[Teaching-Faculty] Weekend update on Faculty Questions re: Fall 2021

[Office of the Provost]

Hello colleagues,
With a busy end of week including the Matriculation Ceremony, I did not
manage to get an update on faculty questions drafted yesterday.  Here are a
few updates:

Question: Can faculty remove their masks at the front of the room when they
are teaching?  The questioner noted that at our President's Welcome in
Giltz, the speakers removed their masks while speaking.

Answer: For the time being, faculty teaching in classroom spaces need to
comply with the posted policy in the Classroom Procedures section of our
start-up information posted on the homepage, "Campus Updates Tab":
"Faculty, staff and students are required to wear masks indoors as
described in the restart plan."

I did ask about the Giltz event, and the feeling was that the space is very
large with very high ceilings; attending employees were spread out in the
audience as well as masked. The speakers at the podium were elevated and
clearly distanced from the audience.  They were also using a microphone, so
not needing to project their voices.

I know how uncomfortable masking is, and my hope is that we can back off of
this requirement for vaccinated teaching faculty once we get a clearer
picture of our campus vaccination profile in the coming weeks.

Question: I thought all NY State employees had to be vaccinated?

Answer: No, they do not.  I wrote previously and confirmed again yesterday
that UUP and CSEA employees, per their contracts, are not required to
vaccinate.

Question: Are unvaccinated students who have 35 days to comply with the
vaccination mandate coming to campus partially vaccinated? Are they allowed
in the dorms and in the classrooms during this grace period?

Answer: Yes, there are students, a small percentage at this point, coming
to campus unvaccinated *or* partially vaccinated.  Prior to the FDA
approval of Pfizer, we could not require vaccination of our students--only
strongly encourage, and so such students would have been in classrooms.
Students can not access residence hall room assignments unless they are
vaccinated. During the 35 days until the deadline for being fully
vaccinated has transpired, students who have exemptions and students who
are not vaccinated can attend class.

The policy states that it is the responsibility of unvaccinated individuals
who are indoors to be masked *and* to sociall distance (6 feet).

With the vaccination clinics that have been running on campus since Friday,
I imagine that unvaccinated students (who have all been notified now of the
mandate and timeline) will comply or leave the college. I know of one who
already withdrew because of the mandate.  Another who is staying home and
will only take online classes (as available).

I appreciate the faculty members who have shared positive feedback on my
notes.  I have been asked why my notes aren't sent to the entire campus.
Emails for the entire campus appropriately come from the President's
Office.  Chairs or program directors who wish to share my updates with
administrative assistants or other staff in your academic areas/departments
are welcome to do so.

Happy weekend, everyone. :)  See some of you on Monday!
Anne
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