Dear Colleagues,

We wanted to share the Academic Council Expectations for Winter 2022 before folks go on break. 

The Academic Council met on November 30, 2021, to discuss guidance for winter term 2022. In line with university plans shared with the campus community on December 6 to continue the layered COVID-19 strategies that are currently in place into winter term, the council will be continuing its own expectations as well. While acknowledging the challenges faculty are facing in dealing with student absences and need for accommodations, the council concluded that the current guidance provides the best possible balance of flexibility for students and discretion for faculty to make decisions that maintain the integrity of the course.

The council also recognized that some faculty are wondering how to best translate its guidance into practice. To help with that, the council offers examples of specific statements from its expectations alongside ideas for teaching practice (See Academic Council Expectations with addendum at the end of page). Moreover, the Teaching Engagement Program and UO Online have built the Council’s expectations into resources for course design and an updated Syllabus ‘Starter’ with sample course policies that faculty can adapt.

In addition, the COVID Classroom Containment Plan was updated to provide more guidance on seating charts and availability of self-test kits for students with mild viral symptoms.

Thank you for all that you do for the university and our students. We hope you have a wonderful break.

Sincerely,

Janet Woodruff-BordenExecutive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

P.S. We remind faculty that TEP is accepting brief letters of interest through Friday, December 17, for a two stipended faculty groups dedicated to inclusive teaching: a Trauma-Informed Pedagogy CAIT, led by Professor Anita Chari, and a Teaching Difference, Inequality, and Agency CAIT, led by Professor Alison Gash. Learn more and apply.