Cc: FAS Steering; FAS Dean’s Office; Yale College Dean’s Office; GSAS Dean’s Office; FAS Chairs Assistants, Operations Managers, and Lead Administrators; President’s Office; Provost’s Office
[Summary: This message offers clarification on the following topics pertaining to the fall 2021 term:
- Office Hours
- Classroom capacity (both during the semester, and during the add/drop period)
- Mask guidance
- Transparent masks and face shields
- Teaching students who are quarantine or isolation
- Short-term remote teaching by faculty in quarantine or isolation
- FAQs and further information]
Dear colleagues,
I am grateful to those of you who shared questions over email, at the University Town Hall on Thursday, and at the FAS faculty drop-in open house on Friday in response to last week’s FAS-wide message regarding teaching policies. I write today with further clarification on the following points:
- Office Hours
- Classroom capacity
- Classroom capacity and add/drop period
- Mask guidance
- Transparent masks and face shields
- Teaching students who are quarantine or isolation
- Short-term remote teaching by faculty in quarantine or isolation
- FAQs and further information
Office hours
Classroom capacity
Further information on room capacity and occupancy requirements is available from Yale Environmental Health and Safety
Classroom capacity during the add/drop period
Mask guidance
As explained in the Provost’s message sent on August 25, all individuals are expected to wear masks in communal indoor spaces on campus. In particular, students in class are expected to wear masks at all times in the classroom, and any student who is not wearing a mask in compliance with campus policy may be asked to leave the classroom and reported to Melanie Boyd, Yale College Dean of Student Affairs.
Fully vaccinated instructors (including graduate students who are serving as the instructor of record) may lecture unmasked for periods of up to 2 hours only while a distance of 12 feet from the nearest student can be maintained.
The Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning has developed guidance and resources on teaching while masked. These resources include recommendations related to audibility, accessibility, and classroom engagement.
Transparent masks and face shields
As of August 30, transparent face shields are available. Departments may order face shields from SciQuest in Workday. Fully vaccinated instructors may use face shields for up to two hours while maintaining a 12-foot distance from others. If you have questions about other uses of face shields, please contact EHS at ehs@yale.edu for guidance.
Teaching students who are in quarantine or isolation
Among the options available to instructors is lecture capture, which provides the ability to record lectures or presentations for viewing via Canvas or web browser. Some Yale classrooms are equipped for automated lecture capture while other classrooms can be easily set up to allow for lecture capture. Poorvu Center staff are happy to meet with you to demonstrate the recording process and how to make the most of lecture capture while emphasizing the value of in-person instruction. Please contact the Center to schedule a conversation.
Hybrid instruction is not recommended or expected, but may be necessary in rare cases, particularly in classes that meet daily. Should one of your students require such an arrangement, please contact the Poorvu Center for support.
Short-term remote teaching by faculty in quarantine or isolation
If, during the course of the semester, it becomes impossible for you to teach in person for more than a one-week period, please reach out to the FAS Dean’s office to discuss appropriate next steps:
- Faculty in Humanities and Social Science departments should submit short-term arrangement requests to John Mangan, Senior Associate Dean and Dean of Faculty Affairs, at john.mangan@yale.edu.
- Faculty in Science and SEAS departments should submit short-term arrangement requests to Bob Burger, Senior Associate Dean, at robert.burger@yale.edu.
FAQs and further information
Tuesday, September 2, 4:00-5:00pm: Drop-in “office hour” for FAS faculty
You may join the office hour using the following Zoom log in information:
- https://yale.zoom.us/j/91457318032?from=addon
- Or Telephone:203-432-9666 (2-ZOOM if on-campus)
- Meeting ID: 914 5731 8032
With warmest wishes,
Tamar
Tamar Szabó Gendler
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Vincent J. Scully Professor of Philosophy
Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science