchronous or asynchronous instruction for short-term course coverage as allowable by departmental policy.