Precautions and Continuity Planning for Instruction and Exams

March 10, 2020

The campus continues to work closely with public health agencies to monitor the COVID-19 situation. To date, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on campus or anywhere in Santa Barbara County. However, in an effort to minimize the risk of exposure in our community, we have decided that it would be prudent to take proactive measures at this time.

Winter Quarter

Because reducing the number of class meetings on campus could help to inhibit the spread of COVID-19, we are asking instructors to consider making alternative arrangements for all remaining Winter Quarter classes, especially large or crowded courses, in order to avoid in-person class meetings. We realize that it may not be practical for everyone to quickly convert to online formats, record lectures (to be viewed either during class time or later), or deliver instruction through Zoom, but we ask that instructors do their best to make alternative arrangements (such as posting power point presentations or lecture notes or written lectures on GauchoSpace). This web site includes information on how to maintain instructional continuity. 

Instructors should not require student attendance at classes this week. In addition, as we urge everyone in the community to exercise caution and self-quarantine if they show any symptoms of illness, we also urge faculty to accept requests to grant students temporary extensions or exceptions for medical reasons without requiring a note from a doctor.

Final Exams

We strongly recommend that alternative arrangements be made for final exams for all classes in which students would have to take exams in close proximity to each other. Information has been provided about utilizing the Proctor U service, at no cost to students. (For more details about using Proctor U to administer a proctored exam online, see this page.) Other options include take-home finals and alternative assignments. As we did during the Thomas Fire and subsequent road closures, we urge maximum flexibility in helping students complete their coursework and obtain grades.

It is imperative that faculty communicate with the students in their courses without delay (most efficiently through GauchoSpace) to inform them of any alternative arrangements. Since students must have access to a computer with a webcam to use Proctor U, please ask your students to confirm that they have appropriate technology. If not, it would be acceptable to have an in-class final for a reduced number of students, or to make other arrangements. Instructors can set up a GauchoSpace site quickly and easily following these instructions if they do not already have one.

The campus (including classrooms, the library, residence halls, and dining halls) remains open and operational. Classrooms can be used for low-density meetings if necessary.

Spring Quarter

Given the expected spread of COVID-19 regionally and nationally and our desire to take proactive efforts to protect our community, after discussions in the COVID-19 Response Working Group appointed by the Chancellor, it has been decided that instructors and departments should immediately plan to shift Spring Quarter classes from in-person formats to remote formats, using alternative modalities, at least through the month of April. It is understood that not all classes could be converted to on-line formats, but we ask faculty and departments to review what alternative arrangements could be made for each spring quarter course, or what curricular alternatives could be developed. We will need to have further discussions about the viability of labs, studio courses, and other instructional meetings in small settings. Please consult with your colleagues, chair, and dean. We will reassess the options for the rest of Spring Quarter over the next few weeks.

In addition, since there will be some courses that cannot be practically offered in an online format (using video, Zoom, readings and assignments distributed through GauchoSpace, etc.), departments should explore alternative, substitute curricula that could be offered to provide curricular options for students who need them. In addition to the training, assistance, and workshops that already have been publicized, Instructional Development can help to organize additional support for instructors. If necessary, other options will be pursued as well, including expanded offerings from current campus and system-wide online curricula. We will ask the Academic Senate to review any relevant Senate policies.  We call on faculty and staff to use their creativity and ingenuity to help our students continue their education.

As the Chancellor said in his March 7th message to the campus community, “The well-being of our community is our highest priority. We are vigilantly working with every area of our campus to monitor and respond to the situation as it continues to evolve.” We will continue to follow the guidance of our local public health agencies and the CDC, as well as the UC Office of the President, but we want everyone to do everything possible to contribute to public health efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Thank you for your cooperation and collaboration as we work together to help reduce the health risks to our community.