Classroom Guidance for Autumn 2021

Dear Colleagues,

As reflected in President Johnson’s update yesterday, the university continues to monitor COVID-19, including guidance surrounding variants of concern. We are also carefully tracking the reported vaccination rate in our community, which currently exceeds 70%. We will gain an even better view now that all students, faculty and staff are required to report whether or not they have been vaccinated by Aug. 5.

All of these factors are part of our planning for the coming academic year, and we will continue to make decisions as needed based on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ohio Department of Health and local health authorities.

I am writing today to share the following FAQs to address questions related to classroom instruction and how faculty and other instructors are expected to engage with the community.

While recognizing that the university’s health protocols may evolve over time based on the latest science, please note that our approach at any moment must be consistent across the university. Exceptions will be permitted only where circumstances demand different approaches. For example, clinical operations require different health protocols than general classrooms, but classrooms across the university should follow the same policies and procedures.

Note: Frequently asked questions have been updated as of Aug. 2 based on new information and expertise from local, state and federal health officials as well as our own medical and public health experts. Visit the Teaching page to read the FAQs and see additional information.