Health & Safety in Instructional Spaces
With limited exceptions, masks are not required indoors on UAlbany’s campuses — including in classrooms, labs, studios and other instructional spaces and meeting areas. Review UAlbany's mask rules for additional information.
Facilities staff clean and disinfect classrooms and other instructional spaces each night, and routinely disinfect high-touch or high-use public spaces throughout the day.
If a student informs you that they have tested positive or suspect they have COVID-19, please adhere to the guidelines listed below:
-
If a student tells you they have received a positive diagnostic test result, please ask them to review the Positive Test Results & Isolation page for instructions on notifying the University and isolating. If the conversation is happening via email, do not forward or include anyone else in your messages, as this is sensitive information.
-
You should not take any further action if you learn that a student in your class has tested positive, unless you are instructed to do so by the Office of Risk Management, the Office of Emergency Management, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Dean of Undergraduate Education, Human Resources or the appropriate county Health Department. Instructors must not mention that a student has tested positive or identify the student to the class, as this is personal health information. Only the appropriate University officials or county Health Department may discuss a positive case with anyone.
-
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, you should follow regular procedures for instructor illness. You should also stay home, contact your medical provider and get tested. You must review the Positive Test Results & Isolation page for instructions on notifying the University and isolating.
Course and Office Hour Modalities
-
Please continue to use your best judgment when accommodating student absences or missed assignments. Instructors should provide appropriate and reasonable accommodations consistent with existing policies. We recommend recording your lectures in the event a student needs to be accommodated because of illness.
-
The University is continuously monitoring the health and well-being of our entire campus community and, if necessary, will adjust campus operations, including course delivery, to protect the health and safety of our community. Should changes be needed, they would be made University-wide in consultation with the New York State Education Department, as was the case in 2020, and not at the individual course level.
-
Individual classes may not change modality. Courses must be offered in the modality that has been approved by the New York State Education Department, SUNY and the appropriate UAlbany department, and in the modality for which students registered. This means that online courses should not require students to meet in person and in-person courses should not be delivered remotely.
-
Changing course modality may create equity and accessibility problems for our students and specific impacts include, but are not limited to, jeopardizing students’ ability to access courses, students’ grant and military benefits, and/or their visa status.
-
Instructors may choose to hold virtual office hours in lieu of or in addition to in-person office hours. Instructors should clearly state on their syllabus how they will be holding office hours and ensure that students can participate in office hours by communicating the days, times and a Zoom link or office location with students.
Classroom Assignments
In alignment with campus academic scheduling guidelines, classrooms have been assigned according to the days and times, enrollment capacities, and room features requested during initial scheduling.
Instructors with questions and/or concerns about classroom assignments should work with their academic department's schedulers.