The University is encouraging all faculty to teach 100% online through Jan. 28. Please note, faculty are not required to and do not need to offer dual-mode instruction (teaching in person while simultaneously broadcasting to remote students) during that time. Furthermore, you do not need to take any additional steps for approval to transition your course to 100% online instruction through Jan 28.
If you have specific questions or need 1:1 support with pedagogy or instructional technology, please submit a request here, or sign up for Office Hours with Julie Schell.
Please remember to check in on your students’ health and wellness this semester. CoFA has a dedicated CARE counselor available for faculty and staff who may need to talk about concerns for a student, especially students who may be in distress.
In addition, the following workshops to support remote instruction will be offered. Sessions will be recorded.
- Online and Remote Teaching Refresher: Tuesday, Jan 11, 2–3:15 p.m.: Register Here
- Hybrid Dual-Mode Basic Do’s and Dont's: Wednesday, Jan 12, 11–12:15 p.m. Register Here
Please refer to CoFA's Spring 2022 Semester Start Memo, the information is provided through the link or read below:
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Table of Contents
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- Spring 2022 Return to Campus Checklist
- University Health and Wellness Resources
- Modality Guidance
- CoFA Semester Start Workshops and Office Hours
- How to find Remote or Hybrid Teaching Support
- Spring 2022 Syllabus Requirements and Deadlines
- Spring 2022 Syllabus Development Resources
- Spring 2022 COVID-19 Syllabus Scripts
- Other Spring 2022 Syllabus Scripts
- COVID-19 Guidance
- Student Attendance Guidance
- Additional Resources
- Tech Update from UT Austin (Canvas, Zoom, and more)
Spring 2022 - COFA Semester Start Guide
- Spring 2022 Note on accommodations for students regarding Student Disability Services https://t.e2ma.net/message/ztcklg/rn68gib
- Spring 2022 Semester Launch email: https://t.e2ma.net/message/7d4fxc/v01r6bk
- Spring 2022 Dean's e-mail: https://t.e2ma.net/message/7dkcxc/b1o66bk
- Spring 2022 President's email to faculty: https://t.e2ma.net/message/7jh05f/ngltxz
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- Post an announcement on Canvas
- Canvas e-mail to students
- Regular e-mail to students
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University Health and Wellness Resources
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3. Modality Guidance
Until January 31, 2022 faculty are required to teach 100% online or through hybrid dual-mode instruction.
On January 31, 2022, the University has indicated faculty will return to the modality published in the course schedule or according to formal accommodations granted by the University.
Below are scripts for you to paste into your syllabus to clearly identify your modality.
NOTE: Select the language for the Instructional Mode for your course. Copy and paste the language for the appropriate mode in each of these places:
1) at the top of your syllabus
2) on the Front page of your Canvas course,
3) in early emails or other communication with students.
For Hybrid Mode, specify the exact meeting expectations in the schedule, also in the syllabus, on Canvas, and in early communications with students.
IF your course is officially scheduled as a hybrid course, and you plan to offer dual-mode instruction specify that intention under the modality section.
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Modality Syllabus Scripts
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5. Remote or Hybrid Teaching Questions? |
Need 1:1 help with teaching? - Submit a CoFA teaching support ticket for the fastest response.
- Contact Assistant Dean Julie Schell via email: julie.schell@austin.utexas.edu
- CANVAS: Get 24/7 Canvas support here.
- ZOOM: Get UT Zoom technical support here.
- UT COMPUTER OR HARDWARE: Call 512-475-9400.
- IN-CLASS TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE: Call the CoFA classroom hotline at 512-232-4400
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6. Spring 2022 Syllabus Requirements and Deadlines |
- Deadline: January 18, 2022
- At UT Austin, all undergraduate course syllabi and instructor-of-record CVs are due in the departmental office or dean’s office (in non-departmentalized schools/colleges) by the first day of classes for the semester (Spring, Summer 1 & 2, Fall), unless otherwise specified by your Department.
- Required Syllabus Content at UT Austin
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7. Syllabus Development Resources
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8. COVID-19 Syllabus Scripts |
NOTE: Copy and paste this information into your syllabus and ensure the links are active in the digital copy you provide to students. If you plan to provide hard copies of your syllabus, also include a digital copy with the links active on CANVAS. CLASSROOM SAFETY AND COVID-19 To help preserve our in-person learning environment, the university recommends the following. - Adhere to university mask guidance. Masks are strongly recommended, but optional, inside university buildings for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, except when alone in a private office or single-occupant cubicle.
- Vaccinations are widely available, free and not billed to health insurance. The vaccine will help protect against the transmission of the virus to others and reduce serious symptoms in those who are vaccinated.
- Proactive Community Testing remains an important part of the university’s efforts to protect our community. Tests are fast and free.
- We encourage the use of the Protect Texas App each day prior to coming to campus.
- If you develop COVID-19 symptoms or feel sick, stay home and contact the University Health Services’ Nurse Advice Line at 512-475-6877. If you need to be absent from class, contact Student Emergency Services and they will notify your professors. In addition, to help understand what to do if you have been had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, see this University Health Services link.
- Behavior Concerns and COVID-19 Advice Line (BCCAL) remains available as the primary tool to address questions or concerns from the university community about COVID-19.
- Students who test positive should contact BCCAL or self-report (if tested off campus) to University Health Services.
- Visit Protect Texas Together for more information.
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9. Other Syllabus Scripts
This link contains a word document with Spring 2022 approved statements you may include in your syllabus.
The following script is required by UT Austin
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10. COVID-19 Guidance
University-Wide FAQs
https://protect.utexas.edu/faqs/
What should I do if I have symptoms, have been exposed to someone who tested positive, or test positive for COVID-19 myself?
- Follow the University exposure action chart.
- Employees (including student employees) should report symptoms and testing regardless of test results to the Occupational Health Program (OHP) as soon as possible. Contact 512-471-4647 or email healthpoint.ohp@austin.utexas.edu to report COVID-19 symptoms or tests regardless of results. OHP values employee privacy and is following privacy guidelines that allow the university to keep our workplace and co-workers safe while still protecting individual privacy as much as possible. Faculty and staff who are asymptomatic and receive a negative test result through Proactive Community Testing (PCT) do not need to report to OHP.
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- Instruct your student to contact BCCAL or self-report (if tested off campus) to University Health Services. Inform the student that personal case managers for students impacted by COVID-19 are available to coordinate support throughout their experience. Encourage students to request assistance with class absence notifications and academic accommodations related to COVID-19. (Students who test positive for COVID-19 should be able to request absence notifications to be sent to you from Student Emergency Services, however, SES will not disclose the reason for the absence. You may also ask/require students to request an absence notification to be generated from SES to you. See Section 11).
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11. Student Attendance Guidance
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- As an instructor, you have the freedom to shape your attendance policies in a way that aligns with the learning outcomes for your course and your pedagogical philosophy. According to the University Catalog, "regular attendance at all class meetings is expected. Instructors are responsible for implementing an attendance policy and must notify students of any special attendance requirements."
- HOWEVER: Students should never come to class if they are sick, or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. This should be clearly noted in your syllabus and supported through classroom and grading policies. Here is an excerpt of my script: "If you are sick, in particular if you experience any COVID-19 related symptoms, do not come to class. Doing so will put you, and everyone around you, at risk. Stay home, and contact the University Health Services’ Nurse Advice Line at 512-475-6877. If you need to be absent from class, contact Student Emergency Services and they will notify me. Please also reach out to me, and we will collaborate on an alternate assignment for that day. Because of the nature of our studio, it will not be possible to live stream the course online, however, I promise to work with you to help ensure you succeed."
- Faculty are not required to provide dual-mode (simultaneous in-person and remote instruction) for absent students, but may do so if they wish.
- Faculty must provide any absence accommodations specified through official communication from Student Emergency Services or Student Disability Services.
- COVID-19 Absences: Students who test positive for COVID or have COVID-19 concerns should request an absence notification be sent to you from Student Emergency Services. Document this requirement in your syllabus as noted in Section 8.
- A note on Attendance and Hybrid-Dual Mode: You are not required to offer dual-mode instruction to students. As noted above, if you do not plan to offer hybrid-dual mode, I recommend the following statement be added to your syllabus: "Due to the nature of this course, dual-mode instruction will not be possible for students who are unable to attend in-person meetings."
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12. Additional Resources
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- CoFA Teaching Website - https://sites.utexas.edu/cofafaculty/teaching/
- Teaching Tips from CoFA - https://sites.utexas.edu/take5/
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13. Instructional Technology Update from UT
Welcome to the Spring 2022 semester!
As you prepare your course(s) for the semester, we hope the list of academic technology resources we’ve assembled in this email will help you be successful. If you’ve received these emails before, you’ll notice that we’re now including more tools. Our hope is to bring together a solid toolset to support any mode of teaching and learning and create a hub where all faculty feel supported. More work is needed, but progress is being made.
Please note the Teaching Protocols section from President Hartzell’s last email. “We are asking faculty members to teach remotely for the first two weeks of the semester, with a target date of January 31 to return to the originally assigned teaching modality.” We’re here to support you, so please do not hesitate to reach out if you need help. Find our contact information at https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/633028. Onward!
Getting started in Canvas
New features, tool changes, and highlights
Canvas - https://canvas.utexas.edu
- The New Quizzes timeline has changed, and Classic Quizzes will be available until summer 2024. Attend a workshop and learn more about New Quizzes and how to migrate your Classic Quizzes. For more information and a timeline visit https://bit.ly/3rBg9jU
- Canvas has made improvements that are available as opt-in features
- Interested in a new instructional tool and want to integrate it with Canvas? Check our External Apps page for a list of vetted tools and what to do if your tool isn’t listed. https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/633028/pages/external-apps
Zoom – https://zoom.its.utexas.edu
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Panopto – https://utexas.hosted.panopto.com
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Canvas App Store - https://concrete.la.utexas.edu/appstore
- Chatter, a UT-developed free Q&A discussion tool, provides an alternative to Piazza. For more information, please view the support documentation and demo video, https://bit.ly/32ZJvOF.
- The UT Student Success tool can simplify use of Canvas course data and messaging to help prevent students from falling behind. See more at https://bit.ly/3FYOnSI.
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The University is encouraging all faculty to teach 100% online through Jan. 28. Please note, faculty are not required to and do not need to offer dual-mode instruction (teaching in person while simultaneously broadcasting to remote students) during that time. Furthermore, you do not need to take any additional steps for approval to transition your course to 100% online instruction through Jan 28.
If you have specific questions or need 1:1 support with pedagogy or instructional technology, please submit a request here, or sign up for Office Hours with Julie Schell.
Please remember to check in on your students’ health and wellness this semester. CoFA has a dedicated CARE counselor available for faculty and staff who may need to talk about concerns for a student, especially students who may be in distress.
In addition, the following workshops to support remote instruction will be offered. Sessions will be recorded.
- Online and Remote Teaching Refresher: Tuesday, Jan 11, 2–3:15 p.m.: Register Here
- Hybrid Dual-Mode Basic Do’s and Dont's: Wednesday, Jan 12, 11–12:15 p.m. Register Here
Please refer to CoFA's Spring 2022 Semester Start Memo.
Spring 2022 Note on accommodations for students regarding Student Disability Services https://t.e2ma.net/message/ztcklg/rn68gib
Syllabus Information and Help
- Upload your syllabus to Canvas and to this shared Box folder by the first day of class.
- These are the requirements of all syllabi: UT Austin Syllabus Requirements
- These are the templates from UT Austin: UT Austin Fall 2021 syllabus templates
- These are the CoFA recommendations: CoFA Syllabus Language Recommendations
- CoFA strongly encourages all faculty include clear statements about their instructional mode in their syllabus. Please do reach out to students as soon as possible to help them understand how and when the class will meet.
- Dr. Schell offered a helpful session this summer on Creating Your Online/Hybrid Syllabus. Please find the box link to the recording along with her slides.
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