Safe and healthy teaching
Dear Colleagues,
The first students are returning to campus today, as some move into residence halls to prepare for additional students to arrive next week.
As faculty continue to prepare for the autumn semester, we have developed a new resource to address frequently asked questions by instructors. The new Teaching page on the university’s Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website includes information about a variety of topics, such as:
- What to include on course syllabi
- Microphones in classrooms
- Assigned seating for students
- How to handle guests or hardcopy assignments
- What to do if a student doesn’t follow safety measures
Visit the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes Teaching page.
Communicating with students
More than ever, we strongly encourage all faculty to communicate clearly with their students about expectations, both academic ones and in terms of the university’s safe and healthy guidelines.
Instructors should explain what classes will look like, how students and faculty are expected to engage during class, and how any hybrid components will be managed.
Students, faculty and staff will all complete online training and sign the Together As Buckeyes Pledge prior to returning to campus, but the best way to provide a positive experience for everyone is to communicate well and model expectations.
To that end, the Teaching website includes language that should be included in all course syllabi and added to Carmen course sites. It reads:
“Health and safety requirements: All students, faculty and staff are required to comply with and stay up to date on all university safety and health guidance (https://safeandhealthy.osu.edu), which includes wearing a face mask in any indoor space and maintaining a safe physical distance at all times. Non-compliance will result in a warning first, and disciplinary actions will be taken for repeated offenses.”
Reminder on political activity
Especially during this election year, please remember the university’s guidelines regarding political activity, which can help faculty and staff understand how to exercise their constitutional rights without creating the appearance that the university is endorsing a particular candidate or cause.
Thank you,
Kay N. Wolf, PhD
Senior Vice Provost
Helen I. Malone, PhD
Vice Provost for Academic Policy and Faculty Resources