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.
UFIT has installed HyFlex technology in most registrar-controlled classrooms, which enables instructors to simultaneously deliver lessons in person and online. For more on how to use this technology effectively, visit: https://elearning.ufl.edu/keep-teaching/preparing-for-spring/
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.
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
- What will the capacity be in classrooms?
In accordance with CDC Guidelines and UF Health guidance, all seating in our classrooms will be physically distanced, dramatically reducing class capacities.
- How will the university determine who must attend classes in person and who will be online synchronous? Can I register for online classes solely?
Students will choose sections as followed by normal registration procedures, following their assigned registration times. It is possible for students to register solely for online courses as long as the courses they need to take have an online option. The majority of courses in Spring 2021 will have online options.
- How will campus health and safety policies be enforced?
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.
- Why is UF expanding its number of in-person classes in the Spring semester?
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?
The Disability Resource Center is working closely with faculty members to support student accommodations whether their class is in-person or online.
- If I am registered in a face-to-face section of a hy-flex class, will my exams be in person or will I take them online like the rest of the class?
Instructors will determine how their face-to-face sections’ exams will be administered.
- What are the modes of classroom instruction for the spring semester?
- Primarily Classroom/Traditional: Face-to-face delivery (0-49% of the direct instruction of the course is delivered using some form of technology when the student and instructor are separated by time, space, or both)
- Hybrid: Course requirements are met through a mix of online activities/assignments and in-class activities/assignments. (50-79% of the direct instruction of the course is delivered using some form of technology when the student and instructor are separated by time, space, or both.)
- Online (80-99%): Mostly online, but there is a requirement for the student to attend campus or another explicit geographic location for a portion of the course. (80-99% of the direct instruction of the course is delivered using some form of technology when the student and instructor are separated by time, space, or both.)
- Online (100%): Completely online. If included with a section that is labeled "Primarily Classroom/Traditional," the course will be delivered in "Hy-flex" format where "Primarily Classroom/Traditional" group of students are in person in the classroom, while the online students participate in the live lecture remotely. (100% of the direct instruction of the course is delivered using some form of technology when the student and instructor are separated by time, space, or both.)
- I am in a mandatory testing group: How do I get cleared for campus?
As students and faculty prepare to return to campus for the spring semester, the University of Florida will initiate return-to-campus protocols based on demographic.
- On December 21, all students will be marked “not cleared for campus.” They will then have until Jan. 10 to complete an initial health screening questionnaire for the spring semester. The health screening questionnaire is available at one.ufl.edu.
- After the initial return-to-campus screening, all students will begin to receive a weekly health screening questionnaire and those students determined by UF Health experts to present a high-risk for contracting or transmitting the virus will be included into the routine testing plan, where they will be tested every two weeks beginning the week of Jan. 11.
Groups currently included in the high-risk student population and the routine testing plan include:
- students in face-to-face classes
- students who live in undergraduate residence halls
- active members of UF’s Greek community who reside in or have a meal plan within a Greek residence
Students determined by UF Health experts to present the highest risk for contracting and transmitting the virus — those living in residence halls and/or participating in face-to-face classroom instruction — must complete the health screening questionnaire and schedule a test by Jan. 10 to be cleared for campus.
After the initial return-to-campus testing, UF will transition to the routine testing plan, where high-risk students will be tested every two weeks.
For more information, please visit the Health & Safety Guidlines page.
- What does “hy-flex” classroom delivery mean?
Students will be enrolled in sections that are face-to-face and online. Students in the face-to-face section will come to class in person, while students in the online sections will participate in live lectures remotely.
- When will students be made aware of which classes include an in-person option? Will there be in-person options for our students at satellite campuses, or just the Gainesville campus?
The Spring 2021 Schedule of Courses, which will include the delivery of instruction of each section, will be made available to students on Friday, October 30, 2020.
- Will PACE students who have met the 60-credit requirement be able to enroll in face-to-face courses later than normal once they know which of their classes will be online?
PACE students who are ready to transition from UF Online to the residential campus and face-to-face course offerings will select courses no differently than any other residential student (as described above).
- 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?
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?
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.
- Am I able to take all of my classes online if I am not able to come to campus?
Aademic programming will be designed to accommodate remote instruction for as many students who desire it as possible.
- Why do some colleges have mostly hy-flex classes and others mostly face-to-face? Why isn’t there consistency across all UF classes?
Based on CDC and UF Health guidelines, each College was given the ability to provide the modalities for its courses that best meet the needs of the course, the students, and their faculty.