What plans are in place for Spring 2022 instruction?
As outlined in the Spring 2022 instruction update, we will begin the semester with a two-stage process. Most courses will be offered fully remote for the first two weeks (January 18th-28th). Starting January 31st and beyond, the mode of instruction for each class will default to the mode approved by the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) for that course. For most courses, that is in-person instruction.
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I would like to do a mix of in-person and online teaching for my Spring 2022 class, with some sessions in person and some via Zoom. Do I need permission to hold some of my class sessions in an online format?
COCI approval is required for changes to courses that plan to include regular online components (a component is a lecture, discussion, lab, etc.) in current or future semesters.
COCI approval is not required for occasional remote sessions in response to a campus wide emergency arising from public health conditions;in response to an instructor's inability to come to campus due to, e.g., quarantine (see item below); fire-related poor air quality, power outages, earthquakes, or other unforeseeable events.
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I am concerned about the safety of all my students in my in-person class. If a student shows up to my in-person class unmasked, what do I do?
I am concerned about the safety of all my students in my in-person class. If a student shows up to my in-person class unmasked, what do I do? If I ask the unmasked student to put on a mask and they refuse, can I have them disenrolled from the course? Can I ask them to leave the room?
Please consult UC Berkeley’s Coronavirus Instructor Guidance for up-to-date guidance on this question.
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If a student in my in-person class tests positive, will I be informed? Will I and the other students need to isolate or quarantine for a time? Will my class need to pivot to remote instruction? If so, for how long?
Please consult UC Berkeley’s Coronavirus Instructor Guidance for up-to-date guidance on this question.
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When is it permitted to pivot to remote instruction?
Campus may issue a directive to shift to remote instruction based on public health conditions, fire-related poor air quality, or some other emergency. A temporary shift to remote instruction is also appropriate if an instructor is ill. For short illnesses faculty should do what they would have done before the pandemic, whether cancelling a class, offering the class remotely, or giving a small assignment to substitute for the class session. For longer illnesses, or if a faculty member (or their young children) are instructed by public health to quarantine/isolate for ~10 days, instructors should confer with their chair and communicate an agreed-upon solution to students as soon as possible.
In pivoting to remote instruction, communication with students is key. Students should be reminded of the possibility at the start of the semester so that they may make remote arrangements on their end (finding a space, wifi, devices, and other technical requirements).
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I am scheduled to teach in person. Is there any information about remote instruction that should be in my syllabus?
There are a number of circumstances under which you may need to pivot to remote instruction. To name a few: public health guidance, wildfire and smoke, having a substantial share of your students unable to attend class due to illness or quarantine, being ill or exposed to covid yourself, being unable to pass the symptom screener and receive your green badge. You should include information in your syllabus about remote instruction and ensure that all of your students have access to the necessary technology.
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For final exams administered in-person are instructors allowed to check students for green badges or require that students have a green badge to take the final exam?
All students HAVE to complete the Daily Symptom Screener and be cleared with a green badge to access UC Berkeley campus. If an exam is scheduled in person in a campus building, the students are required to have a green badge valid for the day of the exam.
While it certainly may be good practice to remind students of that requirement, faculty are not authorized to verify compliance with that mandate. Currently, no one is authorized to ask to see someone else’s badge status except in health care settings and during Golden Bear Orientation check in. (https://coronavirus.berkeley.edu/campus-access/)
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What policies will be in effect for Spring 2022 final examinations?
Guidelines for Spring 2022 final examinations will be the same as those for final examinations in Spring 2020—alternate means of final assessment will be permitted with the approval of the department chair, but without need for COCI approval. See also COCI’s statement on Fall 2021 Instruction
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My course is approved as a course with a final exam, but I would instead like to have students do a final project or paper. Do I need anyone’s permission in order to make that change?
Senate Regulation 772stipulates that a final examination that may take up to three hours to complete is required in all undergraduate classes. Permanent exceptions to that requirement require COCI approval. Your department chair has the authority to make a one-time exception to the final exam requirement.
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If I record a class lecture or discussion, and it includes student participation (identifying information such as name, image, or voice), can I share the recording with individuals who are not enrolled in the course?
To share recordings of class sessions that include student participation with individuals not enrolled in the course (e.g., future courses, prospective students, audiences outside of Berkeley), instructors must provide notice in the syllabus prior to semester start regarding the recording and sharing of classroom lectures and discussion sections and receive written consent from students via a form/survey sent to all class enrollments asking them to opt in/opt out. In accordance with FERPA requirements, students must be provided with the opportunity to consent or to withhold their consent to the sharing of their identifying information (name, image, voice) with other individuals not enrolled in the recorded course. The consent language should describe with whom the recordings will be shared and the purpose of sharing the recordings.
Additionally, students should be verbally reminded prior to each class session that the lecture/discussion section will be recorded and may be shared with individuals outside of the course. For remote students that opted out, they should be encouraged to mute their audio and turn off their video.
For students that do not consent, the recordings should be edited to de-identify the students prior to sharing the recording, which can include avoiding or removing any mention of the student’s name, removing or blurring the student’s image, and altering voice recordings.
As a best practice, it is recommended that instructors only provide recordings of synchronous lectures to students who are enrolled in the same class. For lectures that will be used across semesters, it is recommended that instructors develop asynchronous lectures that do not include students from any class.
Instructors are also advised to make sure that videos are closed captioned by DSP if students (including auditors) in their classes have this accommodation or they wish to post videos in public forums. For further details on ADA compliance of video recordings please see https://dac.berkeley.edu/events/planning-accessible-events/ada-compliant-remote-events-and-recordings
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Is it acceptable to have office hours online rather than in person?
The key here is communication with your students and ensuring that the mode of delivery of office hours supports their learning. Currently, it is acceptable to hold some office hours online rather than in person. In addition, keep in mind that senate faculty are expected to be in residence (physically on campus). Instructors who are teaching entirely remotely and don't have permanent/regular office space on campus will be allowed to hold all of their office hours remotely if they wish.
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I am teaching a class that has enrolled students who have not physically returned to Berkeley and are requesting remote exam accommodation. Should I provide the option for a remote exam?
As outlined in Spring 2022 Semester - Academic Resources and Accommodations, the expectation is for students to be in Berkeley this semester for all classes and sections that are delivered according to their COCI-approved modality listed in the schedule of classes. If your course is listed as in-person format, you are not obliged to accommodate requests for remote exams unless the students have a DSP letter of accommodation to that effect.
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Where can I find out about remote proctoring my exams?
Go tohttps://teaching.berkeley.edu/remote-proctoring-faq
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