Remote Learning Resources

Guidance on Remote Instruction


The Provost’s Office has issued guidance on remote instruction, which recommends best practices for remote instruction. We also ask that all faculty consider challenges and barriers to access students may be facing with respect to remote instruction due to differences in time zones, limited access to a computer or the internet, familial duties, military duties, or disabilities.

Technology Support


The Division of Information Technology is standing by to help. DoIT has created several resources and guides to assist faculty and staff regarding internet access, online coursework, and more.

Encountering a technical issue? Submit a ticket via RT for one-on-one support.

Faculty Development Center


The Faculty Development Center (FDC) offers additional resources, including for labs and studios going online, accessibility in online learning, and other core topics. See Keep on Teaching for more information. See also the FDC’s page on synchronous versus asynchronous remote instruction.

Tips for Engaging Students Online


During this difficult semester for teaching and learning, we recognize the challenges everyone is facing. Fostering connections can help students and faculty, as we are all in this together. Creating an environment that supports engagement in the first few weeks is crucial. To support you in this effort, we’ve created a document outlining easy-to-implement steps to increase student engagement.

COVID-19-Related Class Absences


We recognize that in addition to physical illness due to COVID-19, there are numerous COVID-19-related situations that might also necessitate absence from class. This includes situations like, but not limited to, self-quarantine, quarantine or care of immediate family members, or child care resulting from school closures or family illness.

Class absences may take the form of not attending an in-person class or a scheduled synchronous online class; not participating in online class activities (synchronous or asynchronous); or an inability to meet deadlines for homework, quizzes/exams, presentations, or other graded assessments. Students who are absent from class due to COVID-19-related situations need to communicate directly with the course instructor as they would for any other absence. Students should submit notification of the absence in writing to their instructor in a timely manner either prior to the absence or as soon afterwards as possible.

It is important to affirm that class absences, COVID-19-related or not, do not alter the academic requirements of any course and students remain responsible for information and material missed during the absence. Additionally, COVID-19-related absences are not considered a “disability” and as such do not require that students seek accommodations from the Office of Student Disability Services.

Finally, an instructor may determine that missing a certain amount of participation-dependent activities precludes successful accomplishment of the learning outcomes for the course. In cases like this, the instructor may advise the student to withdraw from the course. Students should discuss all options with their instructor and if course withdrawal is necessary, students should work with their academic advisor, and for undergraduates, if appropriate, their academic advocate to minimize impacts on their degree progression. Graduate students may also contact their graduate program director.