Academic Delivery
The primary goals of our fall plan are to ensure that students make appropriate and successful academic progress toward graduation and to deliver, as safely as possible, high-quality curricular coursework and co-curricular activities. We also recognize that some students and faculty may not be able to be present on campus in the fall for a variety of reasons (e.g., issues involving health, family needs, travel restrictions).
Consequently, we will be using several time-tested instructional delivery methods: face-to-face, hybrid and synchronous and asynchronous online instruction will be provided. Our faculty and our support infrastructure for online instruction are national leaders in this area.
In order to support faculty in online teaching and research, ongoing training and resources are available from the Center for Teaching Excellence, Center for Instructional Technology and Training, Center for Online Innovation and Production and faculty peers.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Faculty and staff must wear face masks/cloth face coverings in all campus facilities unless they are isolated from other individuals. Faculty and staff who will interact directly with students in classrooms or the public will be provided with appropriate PPE. Face-to-face class offerings will be conducted in classrooms that meet physical distancing requirements.
The Provost’s Office, the Division of Student Affairs and campus partners have produced a comprehensive behavioral expectations plan to support and encourage students to adopt healthy and appropriate behaviors to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the campus community. Students will begin to see communications about expectations over the coming weeks.
New required syllabi language will be provided for in-person classes, laboratory and experiential learning experiences. In-class behaviors will remain governed by our classroom behaviors policy. Students who refuse to wear masks/cloth face coverings or adhere to physical distancing guidelines will be subject to progressive discipline.
Faculty are encouraged to design their fall course offerings to allow course and exam completion remotely following the Thanksgiving Break. Departments are expected to have a continuity of education plan in place in case an instructor is unable to continue delivering the course and/or students are unable to engage in class activities due to illness or quarantine/isolation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How will I know if my classes will be fully online after Thanksgiving? (10/13)
Faculty should provide students direction regarding changes to courses after Thanksgiving (it should be in your course syllabus as well). If you have not yet received this information, please contact your faculty member.
- How will campus health and safety policies be enforced? (8/11)
UF has a three-tiered approach to enforcing behavioral expectations regarding keeping our campus community healthy and safe: Education, engagement and enforcement.
- Education takes place at all levels of the University and may include informing others of regulations, policies and guidance.
- Engagement reinforces education and provides direction to correct behavior, clarify enforcement mechanisms and end behavior that poses an immediate threat to the health, safety and welfare of community members.
- Enforcement of behavioral expectations to abide by University regulations and policy, state and local law and the instructions of officials can be carried out by any designee of the Vice President of Student Affairs or other appropriate University Official. For more details, please visit the UF policy page for behavioral expectations.
- Is UF shut down following Thanksgiving break until spring 2021 semester? (10/13)
The University of Florida is not shut down after Thanksgiving. Faculty are encouraged to shift their classes to an online format after the holiday to give students the option to stay home if they so choose. Most courses will not have a face-to-face requirement after Thanksgiving, but some will.
- Why is UF expanding its number of in-person classes in the Spring semester? (10/14)
UF is a residential university and is working to return to an environment of normalcy to the extent possible. Further, a substantial segment of students has indicated they would like to return to in-person settings.
- How will disability accommodations work for online classes? (7/10)
The Disability Resource Center is working closely with faculty members to support student accommodations whether their class is in-person or online.
- What is the class schedule for the end of the fall 2020 semester? (10/13)
The fall class schedule can be found a https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/dates-deadlines/2020-2021/#fall20text.
- How will online exams be handled? (7/10)
Faculty will use different approaches to online exams. The university is working on general guidelines (based on the experiences from the spring final exam period) for faculty in order to optimize the process and to foster student learning while being mindful of possible academic integrity concerns.
- If most of my classes will be online, am I entitled to reimbursement or a discount for tuition? (7/10)
No. UF is committed to providing an outstanding teaching and learning experience, whether it is face-to-face, online, or hybrid. UF has assembled a world-class instructional faculty and has invested heavily in instructional design of courses, their delivery, and associated materials. In fact, UF is nationally recognized for its online programs, and instructors are continuously honing creative and innovative ways to ensure an effective learning environment no matter the format.
- What protocols should be followed for the cleaning of classrooms and laboratories after each use? (7/29)
In general, CDC recommendations regarding cleaning and disinfection should be followed. A full cleaning in between class sessions or after each use is unnecessary. However, common touchpoints, such as doorknobs, should be wiped down after each use. The university will provide a disinfectant bucket with wipes for each academic classroom and class lab and require users to maintain responsibility for wiping down individual areas. If a known COVID-19 case has been identified within a room or facility, Facility Services should be notified.
- If my question isn't answered here, whom can I contact?
Please email reopen@ufl.edu for additional questions not answered here.
- What behavior is expected on campus to prevent community spread? (8/10)
Campus health guidelines are available at: https://coronavirus.ufl.edu/resources/health-guidance/. Enforcement of behavioral expectations to abide by University regulations and policy, state and local law and the instructions of officials can be carried out by any designee of the Vice President of Student Affairs or other appropriate University Official. For more details, please visit the UF policy page for behavioral expectations.
- With the number of class sections increasing, how will UF minimize the spread of Covid-19? (10/14)
UF will strictly adhere to CDC physical distancing guidelines, and mask wearing will be mandatory. Additionally, classrooms will be configured to allow 8 feet of distancing between each student, and many face-to-face class sections will be accompanied by a hyflex section — which streams simultaneously over the internet — to allow for decreased classroom capacity as a result of distancing requirements. Additionally, UF Health will continue its vigorous contact tracing program in partnership with the Department of Health. UF Health’s Screen, Test, & Protect initiative has also developed new tools to monitor classrooms to minimize in-class transmission. Surveillance testing will be scaled up with mandatory regularly scheduled testing of students and others at high risk of COVID-19 infection. Additionally, wastewater testing is in full swing and will enhance the overall monitor and control efforts.
- Will UF services and buildings be available after Thanksgiving? (10/13)
Yes. Campus will remain open.