FALL 2022 SEMESTER PLANS
Coronavirus Resources
The following message was sent to faculty by Interim Provost Nicolle Parsons-Pollard on August 11, 2022. Links in this campus email are also located for your convenience below the drop-down.
Message
Fall Semester Plans and COVID-19
Dear colleagues,
While the pandemic continues, we are certainly in a different position than we were in March 2020, when no vaccines or therapeutics were available. Although the course of the pandemic is fluid and may change at any time, we continue to follow the expertise of our own public health professionals and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I want to make this clear: We will take appropriate action as needed, and the university continues to operate and revise https://covidinfo.gsu.edu/, which will be updated soon. We will also make sure to communicate any changes via campus email.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- We will continue to offer vaccinations and boosters on campus.
- The university will continue to communicate with students, faculty and staff about promotion of health and wellness, and the health and safety actions that we all can take – not just from COVID-19, but other infections such as the flu.
- This fall, COVID-19 will be treated similarly to other illnesses like the flu. This does not mean that we are discounting the seriousness of the disease – far from it, as other communicable diseases can put our health at risk. However, we will not use seating charts for in-person classes.
- As self-administered rapid testing has become widespread, case reporting numbers are not as good of indicators of trends as they used to be. The university will not track or report the number of COVID cases, but we will continue to monitor the situation and will take action accordingly.
- Online reporting forms which have served faculty and students during the pandemic will also serve us going into the fall:
- For instructors, the Temporary Change in Course Modality form can be used not just for COVID-19, but also for serious infections such as the flu. The form is available with directions at https://provost.gsu.edu/course-modality/. Please continue to use this form as needed, but always make sure to communicate with your department chair and your students.
- For students, the Dean of Students’ Office will continue to provide faculty with notifications when students file Professor Notification for Absences (PNAs). This notification indicates that the Dean of Students office has reviewed the documentation related to a student’s medical circumstances.
- It is important that students understand that 1. PNAs are only for extended absences of a week or more, and 2. Must be submitted within one week after a student returns from an absence. We encourage you to include this information in course syllabi and review the information at https://deanofstudents.gsu.edu/student-assistance/#professor as you are crafting your course syllabi.