For Faculty
Faculty who have students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or who have tested positive for COVID-19 can use the Faculty in the Classroom flowchart (updated March 3, 2022) for next steps.
If a student shows any symptoms, they should stay home. Should our attendance policies be more relaxed?
Absolutely. Faculty should be reasonable about their attendance. Encourage students to not attend class if they have any symptoms.
If a student reports COVID-19 related problems, who does the faculty member report to?
If a student appears with symptoms, ask them to leave that space and stay at home. The student should call the Health & Counseling Center. Faculty and staff can report concerns via the confidential form on the Confirmed Cases page.
Will faculty members be notified if someone in the class tests positive?
Contact tracing is done in conjunction with Buncombe County Department of Health. You will be contacted if necessary.
What are contingency plans for covering classes if faculty test positive or need to quarantine?
We are asking for all departments to develop contingency plans for short-term absences. It could include teaching remotely, offering asynchronous options, or asking a colleague to teach a class for a meeting or two.
We do not want anyone coming to campus if you have symptoms, test positive or have a significant exposure to COVID.
If a student in an in-person class tests positive, what measures should we take to protect the class – should the professor move their particular class or classes online for a certain time period?
UNC Asheville will work with the Buncombe County Health Department to determine who should be contacted in the event of a positive COVID case. Contact tracing will be completed and all close contacts will be notified. The CDC defines close contacts as anyone who is within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period.
If a student in my class may have reported concerns, symptoms or testing, should we still submit the form?
Yes, if you have concerns or a case to report, please submit the form. Duplicate submissions are still appreciated. Please note that personal health information should remain confidential and only shared with Human Resources or the Student Health and Counseling Center using the confidential form available on the Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 page.
How will we enforce the community expectations?
How will we enforce the community standards?
We know that wearing a face covering, washing your hands, and social distancing can be effective. All community members are expected to adhere to community expectations.
Can faculty inform a class that a classmate has tested positive for COVID?
The U.S. Department of Education clarified in their FERPA regulation that it is not appropriate to disclose the status of a student. That is part of a student’s personal information and cannot be shared in a way that identifies the student.
It is the responsibility of contact tracers to contact other students who may be at risk.
What needs to be considered for music and choral performances?
Dr. Hodge at MAHEC also answered this question during the August 31, 2021 town hall, citing that many of the preventative strategies should still be useful. The other consideration is ventilation. Some studies have demonstrated that the virus can spread on wood and brass instruments, so he recommends outside performances, where distance between performers can be increased.
Tuition, Academic Calendar, Class Schedules
What are the tuition and fees for 2021-22?
As we are all providing in-person instruction and on campus experiences for our students, we are also preparing for the contingencies that the COVID-19 crisis may require us to address. We cannot predict if some or all instructional formats for all or part of the 2021-22 academic year may change due to the public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As has always been the case, tuition and fees are charged at the beginning of the semester and will remain in place regardless of any changes in instructional format. Tuition and fees directly impact our ability to provide meaningful educational programs, experiences, and services and will not be refunded in the event that instructional format changes for any part of the 2021-22 academic year. Tuition is the same for all class types.
Here is the tuition and fee information for 2021-2022.
Find information for summer courses and tuition here.
What is the academic calendar for 2021-2022?
View the academic calendar here.
We have been monitoring very closely the prevalence and virulence of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in our region and across the country. In consultation with UNC System leadership and Chancellors, and in light of recommendations from our healthcare partners at MAHEC and Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services, UNC Asheville will:
- Begin the 2022 spring semester as scheduled on January 10.
- Engage in remote instruction for the first week of the semester: January 10–14. We will begin in-person instruction on January 18.
- Welcome all students to residence halls and to campus beginning January 6 for new students and January 8 for returning students who would like to return during this short period of remote instruction. Dining, Highsmith Union, and our student life program will be operational and welcoming students back to campus.
This temporary shift to remote instruction for the first week of the Spring semester is part of our COVID-19 Omicron mitigation protocols which will allow us to welcome students, faculty and staff back to campus gradually in a safe, responsible manner.
Are there ways to get your materials or resources for classes if you are not on-campus?
We are encouraging all faculty to make resources available electronically if possible, but you may also be able to order your books for delivery from the bookstore. If you’ve chosen the pick-up option, but would prefer delivery, please contact the bookstore.
What are the plans for Summer 2022 classes?
We expect a mix of modalities this summer 2022 with in-person and online options.
How many classes can a student take in a semester?
A student will be able to have a normal course load in the fall and spring terms for the 2021-22 academic year. Classes will span the full 15-week semester, and students will retain their planned schedule as much as possible. There will be traditional breaks for the fall and spring semesters.
How will the on-campus experience change or be the same?
The on-campus experience will be at the same high-level of academic excellence and extracurricular experiences, but in smaller groups, expanded settings, and with social distancing in mind. We will facilitate engagement, relationship-building, internship and service opportunities in the community, and creative ways to connect. We encourage our students to lead this area.
Our class sizes aren’t changing. We are keeping the same mission and values, which are predicated on the tradition of the liberal arts and sciences and small classes with close faculty-student interaction. This mission will continue in hybrid courses.
Do we still have student health ambassadors this semester and can they speak to our classes?
Please remember that we have both Student Health Ambassadors and Course Ambassadors, and these peer leaders are ready to support you in various aspects of your teaching and research this semester. Please be in touch with Jordan Perry or Regine Criser, respectively about these programs.
What are the metrics that would cause a change in the plan?
The metrics will come from the UNC System. It’s a variety of measures in the ambient spread of the virus. We will follow the guidance of the epidemiologist at UNC Chapel Hill who have been guiding us throughout the past few months and work closely with our local Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services.
Will materials be shared?
It will depend on the circumstance, but we encourage everyone to bring their own sets of materials and to limit sharing.
Will grade changes be in place?
We do not anticipate changing our grading structure for the 2021-22 academic year. If there is a sudden change in education experience or a mandate from the UNC System Office, we would address our policies at that time.
What if a student needs to withdraw from classes? Will tuition be refunded?
We will follow our standard withdrawal policy. Tuition refunds are not usually granted for withdrawals. However, exceptions can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
How should students request accommodations or arrangements if they need to miss a class due to symptoms, a significant exposure or a positive COVID test?
If you are going to miss a class because you are symptomatic or have a significant exposure or have tested positive, please contact your course instructors about options. The first step is to contact the faculty members teaching the course(s) you will miss. If you need additional options, you may also contact the department chair or dean, or email provost@unca.edu.
As was the case for Fall 2021, students may request disability-related accommodations in a class by going to the Office of Accessibility first. If approved to receive accommodations, there may be many solutions and the particulars will need to be worked out in consultation with the faculty member. There is no expectation that remote instruction is the only option. We recognize that in some circumstances, remote instruction (turning the class effectively into a hyflex modality for the faculty member) simply may not be possible. We will share with students that they should be prepared for any number of ways of solving the issue at hand.
We are encouraging everyone to have flexibility in course modality and options that are helpful for students, but it will depend on the specific course. For more information, see the information on requesting accommodations and courtesy arrangements.
What resources will be available when students have an excused absence and need to make up classes?
We have several resources available, from class recording technology to note-taking, but it will depend on each class. Some of the strategies available include streaming of the course for students to watch live, recording of the class to be shared with students asynchronously, or developing alternative ways for students to receive course content (Powerpoint slides on Moodle, for example) and demonstrate participation/attendance in the course (short submissions to prompts, for example).
Do students need to provide a doctor’s note to return to class?
An instructor should not ask for a particular detail of personal health history but can always ask for a note from a health provider that a particular person is cleared to be in class.
Will OLLI hold classes in 2021-22?
Please visit the OLLI website for more information. You will be able to register online on our registration page.