Instructor Absence Policy

Please note the CLAS instructor absence policies, which also apply to graduate student instructors as well: 

• Instructors should arrange for coverage of teaching and office hours obligations during a brief illness or when a short absence from the classroom needs to occur. 
• The DEO and course supervisor (when appropriate) should always be informed of any absence affecting teaching and the coverage plan for the course right away. 
• While it is possible to cover a course remotely while the instructor needs to be away (i.e., using zoom), an instructional modality change from in-person to online for any more than 1-2 class periods total during a semester is not permitted (see Course Modality policy below). 

Additionally, DEOs should encourage faculty to designate a colleague who is willing to assume their teaching responsibilities in an emergency or absence. Ideas for handling emergency absences include the following: utilizing a guest instructor to lecture; leading discussion or small group work; utilizing a guest speaker in the classroom; or having the instructor or guest speaker lecture via zoom with a TA or colleague present.

More information on this topic may be found on this page and in the UI Operations Manual, 22.3.

Course Modality Policy

• Courses should be taught only the modality that is published in MyUI/MAUI (i.e., in person, synchronous online, asynchronous online, or hybrid). 
• Instructors are not permitted to offer overall changes in course modality due to student requests (i.e., for flexibility, academic accommodations, or other considerations). In fact, students enrolled in the course depend on it being delivered in the scheduled modality. 
• Changes to the modality of a course for more than 1-2 class periods during a semester (due to an emergency or other extenuating circumstance; see Instructor Absences policy above) can be disruptive to the student experience and may impact the student learning outcomes of the course.