How many absences are too many?
Are absences related to COVID excused?
What happens if they have excused absences and then get sick, leading to more than my allowed absences?
What constitutes a change in course delivery mode, and what does not?
Faculty should consult with their Department Heads if they need to further clarify what is an appropriate stopgap strategy and what is truly hybrid course delivery.
If I put the materials online for students who are absent, does that count as changing my course delivery to hybrid? Would that violate the directive against changing modes?
What does “as flexible as possible” mean and is anyone monitoring this? How can I be sure I’m not outside expected guidelines?
Should we be social distancing in the classroom?
You are also empowered to make decisions about how to adapt your class delivery using outdoor spaces, rotating attendance, online assignment options, or other tools that work for your teaching needs.
What can I do to mitigate the time lag in testing and contact tracing?
A student informed me they tested positive for COVID-19. What should I do?
Faculty members should set behavioral norms and expectations in the classroom, in alignment with the latest guidance from the university and the state regarding safety measures like mask-wearing. If this occurs, faculty have the authority to quietly and respectfully ask students to leave.
We need faculty members to reinforce the need for personal responsibility by emphasizing the importance of those behavioral expectations and informing your students where they can get more information. Each student should have already viewed the Crimson Commitment video on myNMSU and acknowledged it, but we know that repetition improves retention of that information, so you may wish to include the video, which is available at https://vimeo.com/592327439, as an assignment This downloadable COVID-19 syllabus addendum provides a clear one-page summary of expectations that you can share with students: https://provost.nmsu.edu/faculty-and-staff-resources/syllabus/COVIDSyllabusText.pdf
What’s the likelihood that we will end up fully online?
How do I accommodate students who have been absent?
If necessary, you may consider advising a student that is extremely behind to submit a single course or full University medical withdrawal from your course. There are financial aid and residence life implications to falling below full-time status, so please be sure to refer them to their academic advisor to make these decisions.
How can I support students in distress?
Counseling is available through the Aggie Health and Wellness Center for students seeking help with a crisis, mental health, and personal growth and well-being. Services are free and confidential to NMSU Las Cruces campus students. NMSU’s Office of Health Promotion offers many online resources for students’ mental well-being, including managing stress and depression or anxiety.
There is emotional labor involved in supporting students in this way. Faculty should keep a good watch on their own distress signals. Aggie Health and Wellness Center offers the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP is a confidential counseling and referral service available to all NMSU faculty and staff. Call 575-646-6603 for more info. Well-Being Solutions, the employee assistance program from the State of New Mexico, also provides services to eligible employees and their family members. You can schedule up to five free counseling sessions by calling 833-515-0771 or visiting www.guidanceresources.com and using SONMEAP as the web ID.