Campus Operations Updates, Social Distancing in the Classroom, University Testing Services, and more!
|
|
Spring 2021
News for Students
|
|
Welcome Back from
President Jere W. Morehead
In this issue:
|
|
Health & Wellness
Surveillance Testing Push Continues
From Jan. 4-22, capacity at the Legion Field surveillance testing site and pop-up locations across campus is expanded to accommodate up to 1,500 tests per day (1,000 per day at Legion Field and 500 at pop-up locations).
“Pop-up” Surveillance Testing will be available across campus with many daily options to choose from. Free, walk-up asymptomatic-only testing is available for all UGA community members.
- Bring your UGA ID.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke/chew tobacco 30 minutes before your test.
- Get tested now; check out the daily calendar here.
If you would like to schedule an appointment, you may register for surveillance testing at Legion Field. Appointments or walk-ups are available Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The Legion Field site testing schedule will follow the University of Georgia calendar for closure.
***While supplies last, we are giving away “Georgia Strong/Dawg Strong” t-shirts, or coupons for on-campus retail dining locations, courtesy of the President’s Venture Fund. You will receive one of these items as a thank you for your participation.
Symptomatic students should visit their UHC primary care provider
Remember to Check your Symptoms Before Coming to Campus
Face Covering Distribution
Appropriate face coverings will continue to be required while inside University facilities/buildings this semester. The University has purchased one additional face covering for each campus community member. We have established several distribution sites around the Athens campus to ensure easy pickup and to reduce probability of crowds in any one campus location. Students on UGA’s extended campuses (Griffin, Tifton, Buckhead, Gwinnett, etc.) will have an opportunity to pick up one additional face covering at their locations as well. Local campus administrators will follow up with information on those designated distribution sites.
Students will need to have their University-issued ID to pick up a face covering, so please have it with you when you visit any of the campus locations. Please be aware that your ID will be scanned to ensure that each student gets only one face covering so that we have enough for everyone.
Students at the Athens Campus may pick up their face covering at the following locations during the hours each facility is open:
- Tate Student Center Information Desk
- Ramsey Student Center (Room 201)
- Miller Learning Center Information Desk
- Auxiliary Services One Stop Shop
- All University Housing Residence Halls (for residential students only)
- Legion Field Surveillance Testing Site
- University Health Center
- Pop-up Surveillance Testing Sites
Required COVID-19 Training for Students
The Spring 2021 COVID-19 training module is now live in eLC. Returning students will complete a condensed “Refresher” module, while new students will complete the full version. Please be sure you have logged into eLC and completed the training prior to Jan. 31. Returning to campus safely is everyone’s responsibility, and we know you will do what you can to ensure you, your fellow students and all members of the University community have a safe, healthy and successful spring semester.
Student and Faculty Requests for COVID-19-Related Accommodations
Requests from students for an accommodation due to COVID-19 will continue be handled through the Disability Resource Center’s (DRC) existing accommodations process. DRC professional staff work directly with students to assess their individual needs and to develop appropriate plans for accommodations and services.
All faculty, staff and graduate assistants who received a COVID-19/ADA-related accommodation during the Fall 2020 Semester may continue to use their approved accommodations during the Spring 2021 Semester unless notified otherwise. Faculty, staff and graduate assistants may seek a new or different COVID-19 related accommodation for the 2021 Spring Semester if they fall within one of the categories for increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, as defined by the CDC. Requests for accommodations should be submitted to Human Resources through the University’s existing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations process.
If you have questions regarding a COVID-19 accommodation, please contact the DRC at drc@uga.edu or 706-542-8719.
Rec Sports Fitness Free Week
Join Rec Sports for 40+ free, in-person, socially-distanced fitness classes on the Unlimited Fitness and Small Group Training schedules Wednesday, Jan. 13 through Sunday, Jan. 17. Class schedules can be found here. Take advantage of 25% off the Unlimited Fitness Pass during this time.
|
|
Learning on Campus
Spring Instructional Plans
Spring Semester Calendar and Spring Break
Wednesday, Jan. 13 is the first day of class for Spring Semester. Although there will be no Spring Break, the calendar includes three one-day instructional breaks on Feb. 17, Mar. 12, and Apr. 8.
Based on recommendations from the Educational Affairs Committee, “no mandatory assignments shall be scheduled for completion during these instructional break days, either for course work or extra-curricular or co-curricular activities. It is strongly recommended that assignments and examinations not be scheduled for the day after the instructional break days.”
Daily Class Schedule
The transition time between classes has been expanded by five minutes to give students and faculty more time to move between classes. You can see the revised class schedules here. Campus Transit buses will continue to operate, but social distancing will limit passenger capacity.
Class Formats
Classes will be offered in face-to-face, hybrid, or online formats. Hybrid and online classes may be synchronous or asynchronous. The instructional formats for all classes are identified in Athena. Students are encouraged to make the most of their UGA experience through active participation in their classes. One way to do so is to keep the video on when attending hybrid or online classes in order to provide faculty with immediate feedback.
Attendance Policies
While the need for faculty, staff, and students to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 will continue, the University’s classroom attendance policy has not changed. Instructors will implement an attendance policy that best suits their classes but includes sufficient flexibility to meet public health and safety guidelines. Instructors will communicate their attendance policies through their syllabi and in their classes. You should take attendance requirements into consideration as you plan your semester schedules.
Student Care and Outreach will continue to notify instructors if any students in their classes report a positive test report via DawgCheck.
Social Distancing in the Classroom
Students and faculty must maintain six feet or greater distance with each other, and seating arrangements that allow this social distancing have been marked in all classrooms.
Expanded Learning Opportunities
UGA has installed video conferencing compatible technology in more than 39 centrally managed classrooms. This enhances learning for more than 19,000 students across campus this spring, building on the 111 classrooms that were updated in the fall with webcams, monitors and microphones.
Additionally, face-to-face instruction will increase with the expansion of classes into nontraditional spaces including UGA’s Chapel and Tate Theatre (which was used in the fall), Sanford Stadium and the Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. More than 6,000 in-person sessions will be available to students during the semester.
Spring Semester Library Hours
The Libraries return to regular hours on Wednesday, Jan. 13. In addition, patrons can find digital resources and get help via online chat. For more information, visit libs.uga.edu.
|
|
Living on Campus
#WelcomeUGA
The Department of Student Transitions is building a comprehensive calendar of all Spring 2021 Welcome UGA events being hosted across campus and would also like to promote and support your office’s upcoming Signature Events. Student organizations, schools and colleges, and faculty and staff are encouraged to host and submit events. Your program qualifies as a Welcome UGA event if it is…
- Within the first 6 weeks of the Spring 2021 Semester (Jan. 11—Feb. 19).
- Free and open to all UGA students.
- Designed to promote student engagement and involvement with your office, staff or peers.
To increase visibility of your event, add the hashtag #WelcomeUGA to your event’s social media posts and calendar submissions!
Learn more about Welcome UGA | Learn more about Student Transitions
Spring 2021 Meal Plans Available
Spring into the new year with new menu options from O-House and the Village Summit including:
- Customizable stir-fry options with a daily selection of proteins such as tempura chicken and shrimp as well as mixing sauces like yum yum yellow and zesty orange (O-House).
- Hot and savory comfort foods, such as chicken and rice casserole and more.
- Pop-up ice cream station with toppings like chocolate, caramel and sprinkles (O-House).
- Customized burritos, bowls and nachos at O'Hacienda (O-House).
- Choose from a featured “sushi of the week” or enjoy a vegetable or California roll daily beginning at 4:00 p.m. (Village Summit).
- Rotating premium salad entrées, such as a chopped winter salad with butternut squash and a grilled Portobello Caesar salad (Village Summit).
- Cooked-to-order burgers at the grill with toppings such as grilled onions and bacon (Village Summit).
- Expanded pasta bar with rotating entrées, such as stuffed shells with creamy pesto sauce and a chicken Caesar pasta toss (Village Summit).
- Fresh, more customizable salad bar and deli sandwich stations in lieu of grab-and-go (O-House & Village Summit).
UGA’s dining commons are currently open for meal plan participants only. Customers can dine-in or take food to-go from available stations. Snelling is open on convenient grab-and-go orders via Grubhub only and offers a special pizza plus 2-liter soda menu from 4 p.m – 12 a.m.
Parking Available in Tate Deck for Legion Field Surveillance Testing
Free 30-minute parking at the Tate Center Parking Deck remains available for UGA students, faculty and staff participating in surveillance testing at Legion Field. The Legion Field parking lot is open for permit holders only and does not have designated parking for surveillance testing. Please note that with the Tate Center Parking Deck’s recent transition to a License Plate Recognition (LPR) system, those parking at the Tate Center for testing need to alert the parking attendant upon entering the deck. Participants will receive a parking pass to display on their vehicle to avoid a citation. If you have questions about parking, please contact the One Stop Shop at 706-542-7275.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Breakfast
Join us in celebrating the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and recognizing dedicated individuals in our community who are working to make his dream a reality.
Visit UGA’s Facebook page on Friday, Jan. 15 at 9:00 a.m. to watch the video premiere of the 18th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Breakfast. This virtual event is free and open to the public.
|
|
You are receiving this email because you are part of the University of Georgia community.
Communication Preferences | UGA Privacy Policy | View In Browser