Covid-19 Classroom Management

Advice to faculty and staff for handling various covid-19 student scenarios including classroom management.

Student Scenarios

Does this vaccine policy apply to students?

Starting Monday, March 14, 2022 there will no longer be a proof of vaccination or testing requirement for students living in residence halls or other designated activities. Some students may remain subject to the MMB requirement as student employees; to NCAA or other testing related to athletic programs; or may be required to be vaccinated or to test by an internal or external organization that serves as a clinical or internship placement site.

What is an instructor’s responsibility if they learn of a student’s vaccination status?

As was the case prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, instructors or supervisors should not inquire about or otherwise solicit a student’s immunization status or medical test results, either individually or anonymously.

If a student, without solicitation by the instructor or supervisor, voluntarily discloses their vaccination status, the individual should keep that information private and not share with others. You should encourage the student to report their status to the Reporting Hotline at 507-389-2030.

What if a student tells me they have had close contact with someone who tested positive to COVID-19?

Students notified they have had close contact are advised to get tested 3-5 days from the time of exposure regardless of vaccination status. Students can call the Student Health Services COVID Healthcare Hotline at 507-389-5591 for more information and to make an appointment to get tested. Tests are by appointment only.

• For students in quarantine, instructors and staff should arrange accommodations for class participation. A student in isolation should not be referred to the Accessibility Resources, but any preexisting accommodations requested via the Accessibility Resources should continue to be provided.

If You Have Contact With COVID-19

Furthermore, offer the following resources for students:

• For questions about symptoms, testing, or risk of COVID-19, call the Student Health Services COVID Healthcare Hotline at 507-389-5591.
• Have the student contact all their professors to inform them they will not attending class, events or activities in-person.
• Students living in University housing should contact Residential Life to arrange accommodations for isolation/quarantine at reslife@mnsu.edu or 507-389-1011.
• Students that need assistance with services should contact the Student Affairs Office at student-affairs@mnsu.edu or 507-389-2121.
• For general questions, contact the Provost’s Office at provost@mnsu.edu or 507-389-1335.

Faculty:

• Should NOT do any investigating or contact tracing. Local and state public health officials will provide guidance on those who should be notified of a potential exposure. In some instances, departments in the University may be asked to assist with this, but this must be specifically requested and guided by public health partners or, in some cases, the person with a positive COVID-19 test result.
• Should NOT publicly declare a student is sick, has a positive COVID-19 test, or is in quarantine due to exposure. Each individual’s health status is a private matter.
• Should NOT communicate without consultation from the Office of the Provost and/or MDH. Faculty should consult with their department chair and dean whether communication should be sent to notify a class of potential exposure or if other mitigation strategies should be put in place due to exposure.  Deans will consult with the Office of the Provost to help provide consistency and templated language for various scenarios.
• Should NOT unilaterally change course delivery for the semester before consulting with their department chair and dean and/or receiving guidance by health investigators. Deans should consult with the Office of the Provost on a case-by-case basis. Each instructor, together with their department or program, should develop contingency plans in case an early or temporary pivot becomes necessary.
• Employees should report their work status to their supervisor as soon as possible and/or prior to the start of their next work shift. Employees that need assistance with any applicable leave policies or benefits should contact Human Resources at hr@mnsu.edu or 507-389-2015.

What if a student tells me they are experiencing COVID symptoms?

• Tell the student to isolate, seek medical advice, and do not attend class, events or activities in-person.
  • If the test result is positive for COVID-19, call the Campus Hotline at 507-389-2030.
• If the medical advice is to get tested, isolate and wait for the test result.
• Have the student contact all their professors to inform them he/she is experiencing COVID symptoms, they are isolating, seeking medical advice, and not attending class, events or activities in-person.

Furthermore, offer the following resources for students:

• For questions about symptoms, testing, or risk of COVID-19, call the Student Health Services COVID Healthcare Hotline at 507-389-5591.
• Students living in University housing should contact Residential Life to arrange accommodations for isolation/quarantine at reslife@mnsu.edu or 507-389-1011.
• Students that need assistance with services should contact the Student Affairs Office at student-affairs@mnsu.edu or 507-389-2121.
• For general questions, contact the Provost’s Office at provost@mnsu.edu or 507-389-1335.

What if a student tells me they have tested positive to COVID-19?

Students with a positive COVID-19 test should be encouraged to use student notification process. State or local public health investigators will contact the student to review isolation requirements and to determine whether others may have been exposed.

• State and local public health officials are responsible for determining whether others may have been exposed and for ensuring those persons are notified either by the investigators assigned to the case or by trained contact tracers. Departments in the University may be asked by local or state public health officials to provide information or notification assistance in some instances.
• For students in isolation, instructors and staff should arrange accommodations for class participation. A student in isolation should not be referred to the Accessibility Resources, but any preexisting accommodations requested via the Accessibility Resources should continue to be provided.

IF You Test Positive to COVID-19

Furthermore, offer the following resources for students:

• For questions about symptoms, testing, or risk of COVID-19, call the Student Health Services COVID Healthcare Hotline at 507-389-5591.
• Have the student contact all their professors to inform them they will not be attending class, events or activities in-person.
• Students living in University housing should contact Residential Life to arrange accommodations for isolation/quarantine at reslife@mnsu.edu or 507-389-1011.
• Students that need assistance with services should contact the Student Affairs Office at student-affairs@mnsu.edu or 507-389-2121.
• For general questions, contact the Provost’s Office at provost@mnsu.edu or 507-389-1335.

Faculty:

• Should NOT do any investigating or contact tracing. Local and state public health officials will provide guidance on those who should be notified of a potential exposure. In some instances, departments in the University may be asked to assist with this, but this must be specifically requested and guided by public health partners or, in some cases, the person with a positive COVID-19 test result.
• Should NOT publicly declare a student is sick, has a positive COVID-19 test, or is in quarantine due to exposure. Each individual’s health status is a private matter.
• Should NOT communicate without consultation from the Office of the Provost and/or MDH. Faculty should consult with their department chair and dean whether communication should be sent to notify a class of potential exposure or if other mitigation strategies should be put in place due to exposure. Deans will consult with the Office of the Provost to help provide consistency and templated language for various scenarios.
• Should NOT unilaterally change course delivery for the semester before consulting with their department chair and dean and/or receiving guidance by health investigators. Deans should consult with the Office of the Provost on a case-by-case basis. Each instructor, together with their department or program, should develop contingency plans in case an early or temporary pivot becomes necessary.
• Employees should report their work status to their supervisor as soon as possible and/or prior to the start of their next work shift. Employees that need assistance with any applicable leave policies or benefits should contact Human Resources at hr@mnsu.edu or 507-389-2015.

What if a student or co-worker is exhibiting symptoms? What do I do?

There are many reasons why someone might cough, sneeze, or have a runny nose (including, for example, seasonal allergies). We all must avoid making assumptions about others’ health status or impermissibly discriminating against others based on perceived health status. Accordingly, no individual should be assumed to be infected with COVID-19 on the basis of apparent symptoms; you should not attempt to make medical diagnoses in class. Instructors may, as has always been their case, use their best judgment, to manage their classrooms to avoid disruptions.

Employees who wish to report concerns or issues about hygiene and respiratory etiquette may do so by contacting the Provost’s Office at provost@mnsu.edu.

If an instructor has been made aware a student has been exposed or has tested positive and the student shows up to class without following quarantine or other recommendations, what options does the instructor have without disclosing anything to others?

Care should be taken by instructors not to make assumptions that may reflect inaccurate or incomplete information. Generally, the only way instructors will be aware that a student is in isolation or quarantine is if a student discloses this information. This may be after a student has been exposed or tested positive and been asked by public health officials to stay in isolation or quarantine. Instructors should be careful not to make assumptions based on hearsay or rumors.

• In instances in which the instructor has previously been told by the student that they have been asked by public health to stay in isolation or quarantine:
  • The instructor could pull the student aside for a cordial chat before class (if that can be done confidentially, and if the student is open to a conversation). Alternatively, the instructor could proceed with the class, but email the student afterward to find out more information.

The instructor also has discretion to end the class session for the day to provide an opportunity to find out more information. The instructor should not disclose to students the reason for suspending the class session. A general announcement should be made to the class that would be relevant to various circumstances, (e.g., "Something important has just come up and I need to end class for the day … I'll see you at the next class session"). The instructor could then reach out to the student, as described above, or could report the student to Student Conduct.

Instructors who have ongoing concerns after talking with the student, should consult with their department chair and dean. Deans may also consult with the provost.

Instructors should ensure that face coverings guidelines are consistently followed in all class settings, following public health guidance to minimize potential exposure risks.

Are instructors required to provide accommodations to students who either test positive for COVID-19 or are in quarantine/isolation?

If a student tests positive for COVID-19 and needs to isolate, is in quarantine or falls ill, the instructor should provide the student the opportunity to make up missed work and/or arrange accommodations for class participation.

• Absences for personal medical emergencies for less than 2 weeks, students are responsible for contacting their course instructors themselves.
• Absences for personal medical emergencies for 2 weeks or more, students should contact Accessibility Resources. That office will collect information from the student, document the reason for the absence, and contact the student’s instructors upon determining that the absence is valid.
  • The information provided to Accessibility Resources does not mandate any action on behalf of the instructor. Students may still contact individual instructors but instructors are encouraged to have students contact Accessibility Resources.

• Absences for family crises and emergencies that are not related to a medical emergency involving the student and which lead or may lead to extended absences (2 weeks or longer) from the University, should contact the Office of Student Affairs.
  • The information provided to the Office of Student Affairs does not mandate any action on behalf of the instructor. This office will collect information from the student, attempt to determine the veracity of the excuse, and notify that student’s instructors.

Who gets to come to class in FlexSync courses?

Undergraduate FlexSync courses are held in-person by instructors in the classroom with the option of remote attendance of students via zoom. In-person attendance is strongly encouraged. Students that need to participate remotely for any reason should contact their instructor by the end of the first week. Instructors may set attendance expectations for those that have not arranged remote attendance. International students attending class remotely from home countries will be granted remote attendance automatically.

Can students alternate between in-person and online attendance in FlexSync courses?

Undergraduate FlexSync courses are held in-person by instructors in the classroom with the option of remote attendance of students via zoom. In-person attendance is strongly encouraged. Students that need to participate remotely for any reason should contact their instructor by the end of the first week. Instructors may set attendance expectations for those that have not arranged remote attendance. International students attending class remotely from home countries will be granted remote attendance automatically.

I’m worried about COVID; can I change the modality of my class to remote, online or FlexSync?

Students enrolled in their classes based on, among other things, the course delivery. Delivery method should not change unilaterally during the semester unless the University, Minnesota State System Office, or the Governor mandates a change due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with your department chair and dean. Deans should consult with the provost on a case-by-case basis. Each instructor, together with their department or program, should develop contingency plans in case an early or temporary pivot becomes necessary.