What You Need to Know: Academic Affairs

Spring 2021 Classes

For the spring 2021 semester, there will be a mix of in-person, hybrid and online-only classes.

• During the November registration for spring semester, students indicated a slightly higher preference for online course offerings than anticipated.
• 67% of the registered seats are in online sections, and 33% are in in-person sections.
• In online courses, 60% of registered seats are in synchronous (or real-time) sections, which is a 14% increase from the fall semester.
• Students can review the schedule of courses in STAR.
• Visit Course Delivery Formats to learn about class formats.
• As with the fall semester, WVU will use a traditional grading scale and will not offer a high pass/pass/fail option.

Classroom Safety

Before Class

• Finish snacks before class. No food or drink is allowed in classrooms.
• Wear a mask/face covering at all times on campus.
  • Extra disposable masks will be available in classrooms.
  • You also can purchase masks from vending machines across campus.
• Arrive at your classroom on time. Please don't congregate in hallways.
  • Remain outside the building until the previous classes have finished and students from those classes have exited the building.

During Class

• Assigned seating and recorded attendance is required for each meeting of face-to-face, on-campus classes — including hybrid courses.
  • Seating charts are provided to a central unit for use in contact tracing, if the need should arise.
  • Instructors will maintain attendance records for each class meeting, whether or not attendance figures into course grading.
• Students are required to wear masks at all times.
• Instructors are required to wear masks at all times, with one exception:
  • Instructors may wear a face shield without a mask while they are behind a plexiglass barrier. If the instructor moves away from the plexiglass barrier, they must wear a mask under the face shield.
• Extra disposable masks and cleaning supplies are available in classrooms.
• Students and instructors are required to observe the University’s physical distancing guidelines.

Cleaning

• Cleaning supplies, such as sanitizers and wipes, will be available throughout all buildings.
  • Spray bottles or disinfectant wipes will be available at all classroom lecterns.
• Tabletops, desktops and other hard and non-permeable surfaces will be disinfected at a minimum of once daily.
• Horizontal and vertical surfaces, including high-touch areas, will be wiped and disinfected using products approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• All classrooms will be deep cleaned and disinfected at the end of each day.

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Academic Support and Instruction

Overview

• Advising and faculty office hours will be conducted remotely whenever possible.
• WVU Libraries are open; check library hours for availability.
• The Office of Student Success offers free services like success coaching, mentoring, tutoring and seminars.

Online Courses

• Online courses are delivered either synchronously or asynchronously.
• Check WVU Online’s Student Resources for a collection of helpful links and tips for success in online courses.
• Understanding Course Delivery Formats

Tutoring and Student Success Services

• WVU tutoring centers offer virtual drop-in tutoring and virtual tutoring appointments. Tutoring.wvu.edu provides links to the tutoring centers across the WVU System, as well as a tool to help students identify the most appropriate center to contact for help.
• Student Success Coaches work individually with students to enhance their academic success in time management, note taking, reading and study skills.
• More than 50 on-demand workshops (Student Lingo) are available 24/7 and cover important topics such as exam preparation, taking tests online and staying motivated in online learning.
• MindFit offers services to help students overcome obstacles to academic success, including enhanced academic support and coaching, as well as innovative, brain-based interventions to improve attention span, memory and cognitive functioning.

Study Spaces

In addition to the usual study areas across campus, we've added pop-up study rooms to accommodate more students while allowing for physical distancing:

• 406 Allen Hall
• G25 Brooks Hall

Hours are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. starting Jan. 19. When using pop-up study rooms, follow all rules that are in place for regularly scheduled classes, including use of PPE and adhering to physically distanced seating arrangements. Seats should not be rearranged. Group work is not allowed.

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If You Are in Quarantine or Isolation

Check the What to Do If ... scenarios for further guidance on quarantine and isolation.

Policies

• WVU has amended its attendance policy for University sanctioned absences that reflect the impact of COVID-19.
  • Students in isolation or quarantine are not to be penalized for physical absence but may be expected to complete class work and activities as assigned.
  • Instructors are expected to be flexible in allowing students to make up work missed due to university sanctioned absences.
  • Please refer to the full attendance policy for complete details.
• An emergency leave policy has also been added to provide guidance if a student is unable to participate in class for more than a week.

Contacting Your Instructors

• Whenever the University has identified or received notice of a COVID-related event, the Provost's Office will notify your instructor that your absence from class will be excused due to a COVID-19 related event.
  • You will be required to present your instructors with documentation demonstrating your clearance to return to class.
• You should contact your instructors and work with them to make arrangements so you can keep up with your classwork.
  • If you need assistance reaching instructors or completing classwork, please reach out to the department chair and then college or school dean, if needed.

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Faculty Resources and Support

Course Planning

• COVID-19 Syllabus Statement
• COVID-19 Instructor Expectations and Best Practices
• When planning courses, refer to the Adjustments for COVID-19 section of the WVU Faculty website.
• Visit the Teaching and Learning Commons website for course planning tools, teaching institutes and many other resources.

Classroom Technology Support

• If you have a question about your course or classroom, Teaching and Learning Commons offers drop-in consultations.
• You can also submit a ticket to request instructional support.
• Check TLC's Classroom COVID Response webpage for updates on TLC's technology classrooms.

Illness and Accommodation Requests

• Faculty and instructors who are at higher risk for severe illness as defined by the CDC, or who live with someone who is at higher risk, can request accommodations and review the COVID-19 Modification of Duties Flowchart to understand possible scenarios.
• Faculty who are sick with COVID-19 should follow the Special Emergency Leave Plan and work with their supervisors to make alternative work arrangements.

Evaluation, Promotion and Tenure

For guidance on the faculty evaluation process, please see the COVID-19 Revised Annual Evaluation Guidelines.

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Research

For the latest information about the return to research activity on campus, visit the Research Office COVID-19 Guidance website.

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