Dear colleagues,

As UM continues to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases on our campus, some of you have seen an increasing number of students who are in quarantine, isolation, or other COVID-19 related situations that make it difficult for them to participate in class. I fully recognize that this is putting a heavier workload on faculty members, and I am deeply grateful for your dedicated work in responding to student needs. I wanted to provide the following guidance and reminders as we all seek to support students academically in this uncertain time.

Supporting students who are sick, in quarantine, or in isolation

Students who are required to quarantine or isolate based on COVID-19 results should contact their advisors for help staying on track academically, and they should also reach out to their professors. If you have students in quarantine/isolation, here is additional information to be aware of and guidance to consider:

1)     Flexibility is encouraged in helping students connect to class material and completing coursework, while at the same time maintaining academic standards.

2)     Be aware that Internet issues in campus housing are being addressed to provide enhanced Internet bandwidth to students.

3)     Disability Services for Students (DSS) can provide additional service to students if their quarantine is extended.

4)     As mid-terms begin, faculty are encouraged to place their exams in Moodle or to conduct their exams via Zoom.  If online proctoring is needed, please contact Nancy Clouse (nancy.clouse@mso.umt.edu) in UMOnline. For exceptional cases, you can also contact DSS to determine whether dedicated testing spaces for individual students are available.

5)     If possible, please check your UM email during the weekend in order to be aware of any COVID-19 related queries that arise from students or the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD).

6)     If you have questions about how to best respond to the situation/context in your class, please contact your chair/director and/or dean for support.

7)     Again, please encourage students not to hesitate to reach out to you or their advisors for resources or assistance while in quarantine/isolation. Being in isolation is difficult, and we want to make sure students in these situations have the support they need.

Maintaining Privacy

Even in seeking accommodations, it is important to remember that students are not required to disclose their medical condition to professors or workplace supervisors. Most importantly, should a student tell their professor or workplace supervisor that they think they may have contracted COVID-19, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prohibits that professor or supervisor from disclosing a student’s health information to others. Please remember to respect students’ privacy.

Also, please note that just because a colleague or student voluntarily discloses information about their health status does not mean they have given you permission to share that information with others. Sharing information like that requires the individual’s written consent.

Contact Tracing

You may learn that you were around someone who was exposed to COVID-19 or who has COVID-19, and wonder if and when MCCHD contact tracers will contact you. Please remember that there are criteria for contact tracing, focused on those who have been in “close contact” with an individual. MCCHD defines “close contact” as being within 6 feet of someone for at least 15 minutes during a time when the person was contagious. Unless you hear from MCCHD, you should not have to quarantine or seek testing.

If you learn that one of your students has tested positive for COVID-19, there is no need to cancel class or send the other students home. Talk with your chair/dean regarding how to move forward if significant numbers of students are impacted, or if you have questions or needs regarding logistics or technology. The mitigation measures in place at UM (6-feet physical distancing, mask requirement, regular cleaning of classrooms) are designed to significantly minimize risk. Extra cleaning will not be necessary because classrooms are cleaned on a regular basis. MCCHD will contact the individuals they consider at risk of contracting COVID-19.

I hope that this information is helpful to you, and I welcome your questions about these topics. I want to thank the 25 members of the Instructional Planning Group (consisting of faculty, staff, and students) who have worked diligently for many months to respond to campus needs and feedback. As always, I greatly appreciate your tremendous efforts in helping our students to succeed academically.

Sincerely,

Nathan Lindsay, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Chair, Instructional Planning Group

This message was sent by the Office of the Provost to all UM faculty.