We are excited to welcome you back to campus this fall! When you return to campus, you will notice new safety measures in place to help ensure a safe and healthy on-campus experience. Safety practices will include measures to create physical distance in academic spaces, enhanced cleaning, and use of disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and face coverings. In addition, all students will need to present a Charger Healthcheck passport prior to entry to each class session. These practices are described below.

Following the guidance of the University of Alabama System Health and Safety Task Force, UAH has put into place specific requirements to help promote the health and safety of our campus community.& The best way for us to keep everyone safe and healthy is for each of us to commit to abiding by the health and safety requirements stated in our interim policy 02.01.71 Safety and Health Requirements for Presence on UAH’s Campus during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Physical Distance in Academic Spaces

All classrooms, laboratories, and other academic spaces have been reconfigured to increase physical distance among students and instructors. Unnecessary furniture has been removed when possible, and fixed seating is marked to show where students should sit to stay socially distant. In rooms with movable furniture, floors are marked to ensure safe placement of chairs. Please do not reconfigure chairs, tables, or other furniture. If the spacing of the desks and/or chairs in the classroom has shifted, please move the chairs and desks so that they are six feet apart. If the situation requires assistance from Facilities Division to correct the issues, please ask your instructor to contact Facilities.

If there are too many students in your classroom so that a six-foot distance separation is not possible between students, please ask your instructor to contact the department chair or associate dean to rectify the situation. Most likely the class will need to move to a different location.

Use of acrylic barriers will be limited in the classrooms in favor of face coverings, which offer more flexibility for movement. Faculty will wear face shields and/or face masks when communicating in close proximity to students. Please note that face shields are an acceptable face covering when speaking to a group or teaching a class according to the Madison County Face Mask Order. When interacting with fellow students and instructors, please maintain appropriate physical distancing.

Face Coverings

UAH students must wear a face mask/cloth face covering for the duration of any in-person class session or while in any University owned facility other than a private residence hall room or while alone in an enclosed study space. Students who are unable to wear a disposable or cloth face mask because of a medical condition are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services to determine alternatives. Options for accommodations are that students may access all of their classes online or use a face shield in the classroom purchased by Disability Support Services.

If a fellow student is not wearing a face covering, please notify your instructor who will ask the student to put on a face covering.& If your instructor is not wearing at face covering, please contact the department chair or dean immediately and report that the instructor is not wearing a face covering in your class. Please identify the instructor, course number and section, class time, building and room number.

Failure to comply with these face covering guidelines may result in dismissal from class, as well as a Code of Student Conduct violation with a penalty as severe as immediate suspension from the University. Additionally, non-compliance may also result in a civil citation from law enforcement.

Enhanced Cleaning

UAH Custodial Services has developed a Building Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocol https://www.uah.edu/images/administrative/facilities/facilities/covid-19_response_memo_23_july_2020.pdf to guide frequent cleaning of academic spaces. In addition to central cleaning efforts, hand sanitizers and cleaning wipes will be placed in each academic space. Hand sanitizers are also located at the entrances to all campus buildings for your use.

Disinfecting wipes will be available in classroom buildings. Students and instructors are encouraged to pick up a wipe on the way into classrooms and wipe down their work areas and classroom technology such as wireless microphones, keyboards, and podium touch pads. Before you leave after class, be certain to disinfect your classroom space. If working or studying on campus, disinfect the area before beginning your work and after you finish.

Charger Healthcheck Passport

To further ensure a safe and healthy campus environment, all students must complete the Charger Healthcheck and obtain the Charger Healthcheck passport before coming to class. Information on the Charger Healthcheck system and screening can be found at https://www.uah.edu/return-to-campus.

Faculty on all three UA System campuses are required to check students’ Charger Healthcheck passports at the beginning of each class and verify that they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms. Please be prepared to present a passport via smart phone or in print. If a student arrives at class without a valid Charger Healthcheck passport, faculty will ask them to take two minutes and complete it before entry.

Additional Support

The entire UAH community has worked tirelessly to respond to the COVID pandemic and plan for the short and long-term impacts. A wide range of support services are available in both face-to-face and remote formats this fall. The Salmon Library (www.uah.edu/library) and the Student Success Center (www.uah.edu/ssc) are there for you as usual. In addition, Instructional Testing Services (www.uah.edu/testing) will serve as a Digital Safe Space for students needing internet access or a quiet place to take an exam.

The Return to Campus website, https://www.uah.edu/return-to-campus/, will be continuously updated with the latest information, including guides and checklists to ensure your safety in Fall semester and beyond. In addition, a set of Frequently Asked Questions is on the website at https://www.uah.edu/return-to-campus/faqs and will be updated as new information is available.

Reminders

  • An easy way to remember all of the things that we need to do to be safe and remain healthy during this pandemic is to follow the Re-entry Checklist for all Students, Faculty & Staff, available at https://www.uah.edu/return-to-campus.
  • Remember to complete applicable COVID-19 testing for students. For those in Huntsville, testing will be available at no charge on campus in Spragins Hall. Please check your UAH email for details on making an appointment.
  • Complete all required training through Canvas - COVID-19: Basic Safety and Awareness course, Charger Healthcheck course, quiz and attestation statement.
  • Do not come to work or class if you are sick. If you experience any of the COVID-19 symptoms, contact the Dean of Students for guidance.