A one-stop shopping resource for all the websites and messages needed for UNLV during pandemics:
Guidance for Faculty and Instructors: Enforcement of Face Coverings
and Social Distancing Policies During Fall 2020
Dear Colleagues,
When we return to campus from working remotely, we'll bring with us
new perspectives and anxieties about being together again. It can be stressful
to work through these feelings while adapting to new university policies,
https://www.unlv.edu/coronavirus/health-requirements
such as wearing a mask or cloth face covering and maintaining
a six-foot minimum social distance from others at all times.
Here are some suggestions for navigating challenging classroom interactions
with patience, respect, and an open mind. Guidance on enforcement
and de-escalation is featured in this UNLV video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHECMdlg5AE&feature=youtu.be
We also have a video that illustrates the new campus norms.
1) Take initiative to prevent conflict:
If you are a faculty member teaching in the classroom, and
you have a student in your class who is not wearing a mask
or observing safe social distancing of six feet from others,
please take the initiative to speak with that student
about coming into compliance. You will find additional
information on how to effectively navigate these situations below.
2) Managing emotions:
Acknowledging and managing your emotions will help you
remain calm and defuse situations effectively.
In doing so, keep in mind that listening
and empathy are key to de-escalating a tense situation.
3) Facing difficult situations in the faculty-student environment:
When interacting with students, faculty members are uniquely
positioned to set the tone and expectations in the classroom.
When facing a tough situation, do not allow yourself to
get pulled into debates. Here are some suggestions for how to do this.
i) First, establish your expectation on Day 1 of class that students
will communicate with each other and with you respectfully and professionally.
Consider devoting the first 15 seconds of each class to remind students
that wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing
are required at all times on campus, per university policy and the governor's mandates.
If you use slides in your lectures, the first slide of
every lecture could be this statement from the academic year memo:
Public Health Directives:
Face coverings are mandatory for all faculty
and students in the classroom. Students must follow all active
UNLV public health directives while enrolled in this class.
UNLV public health directives are found on the webpage:
Health Requirements for Returning to Campus.
Students who do not comply with these directives may be
asked to leave the classroom. Refusal to follow the guidelines
may result in further disciplinary action according
to the UNLV Code of Student Conduct,
including being administratively withdrawn from the course.
ii) Second, don't take the bait.
If needed, let the student know that their noncompliant
behavior is inappropriate.
If one or more students won't comply or can't calm down,
ask them to leave.
Don't take the bait outside of the classroom either.
Please do not debate with students on social media.
iii) Third, if you are in the classroom and the discussion continues
to escalate to the point where you need to ask a student to leave,
consider the following:
Establish a next step ("You have left me no option but to ask you
to please leave the class now. Let's please talk about this situation
privately before our next class.")
Document the situation and notify your department chair/director
and the Office of Student Conduct.
https://www.unlv.edu/studentconduct
Report threats of any kind to your chair or director and to University Police Services.
https://www.unlv.edu/police
If you need help or you are not comfortable dealing with the situation
by yourself, there is support available to you.
Talk with your chair or director or dean or with the
Office of Student Conduct. They will help you to identify ways to address the situation.
If the student does not leave the classroom after being asked to do so, you may dismiss class.
iv) Fourth, consider a remote one-on-one meeting with the student
if you think it may help defuse the situation.
Make sure you have reviewed the Student Handbook, so that you are familiar
with UNLV's current behavior and civility codes.
In talking with the student, calmly state the facts:
An important part of my job is to make the classroom environment
safe and comfortable for everyone. Following the state mandates
and university COVID-19 policies makes our classroom safer.
This is why I asked each student to wear a face covering
and maintain social distance in class.
I appreciate having you in class. This is a hard time for us all.
4) A student who for a second time during the course fails to comply
with the requirement to wear face covering or maintain social distancing
may be administratively withdrawn from the course,
per the Public Health Directives listed above and included in
the course syllabus. Administrative withdrawals must be approved by
the department chair and dean. Being withdrawn from the class may negatively
impact the student's financial aid, as well as academic progression.
5) We are living in difficult and strange times. Thank you for leaning into
the challenges we are facing, and for contributing to ensuring a healthy
and safe campus. We will continue working together to have a successful academic year.
Warm Wishes, Chris Heavey, Ph.D., Interim Executive Vice President and Provost