Video: How do I keep up with my classes if I’ve been quarantined?
Vince Lowery, Director of Student Success & Engagement at UW-Green Bay, provides steps for students who test positive or may have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus and are under isolation and/or quarantine. Please reach out to your professors to let them know that you will be out indefinitely. Let them know that it’s your intention to continue in their course and complete your work. If you need assistance, the Dean of Students will work with your instructors to facilitate remote learning. Most importantly, if you are too ill to participate in classes, the Dean of Students will work with students and instructors in applying the Extended Absence Policy. Contact info: https://www.uwgb.edu/dean-of-students/contact-us/. Any questions related to COVID-19, reach out to the Office of COVID-19 Response at covidresponse@uwgb.edu or by calling 920-465-5060.
Video Transcript for How do I keep up with my classes if I’ve been quarantined?
Hello, my name is Vince Lowery. I’m the Director of Student Success and Engagement at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and I want to speak to you today in particular about ways that you can engage your faculty and the support services that are available to students who have been quarantined or are in isolation as a consequence of exposure to COVID-19 or positive tests for COVID-19.
When you are moved into quarantine or are placed into isolation your instructors will see receive this communication which is standard protocol from the Dean of Students Office, you’re currently dealing with a personal illness and that you will be out indefinitely. Now you might be thinking what’s the next step. What do I do?
What I want to do is offer a few very specific action steps that you can follow in order to try to mitigate as best we can the stress and anxiety that your courses might cause alongside the move into quarantine or isolation. First, after you’ve been moved into quarantine or isolation, reach out to your professors. You’re under no obligation to tell them what’s happened. When you reach out to your instructors, acknowledge the fact that they’ve been contacted by the Dean of Students Office, something to the effect of “Dear Professor Lowry, you’ve already been contacted by the Dean of Students Office letting you know that I will be out for an indefinite period of time. Know that it is my intention to continue in this course and complete my work in a timely manner.”
Now if it’s a face-to-face class that’s probably going to require accommodations of some form for your professor to relay information assignments, expectations, deadlines to you so, that you can complete that work remotely. If your class is virtual, asynchronous, or hybrid you should still be able to continue the course as long as your health permits. To the extent possible, remain in contact, regular contact with your instructors. Any questions you have, any concerns you might have, any difficulties that you encounter, and if your situation changes, you certainly want to be in contact with your professors. Know too that the Dean of Students Office will be able to support you in handling communications if your situation, specifically your health changes.
Understand that instructors have been advised to provide reasonable accommodations to all students impacted by COVID-19. If at any time you have issues with the accommodations that you’re provided, need additional support in advocating for those accommodations, you can contact the Dean of Students Office. Communication is key. It’s important that you then reach out, you stay on top of things to the best of your ability. They’re going to accommodate you to the degree that they can or when you return from quarantine or isolation, they can then formulate a plan. Communication is key and if you need support with those accommodations, you can reach out to the Dean of Students Office for assistance. And please know too, that I am a resource you can reach out to me at lowryj@uwgb.edu. I will be more than happy to take time to chat by phone by virtual call or by email to support you in whatever capacity we can. While we’re facing unprecedented times, our ability to get through this and for you to achieve your goals will come as a consequence of us working together at every stage.
Your goals are our goals and together we will persist. Together, we will rise.
