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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Academic Personnel Information

We will keep updating this page to ensure the latest guidance is being provided. 

Highlighted on the left are essential resources available during this public health crisis. 

 

COVID-19 Related Announcements 

The following dropdown menu contains COVID-19-related guidance. 

 

  • Writing COVID-19 Opportunities and Challenges Statements - UC Davis Office of Academic Affairs - October 19, 2022

  • UC Davis welcomes all members of its academic community to avail themselves of the opportunity to share with their colleagues and reviewers the impact the COVID pandemic has had on their next advancement since the pandemic began in Winter 2020, particularly research, scholarship, and creative activities; teaching and mentoring; and university and public service. Guidance for composing and providing COVID-19 Opportunities and Challenges Statements is available here.

  • UCOP President Michael Drake - Letter to all Chancellors Regarding COVID-19 Recommendations - July 28, 2022

  • On April 12, 2022, the Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty Working Group (MSIF-WG) provided UCOP a final report.  President Michael Drake shares this report and highlights four recommended policies and procedures to best continue supporting faulty through the impacts of COVID-19.  Please read this letter to learn more. 

  • Requests for remote teaching in Summer 2022 - April 29, 2022

  • As outlined in this letter by Vice Provost Phil Kass, classes for Spring quarter are expected to resume in-person, with the exception of hybrid and virtual courses.  The Davis Division of the Academic Senate has delegated to the Committee for Adjustments and Alterations of Instruction for Summer 2022 (CAAIS) the authority to review and approve or deny requests for emergency remote instruction from instructions for COVID-19 related reasons.  Please read the letter to learn more. 
  • Chancellor May - Update on Remote Instruction and Work for Winter Quarter - Jan 6, 2022
    Continuing remote instruction through Jan 28, 2022
  • On January 6, 2022, Chancellor May provided an update to his note from December 30, 2022 regarding remote instruction and work for Winter Quarter. He instructs that UC Davis will extend remote instruction and work through January 28, 2022 to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant among the campus community. This guidance may evolve based on the current public health guidelines. 
    The university will also update the Winter Quarter Guidance Update webpage on the Campus Ready site regularly. Current guidance issued will continue remote instruction for 3 more weeks of winter quarter, through Jan. 28. Employees whose work requires them to be in-person will continue to be on campus, while employees whose work may be completed remotely should do so during this time.
  • Issued to Deans to distribute to all instructors for Winter Quarter 2022 - Jan 21, 2022
  • This notice was issued to deans to provide to all instructors regarding the choice of having the lecture recorded in anticipation of additional absences that may occur and a resource to do so as needed. 
  • Chancellor May and EVCP Croughan - Winter Quarter - Remote from Jan 3 - Jan 7, 2022
  • Updated on December 30, 2021

    In a notice released on December 21, 2021, Chancellor May and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Croughan announced that Winter quarter will begin remotely, from January 3 to January 7, 2022, to allow community members the opportunity to secure a negative COVID-19 test before attending classes or coming to work in person on January 10, 2022.

    There will also be a systemwide mandate for booster vaccines for all faculty, staff, and students who do not have vaccine exemption currently in place. Booster information must be uploaded into the Health-e-Messaging Portal before January 21, 2022. 

    Campus will continue to require COVID-19 testing every two weeks for those who are fully vaccinated and every four days for those who are not vaccinated throughout Winter Quarter.
  • Presentation from PEVC Croughan & VP Kass to Associate Deans & Dept Chairs in Fall 2021
  • Throughout Fall 2021, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Croughan and Vice Provost Phil Kass provided multiple trainings to Associate Deans and Department Chairs to convey the highlights of and answer questions regarding UCOP's preliminary report on "Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty Working Group." A copy of the presentation is available here. 
  • UCOP President Drake  - Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty Working Group - Preliminary Report - Oct 25, 2021
  • UCOP President Michael Drake publicly responded to UCOP Academic Council Chair Mary Gauvain regarding "mitigating COVID-19 impacts on faculty advancement, morale, work-life balance, and dependent care responsibilities." Phase one of two of this report has been released.

    Read UCOP President Drake's letter here.
    Read the full report on Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty Working group Preliminary Report here. 
  • VP Kass - Return to Work - Fall 2021 - July 22, 2021
  • Vice Provost Phil Kass has issued a letter to members of the Academic Senate and Academic Federation regarding returning to work in Fall 2021. This letter outlines the directions issued by UCOP President Michael Drake, the Council of Chancellors, and Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Brown. Consistent with APM-025, APM-671, and APM-700, academic appointees must maintain a significant presence on campus; hold classes; have consistent office hours; be accessible to students, staff, and colleagues; and fulfill service obligations. Read the full letter here.
  • UC COVID-19 Vaccination Policy - July 15, 2021
  • The UC policy regarding the COVID-19 vaccination requirement and FAQs can be found here. 
  • UC Davis COVID-19 Related Efforts to Support Faculty - updated 5-10-2021
  • Academic Affairs has outlined a list of current efforts, initiatives, and communications to support faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics range from Work-Life, Faculty Parent Support Groups, impact statements, equity in tenure and advancement, Faculty Leadership Academy, and so on. Please review the list for full details. 
  • Response from UCOP President Drake and Letter from Chair Gauviain - Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty - updated 2-26-2021
  • UCOP President Michael Drake publicly responded to UCOP Academic Council Chair Mary Gauvain regarding "mitigating COVID-19 impacts on faculty advancement, morale, work-life balance, and dependent care responsibilities." President Drake asks Provost and Executive Vice President Brown to work on addressing the issues outlined by Academic Council Chair Gauvain by providing a set of recommendations for Immediate Actions and Recommendations for Long-term Impacts and Strengthening UC Values. Both Academic Council Chair Gauvain and President Drake's letters are available here. 
  • Mandatory COVID-19 Reporting Protocol - updated 05-20-2020
  • In an effort to maintain a healthy working environment for faculty, staff and students, UC Davis has established a mandatory reporting process regarding COVID-19. You must use the reporting process if: 

    - a COVID-19 test has been administered to you, an immediate family member or a UC Davis colleague, or
    - a positive COVID-19 diagnosis has been returned to you, an immediate family member, or UC Davis colleague.

    For additional details, including limited exceptions, please go to the Safety Services website on Reporting COVID-19 Tests, Concerns & Confirmed Cases.
  • EVCP Hexter and VP Kass - Update on Academic Personnel Issues - updated 03-27-2020
  • On March 27, 2020, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Hexter and Vice Provost Kass shared an announcement with Academic Senate regarding Updates on Academic Personnel Issues. 

    The letter above addresses the following: 
         1. Paid administrative leave
         2. Sabbatical leaves in Spring 2020
         3. Faculty searches in Spring 2020
         4. Advancement (merit, promotion) actions in 2019-2020
         5. Instructional evaluations in Winter and Spring 2020
         6. Research/creative activity/scholarship productivity
         7. Extension of the promotion “clock”
     
  • Provost/EVC Croughan and Senate Chair Tucker – Update on Academic Personnel Issues – updated 10-21-2020
  • A letter was written by Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Croughan and Chair of Academic Senate Tucker to all Academic Senate and Academic Federation Members, providing guidance and reassurance regarding advancement actions and instruction-related issues due to COVID-19.  It states:

    "Our colleagues with children whose preschools and schools remain shuttered, or who are primary caregivers, or who have been prohibited from accessing critical university facilities are among those hit hardest.  In their advancement action, whether in this year or in the next two, three, or four years (depending on rank and step), faculty who are new or have been progressing successfully in normative (or greater) time should continue to do so.  This does not imply any diminution of academic standards, but rather the acknowledgement that a balanced record inherently requires the judicious weighting of all criteria of evaluation per APM 210-1d. 

    To help reviewers and review committees negotiate such a holistic evaluation of an academic record, we strongly emphasize that candidates, department chairs, and deans highlight and fully explain the circumstances that have affected the faculty member. Personal details need not be disclosed, but information on causes (e.g., COVID-19, California wildfire events, caring for a sick family member, illness, loss of a home) that contextualize the circumstances will be helpful (e.g., reduced time available for writing manuscripts, limited access to research facilities, emergency conversion to remote learning due to campus closure, etc.). In particular, candidates should provide a comparison to previous records of publication, teaching, and/or service so that reviewing bodies can concretely understand how they have been impacted. Candidates, department chairs, and deans are encouraged to use this comparative information to provide context for reviewers."

    The letter also outlines specific topics that will be integral to advancements in 2020-2021, advised from Academic Affairs' Work Life Advisors and Academic Federation Personnel Committees, as well as considerations regarding various situations. Please review this letter for further details. 
  • UCOP - Charging grants and contracts costs to Federal sponsored awards during COVID-19 - updated 03-24-2020
  • On March 24, 2020, from UCOP Interim EVP-CFO Paul Jenny regarding charging grants and contracts costs to Federal sponsored awards during COVID-19. This letter provides the current UC guidance regarding sponsored awards as we wait for federal agencies to issue guidance during this COVID-19 crisis. As stated, 

    OMB
          - "OMB has issued two Memos to the federal agencies: First Memo M-20-11 directing
           federal agencies to implement flexibilities initially for COVID-related activities; and a
           follow up Memo M20-17, directing agencies to provide additional flexibility to
           recipients affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the
           COVID-19 crisis.
         - "These two OMB Memorandums in general provide short term relief for administrative,
           financial management, and audit requirements under 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform
           Administrative Requirements, Cost principles and Audit Requirements for Federal
           Awards, without compromising​​ Federal financial assistance accountability requirements.
           It also reminds agencies of their existing flexibility to issue exceptions on a case-by-case
           basis in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.102, Exceptions.

    NIH and NSF
         - "NIH and NSF have issued their guidance implementing the expanded flexibilities in the
           area of proposal submissions, travel costs and salary expenses authorized by OMB. 
         - NIH – https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-086.html
         - NSF – https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/covid19/covid19_nsfombimplementation.pdf 

    "We expect all federal awarding agencies adopt policies and release guidance that are uniform and consistent in providing additional administrative flexibility in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    "At this time, campuses should continue to charge salaries, stipends, and benefits to currently active awards consistent with the UC policy of paying salaries from all funding sources, federal and nonfederal. Likewise costs related to the cancellation of events, travel, or other authorized activities due to the COVID-19 crisis, may charge these costs to their award if they would have otherwise been allowable. Please ensure appropriate records and cost documentation are maintained to substantiate the charging of any cancellation or other fees related to interruption of operations or services.

    "Recently President Napolitano announced all employees are eligible to receive a one-time allotment of up to 128 hours of paid administrative leave in recognition of the extraordinary demands staff and their family members are facing as a result of the impacts of the coronavirus on the UC community. This employee benefit is an allowable cost could be charged to federal grants and contracts consistent with other employee benefits." 

    Please be sure to connect with your sponsor regarding any flexibility afforded in grants and contracts.