Proposal: CLAS Academic Response to a Pandemic
Fall 2007

Background
In the spring of 2006, The University of Iowa began planning for a campus-wide response to a pandemic (web site: http://provost.uiowa.edu/work/pandemic.htm). Overall, “the plan identifies activities that may be suspended in the event of a pandemic (classes, arts events, large public gatherings) and those that must continue, including some core functions of the Department of Public Safety, Human Resources (HR), Facilities Management, Information Technology Services (ITS), and Student Health Services (SHS).” The University is continuing to work on the plan this year, with scenarios calling for the evacuation of students and the closing of the campus except for essential personnel.

The Office of the Provost has asked that academic responses to a pandemic be created at the collegiate level; the office will then vet them centrally and consider the different needs and criteria of the colleges before deciding on any central policy. The Provost has created the following guidelines for all colleges:

1. The health and safety of students, staff, and faculty are the primary concerns in determining how the academic needs of students might be met in the event that classes are suspended at the University of Iowa.
2. Ensuring that students receive a quality education, that they receive appropriate credit for the skills and knowledge that their courses impart to them, and that (in the case of required sequenced courses) they are prepared to continue to the next level of study in an area, are also important concerns in the determination of policies related to meeting their academic needs, if classes are suspended.
3. Preserving University property and the long-term ability of the University to function beyond the period during which classes might be suspended also represent important concerns in the development of policies related to meeting students' academic needs, if classes are suspended.
4. Colleges are responsible for ensuring that a suspension policy is in place for each course being taught; in cases where courses are cross-listed over different colleges, the primary collegiate home will be responsible for establishing the policy.
5. Policies should take into account requirements related to accreditation and certification within programs and majors.
6. Suspension policies should indicate the options (if any) available to students regarding grade/credit alternatives, as well as policies regarding if/how students may resume their work in a course after a suspension is lifted.
7. Policies must be published by colleges on collegiate Web sites, course Web sites, and/or in course syllabi.

Proposal: CLAS Academic Response to a Pandemic
On Thursday, September 13, 2007, the Educational Policy Committee unanimously approved the following proposal concerning an academic response by CLAS to a pandemic. The policy applies to all courses with their administrative home in CLAS. Please note that this response does not apply to a localized disaster, such as a tornado, that affects a smaller portion of the student body, but only to a pandemic.

A pandemic is an extreme situation, with more than 30% of the UI community most likely ill, and the measures below are thus also extreme. Complex policies would be unworkable and unrealistic, requiring intensive communication between faculty and students that would most likely be impossible. Please keep in mind that these academic responses will be used very seldom, if at all, and possibly in very trying situations.

The Educational Policy Committee would also like to stress that in any such crisis the University must adhere to principles of traditional governance and contract obligations, upholding these important aspects of the academic institution, even though the nature of the instructional situation has been changed. Without such adherence, it would be impossible to keep the good faith of the faculty and thus the academic soundness of the institution.

• If University, Board of Regents, State, or federal authority mandates the suspension of classes within the first 10 weeks of the semester, then courses will be dropped from students’ records without a designation of "W" (Withdrawn). Students would not have the option to continue in the course as a distance learning experience or in any other manner.

Procedure: The College expects that the drop for all students would be automatic, completed by the Registrar, and would not entail faculty/student communication.  

Rationale: Ten weeks seems a logical cut-off date since it occurs before the University deadline to drop a course with a W, the first day of the eleventh week. A “W” should not be included on the record since it represents an institutional action rather than a student’s choice. Courses should not continue through distance learning or by any other method since many students and faculty would be unable to participate, creating confusion and requiring unrealistic communication and staff support.  A pandemic will be a rare occurrence and if the College creates alternative educational strategies, they might never be used and might be outdated before being needed. It seems best to end the semester conclusively and definitively, with all students and faculty beginning a new semester at the same time. This seems the fastest method to restore the traditional academic calendar and to return to a sense of normalcy.

• If a suspension of classes is mandated after 10 weeks of the semester, students will be assigned their current grade at time of the suspension. Incompletes would not be allowed.

Procedure: Faculty will assign grades via OSIRIS as they do now.
Rationale: By ten weeks, instructors generally have a fairly accurate sense of a student’s overall work. The extreme nature of the pandemic dictates putting aside traditional grading norms and standards. By giving a final grade for a course, the semester is effectively completed, thus allowing a return to the academic calendar with all CLAS departments and courses in synchronization.

If students were assigned Incompletes, the next semester would be burdensome, with both faculty and students still trying to end the work of the previous semester. It would be difficult to focus on the new semester, with faculty supervising potentially hundreds of Incompletes.  UI students might return to the campus to complete at the most three weeks of studies, thus throwing off the academic calendar once again. Returning to the normal academic calendar is a key to recovery and giving grades earned at the time of the suspension definitively ends the semester, allowing a new one to begin at the next traditional date.

In some courses, students may not be able to end essential projects or to master enough information or skills required for the next course in a sequence. Students under current CLAS policy always have the option to petition the College for an exception to a policy; this will be true after a pandemic as well. It is expected that instructors will work with each other to modify the curriculum, making bridges to new academic material until the University has returned to normalcy. This seems to be a more reasonable, effective strategy than giving Incompletes or instructing students through distance learning.

• Even if courses in other colleges within The University of Iowa are resumed by the beginning of the 12th week of the semester, instructors in CLAS will nothave the option of allowing students to re-enroll to complete a course at an accelerated pace. Instead, new classes will resume at the next designated semester. Rationale under A and B, above.

Proposal: CLAS Academic Response to a Disaster
Fall 2007

On Thursday, September 13, 2007, the Educational Policy Committee unanimously approved the following proposal concerning an academic response by CLAS to a localized disaster, such as a tornado or fire, which affects only some of its students. (For the response to a pandemic affecting the entire UI community, please see that policy.)

During a disaster, the following options are available for responding to a student’s academic situation. Departments and programs may specify which options may be used for a particular course or may decide to leave this decision to the discretion of the instructor. Faculty should consult with the DEO and check for specific departmental policies before taking action.

The University and/or College will notify academic units and instructors that a disaster has occurred and will make every attempt to provide instructors with documentation for affected students. After receiving verification that a student has been affected, the following academic responses are available.

1. After consulting with the DEO and checking on departmental and program policy, faculty may decide to make accommodations and exceptions for students, offering make-up sessions, alternative assignments, or any other standard, professional means of helping students finish the course. The same accommodations must be offered to all students in the course affected by the disaster.

1. After consulting with the DEO and checking on departmental and program policy, faculty may choose to offer all students in the course one of the following options or may work individually with students to select the most appropriate option for each person.

1. If the disaster occurs before the final drop deadline, the student may be offered a Withdrawal from the course without a W.

2. If the disaster occurs after the last drop deadline, faculty may assign an Incomplete or assign the grade earned by the date of the disaster.

 Incomplete: This option is recommended for courses that function as prerequisites for other courses and/or that have important end of the semester projects essential for the successful completion of additional, sequential coursework. The amount of work that needs to be completed should be relatively small and the student’s standing in the course at the time must be satisfactory. Expectations for finishing the Incomplete must be in writing. All other CLAS policies and procedures concerning an Incomplete apply.

Grade by the date of the disaster: This option is recommended for courses that have had substantial graded assignments, ensuring that the assigned grade has significance and that the student is adequately prepared for a similar or for a sequential course.