Dear Colleagues:

I hope your Block 1 of another “unprecedented” academic year is off to a good start. It is wonderful to have all of our students back in our classrooms, labs and tents.

 

I have heard that there is some confusion about class formats for this academic year. This note is a reminder that ALL teaching should be done in person unless you have a medical exemption approved by Human Resources or a non-medical exemption approved by my office. This policy applies  to classes that you plan to teach in remote or hybrid format, NOT to short-term, emergency accommodations (fewer than 4 class meetings in a block) for unforeseen COVID situations such as students or professor in quarantine or enhanced self-isolation. Students extended faculty a great deal of grace and patience during the move to remote teaching during the last 18 months, but they are here for the experience of in-person teaching. Please read the Academic Policies for COVID-19 document that was sent to you in August for details about teaching under COVID-19 conditions.

 

• Colorado College had to get special permission from the Higher Learning Commission, our accrediting body, to offer remote and hybrid classes during the last academic year. Continuing to teach a portion of remote and hybrid classes would jeopardize our accredited status.

 

• The “Plan B” formats that are visible in Banner are emergency back-up plans only in case the COVID-19 situation takes a dramatic turn for the worse, a scenario that at this point is highly unlikely. Due to our high vaccination and low incidence rates on campus, as well as our rigorous testing and tracing program, CC is probably the place in El Paso County where your chances of becoming infected and transmitting the virus are the lowest.

 

• Petitions for medical exemptions to in-person teaching should be sent to Laurie Mozingo, Acting Director of Human Resources at least one block before the block that you are to teach.

 

• Petitions for non-medical exemptions from in-person teaching should be sent directly to the Dean of Faculty. We will have a standard form available by the end of next week. These petitions will be reviewed by an advisory committee (Laurie Mozingo,; Divisional Executive Committee Chairs Joan Ericson, Murphy Brausel, and Mike Taber; Co-chair of the COVID-19 Policies and Implementation Committee Mateo Muñoz; Vice Provost Pedro de Araujo; and Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Faculty Development Peony Fhagen). The committee makes recommendations to me as Dean of Faculty. We met for the first time this week, and we will be developing guidelines and criteria for making decisions that will be based on data-driven assessments of risk in individual situations.

 

• The COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee is working on clarifying and improving communication to students about quarantine, self-isolation, and isolation. They have also submitted recommended guidelines and policies for field trips, campus visitors and events for President Richardson’s approval.

 

• Please direct any COVID-19 questions to [log in to unmask]

 

• Please read the Academic Policies for COVID-19 document that was sent to you in August for details about teaching under COVID-19 conditions.

 

I know that these are stressful times and that all of us are worried about the effects of the Delta variant on our lives and work; the outbreaks in local school districts and elsewhere; the deadly surge among the unvaccinated—a group that includes those—such as children—who are ineligible for the vaccine; and questions about booster shots. Like many others, we started our summer thinking that as vaccinated people the disruptive uncertainties of the pandemic were for the most part behind us but ended the summer feeling as vulnerable and frightened as we felt during what we thought were the worst days of the pandemic.

 

I think that the next phase of the pandemic involves learning to live, work, travel, and maintain community alongside COVID-19 and its variants. The vaccine is still highly effective against serious illness, hospitalization and death. I’m hoping that preventative protocols such as masking and ventilation will become less intrusive, and that community and government leaders will learn that wishful thinking is not an effective strategy to control transmission chains.

 

Please remember to take care of your own physical and mental health and integrate moments of fun, reflection, and community into your daily lives as we navigate yet another chapter of the global pandemic.

 

Claire

 

 

 

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