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. These practices will be described below. As leaders on campus, we all have a responsibility to help enforce campus guidelines to ensure safety. Guidance on communication and enforcement are also provided 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.

The first health and safety requirement is that all faculty and staff who come to campus must undergo a COVID-19 test before coming to campus. If you are returning to campus after the summer break or if you are planning to teach or work remotely and want/need to come to campus to go to your office, participate in a Faculty Senate meeting or Staff Senate meeting or engage in some work, service or other activity, you must be tested before coming to campus. In addition, if you are planning to be on campus, even if it is only for a short time, you must complete the training and Charger Healthcheck seven days before you come to campus. You must continue to complete the Charger Healthcheck every three days. Compliance is required.

Physical Distance in Academic Spaces

All classrooms, labs, and other academic spaces have been reconfigured to increase physical distance among students and instructors. Unnecessary furniture has been removed where 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.

Use of acrylic physical barriers will be limited 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. When interacting with students and colleagues, please maintain appropriate physical distancing.

Face Coverings

All students, faculty, and staff 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 or while alone in an enclosed study space. Faculty and staff will be provided with face masks and face shields free of charge. In addition, spare face masks for students who need them will be given to every college for distribution to advisors’, chairs’ and deans’ offices. If a student arrives without a face covering, please either give them a disposable facemask or send them to one of these offices.

Students who are unable to wear a disposable or cloth face covering 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.

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 of each campus building 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 the classroom, please disinfect your area again.

Education

Communicate the important role of cleaning personal workspaces. Faculty should model cleaning protocol by using wipes (and gloves, if preferred) to wipe their workspace and equipment (e.g., keyboards, microphones, etc.) when finished. Faculty should encourage students to clean their workspace to help build a culture of good sanitizing practices.

To help educate students of expectations, faculty should include the following language in each course syllabus.

All University faculty, staff, and students are expected to maintain a commitment to the health and safety of our campus community. Because of the current COVID-19 pandemic, specific health and safety standards are in place to minimize exposure and community spread on campus. In the interest of your health and safety and that of all UAH students, faculty and staff, the University reserves the right to change the mode of instruction or schedule of instruction at any time, based upon prevailing public health and other guidance. While the method of delivery may change, educational instruction and opportunities will continue.

All students must be familiar with and abide by the requirements outlined in the UAH Return to Campus Plan, UA System Comprehensive Health and Safety Plan, and Interim Policy 02.01.71 Safety and Health Requirements for Presence on UAH’s Campus During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Students must (1) wear a mask or face covering at all times while participating in face-to-face class and while in all University buildings; (2) adhere to social distancing standards; and (3) comply with all other health and safety restrictions. A valid Charger Healthcheck passport will be required for entry before each class session.

If a student refuses to comply with the requirements, the student will be asked to leave the class and reported for a conduct violation. More information on these requirements and Charger Healthcheck system and screening can be found at https://www.uah.edu/return-to-campus. You are expected to visit the site and comply with all noted requirements related to in-person class attendance.

Please encourage students to not come to class if they are sick, and also remind them to complete the Charger Healthcheck every three days. Also, please be sure to provide clear instructions for accessing content for your course remotely so they are comfortable not coming to class if feeling ill.

Enforcement

It is imperative that students complete the Charger Healthcheck before they come to class in order to help safeguard the health and safety of students and faculty alike. Faculty on all three UA System campuses are required to check the students’ Charger Healthcheck passports at the beginning of each class. The students can access their passports on their smartphones. Checking the students’ Healthcheck passport will encourage students to complete the Charger Healthcheck and to verify that they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms. If a student arrives at class without a valid Charger Healthcheck passport, ask them to take two minutes and complete it before entry.

While everyone is expected to comply with safety and health guidelines, there may be times where students are out of compliance. Faculty are encouraged to use a progressive approach to ensuring compliance, as follows:

    1. Request compliance. Politely remind students of the requirements and request that they comply for the benefit of everyone.
      1. If a student immediately complies, faculty may use judgment regarding whether the initial non-compliance was serious enough to warrant a report on Charger 360. It is recommended that grace for a first-time, unintentional slip be granted. Instances that are repeated or appear intentional should be reported on Charger 360.
      2. If a student is initially belligerent and requires more than a polite reminder to comply, submit a report on Charger 360 regarding the student’s non-compliance with cloth face covering or social distancing requirement.
    2. Request/direct student to leave. If student refuses the request to comply, invite the student to leave so that class can continue in the most healthy and safe means possible.
      1. If a student immediately complies by either leaving or then complying with face covering or social distancing requirement, submit report on Charger 360 regarding the student’s non-compliance with cloth face covering requirement.
      2. If a student claims not to have a face covering, provide helpful direction to the nearest location to obtain a mask (e.g., a purchase location or an administrative office in the building that has a supply on hand for these purposes).
    3. Cool off/take a break. If the student refused the invitation to leave, tell the class that the class will take a break for 5-10 minutes. Invite the student to exit the classroom for a one-on-one conversation.
      1. In a one-on-one conversation, politely explain the importance of everyone’s compliance with the health and safety requirements. In the interest of all involved, the student cannot be allowed to remain in the class/room/building without a face covering at all times. Furthermore, failing to comply with the request to leave requires a report of misconduct in addition to non-compliance with face covering requirements.
      2. If a student immediately complies by either leaving or then complying with face covering or social distancing requirement, submit report on Charger 360 regarding the student’s non-compliance with cloth face covering or social distancing requirement and initial misconduct in disrupting academic activities or non-compliance with a direct instruction of the faculty/staff.
    4. Cancel class. If the student refuses to comply with the instruction to leave, inform the UAH Police (if disrupting a common area) or (if disrupting a class) dismiss the class and inform the class that the in-person class meeting is cancelled for that day in order to uphold the priority of the health and safety of everyone. Consider online delivery of missed class material.
      1. Immediately submit report on Charger 360 regarding both non-compliance with face covering or social distancing requirements and misconduct relating to the disruption of academic activities.

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 has been developed and will be updated at https://www.uah.edu/return-to-campus/faqs.

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 faculty and staff. 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.
  • Complete Charger Healthcheck every three days https://www.uah.edu/return-to-campus/charger-healthcheck
  • Do not come to work or class if you are sick. If you experience any of the COVID-19 symptoms, contact Human Resources laurel.long@uah.edu, 256.824.6545 for guidance.