[Faculty] Fw: Addressing disruptions related to the face covering policy

[Staten, Michael E - (statenm)]

Everyone,

We are nearly to launch date!   Certainly the roads around campus today reflected a dramatic increase in activity as parents and students tackled move-in logistics.

As you mentally prepare for the start of classes next Monday, I know that many of you have expressed concerns over how to handle students who show up without a mask.  I just received the message below from the Office of the Provost.  This material will be posted on the Pandemic Academic Coordination workgroup's website tomorrow (Friday) but I realize that you may not be checking that on a daily basis.  Hence my message to you this evening.

I've read through their suggested script and it seems very sensible to me as a guide to handling unmasked student incidents.  Most will resolve without disruption.  But, we all know that there will be some that escalate.   We seem to be living in an age in which many wish to make a point, and the classroom stage next week seems a venue ripe for grabbing attention.  I wish it weren't so, but that's the world we are in today.  The attached script provides you a carefully measured verbal response for each stage in an escalating confrontation.  Please read this through so that you are prepared.  I suggest printing it out and taking it with you to class.  And, if you should have the misfortune of an escalated incident in your classroom, I think you would be very well served to follow the script closely.

Again, I think (and hope) that the large majority of situations will resolve with the simple request to mask or exit.  But, please, please be prepared in the event you have a case that progresses beyond that.  This script keeps you on the right side of university policy, and I think also may serve to defuse a situation that could quickly overheat.

I regret going into a weekend on such a cautionary note.  For the most part, I think students will be overjoyed to be back on campus and back in class in person.  Let's all keep a good thought for Monday.

Good luck!

Mike

Michael Staten | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Bart Cardon Associate Dean for Career and Academic Services
Professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics
The University of Arizona
Forbes Hall, Room 211
The University of Arizona
PO Box 210036
Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
PHONE: 520.621.1932
statenm at email.arizona.edu<mailto:statenm at email.arizona.edu>
www.mikestaten.com<http://www.mikestaten.com>



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________________________________
From: u-caac-request at list.arizona.edu <u-caac-request at list.arizona.edu> on behalf of Heileman, Greg - (heileman) <heileman at arizona.edu>
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2021 5:48 PM
To: u-caac at list.arizona.edu <u-caac at list.arizona.edu>
Cc: Romero, Andrea J - (romeroa) <romeroa at arizona.edu>
Subject: [u-caac] Addressing disruptions related to the face covering policy

Dear U-CAAC,

Attached please find a script created by the Provost in collaboration with the Pandemic Academic Coordination committee that addresses best practices for instructors in dealing with disruptions related to UA’s face covering policy in classrooms … yeah, that was a mouthful!

In any event, this guidance should go live on the Academic Instruction Resources website (https://provost.arizona.edu/content/academic-instruction-resources) tomorrow.
Please feel free to share with your faculty, and I’m CC’ing Andrea Romero, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.  Please feel free to reach out to either of us if you have any questions.

Best,
-Greg


Gregory L. Heileman, Ph.D.
Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Vice Provost, Undergraduate Education
Administration 405 | 1401 E. University Blvd. | Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 621-6688 | heileman at arizona.edu<mailto:heileman at arizona.edu>



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