The University of Idaho will be holding in-person classes this fall up until Thanksgiving break this year, according to an email from UI President C. Scott Green.
After the fall break, classes will switch to an exclusively online remote delivery, although campus will remain open. Final exams for the fall semester will be given online as a result.
The decision was made because “comprehensive testing of all students is not realistic after fall break (and) many people leave during this break to visit other areas, possibly with higher instances of outbreak,” Green said.
“We will continue to rely on data and the advice of our public health officials as we navigate delivery this fall,” Green said. “Everyone should be prepared for the unfortunate possibility that we may need to transition quickly to online/remote delivery should the data and advice from our public health officials change.”
Since courses will be online in December, winter commencement has been cancelled. At this time, UI is planning to hold a commencement ceremony May 15, 2021 to honor all students who earned a degree during the pandemic.
This fall, all staff and faculty will be expected to return to regular work by Aug. 1 unless they have a flexplace plan approved. Staff and faculty with prior medical conditions, high risk factors and other approved reasons for changing work location can work with Human Resources to adjust their work assignment.
“We are a destination campus, and students expect and deserve an in-person learning experience whenever possible,” Green said. “Enrollments are down across the country as students evaluate whether to sit out a semester or a year. The primary determination is whether there will be live instruction at their institution. Our preference is to provide direct student/instructor interaction and the interactions that come from being together on campus, even in unique ways.”
Before returning to campus, all students, staff and faculty will be required to sign the Healthy Vandal Pledge on VandalWeb, which explains the university’s expectations of those on campus for the upcoming semester. The pledge includes information on face coverings, daily symptom monitoring, social distancing, handwashing, disinfecting and more.
All Moscow-based students will be tested for COVID-19 as they return in August. Faculty and staff members can ask to be tested, preferably before students arrive. Details about the testing procedures will be sent in early August. Students living on campus who test positive will be isolated in an Idaho Public Health (IPH)-monitored facility away from other students. Students living off campus who test positive will be expected to quarantine in their residence.
Faculty, staff and students working outside of Moscow will need to contact local healthcare providers for testing options. The UI Blue Cross of Idaho and Student Health Insurance Program both cover COVID-19 testing.
Employees who learn of another employee or student testing positive or being exposed to COVID-19 outside of university testing should file a VandalCARE report immediately. Supervisors cannot share medical information with employees, although if contact tracing shows someone has been exposed to COVID-19, they will be contacted by IPH or the UI contact tracing team. IPH has trained campus personnel on how to support and respond to those with COVID-19 diagnoses.
Most classes will have a maximum 50% in-person classroom capacity. Six feet of social distancing will not be feasible in the classroom, so masks will be required during the entirety of each class session. Instructors will provide more information to students about attendance, online resources and course-specific details. High-traffic buildings on the Moscow campus may require temperature checks by thermal scanning devices.
Constraints in staffing and supply levels mean classrooms will not be cleaned between each class, although all public areas — including classrooms — will be cleaned more frequently. Hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies will be provided in every classroom and their use is encouraged.
Face coverings, which include cloth masks, bandanas, scarves or other material which covers the nose and mouth, are required in all university buildings by faculty, staff, students and visitors. Face shields are an acceptable alternative for faculty members while teaching, although six feet of distance should be maintained while wearing one.
The only exception for the face covering requirement is an approved accommodation from HR or the Center for Disability Access and Resources. Face coverings are not required when working alone in an enclosed workspace, in an office where six feet of social distancing is constantly maintained, when exercising in a fitness facility, when eating in a dining facility or where space is designed to provide adequate barriers for social distancing.
UI Information Technology Services have recommendations for student laptops needed to complete online coursework, although ITS encourages reaching out to degree programs to see if there are additional recommendations. For general coursework, either a Windows laptop with Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 CPU or any Mac manufactured in 2018 or later will work, as long as it has 8 GB or higher RAM and 256 GB SSD storage. Over-ear headphones with a microphone or external speakers and a webcam are also recommended.
ITS has a limited number of devices available for checkout to students who need them, but computer labs will be open in the fall with appropriate social distancing in place. Those who need specialty software but are unable to visit a physical lab can access the software online. More information on this is available on the ITS support portal.
“The task in front of us will be difficult at times, but I am confident that by coming together as a Vandal Family, looking out for one another and doing our part to deliver the stellar, in-person education we are known for, we can and will navigate through this together,” Green said.
Mental health services are available through the Counseling and Testing Center at 208-885-6716 or the Employee Assistance Plan. If you are concerned about someone else or are unsure what to do, you can also file a VandalCARE report.
Lex Miller can be reached at [email protected]