Remote Access to Classes

Returning to In-Person Classes: Fall 2022

Guidance for Faculty and Students


Teachers College is committed to the in-person classroom experience and we have returned to classes being held in-person unless they are part of an online degree program or designated as an online course in the registration system.

  • All students are expected to attend classes in-person unless they are registered for an online course.
  • Any necessary absences from class should be handled per TC’s Attendance Policy.
  • There is no temporary or long term approval process for remote requests for Fall 2022 classes that are coded as “in person.”
  • Students experiencing disability-related barriers they believe are preventing them from attending class in person and engaging in a meaningful learning experience during the Fall 2022 semester should contact the Office of Access and Services For Individuals With Disabilities (OASID) at oasid@tc.columbia.edu to discuss whether they may be eligible to receive disability-related accommodations.
  • International students who have a travel or visa restriction should contact the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) at tcintl@tc.columbia.edu to discuss their situation and date of arrival to campus.
  • If students test positive for COVID during the course of the semester, they should report their status through the Health Screening form and follow the isolation requirements from the Office of Environmental Health & Safety. Students should notify their instructors that they will miss class due to their status. This is the same protocol as pre-pandemic when a student is ill and cannot make class.

A Note on the Discontinuation of Remote Access

As stated above, TC has returned to in-person instruction and we are no longer accepting requests for temporary or long term remote access due to COVID-19 related reasons as we did in the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 terms. For those students who were approved for long term remote access during the Fall 2021 and/or Spring 2022 semesters due to medical conditions that put them at risk for COVID-19 complications, please note that this was not considered a disability-related accommodation and will no longer apply.

Students experiencing disability-related barriers they believe are preventing them from attending class in person and engaging in a meaningful learning experience may contact OASID at oasid@tc.columbia.edu to discuss whether they may be eligible to receive disability-related accommodations.

Temporary Remote Access to Classes for Students

When is temporary remote access permitted?

Remote access to an in-person Teachers College course is restricted to those students who cannot attend for COVID-19 related reasons. Temporary access to remote instruction can be granted in the following cases:

  • Positive COVID-19 test (please see contact tracing information also)
  • Quarantine requirements due to exposure to person(s) with a positive COVID-19 test
  • COVID-19 related child care or caretaker responsibilities (COVID-19 required school or work closures, family member quarantine requirements)
  • When the vaccination process has been initiated but not completed and the student has received special permission from the Division of Student Affairs

Students must request and receive permission directly from their instructor for temporary remote access prior to class. Students Affairs does not need to review these requests.

When is temporary remote access not permitted?

Lack of vaccination or booster shot without an approved medical or religious exemption is not grounds for remote instruction. An approved COVID-19 and flu vaccination is a requirement to enroll in classes at Teachers College.

In other cases where students are unable to attend class, remote access is not an option. For example, non-COVID-19 illness or work or family responsibilities. In these cases alternative accommodations should be made available, for example class recording, office hours, make-up sessions or shared class notes.

Long Term Remote Access to Classes for Students

Long-term Remote Access to classes is being considered for students who were approved for Long-term Remote Access in the Fall 2021 semester only. In-person students from the Fall 2021 semester will not be eligible to request Long-term Remote access for the Spring 2022 semester. Remote access to Teachers College classes for COVID-related reasons for more than three consecutive classes or 10 days (whichever is shorter) requires approval through the Division of Student Affairs. Please email returntocampus@tc.columbia.edu with requests for approval to study remotely on a Long-term basis. As a reminder, failure to comply with vaccination requirements is not grounds for Long-term remote access.

Reporting

Teachers College is obligated to notify NYC Health + Hospitals of positive COVID-19 tests and we also maintain our own contact tracing system. Therefore, faculty who are notified by a student of a positive COVID-19 test must tell the student to report their result to the college.

In addition to this reporting requirement DFI will select a random sample of 85 instructors who will be sent a survey asking two questions.

  • How many students did you give permission to this week to study remotely? (0 or more)
  • Did you hold a class remotely? Y/N

These results will be used to monitor the extent to which remote access is being utilized.

Faculty Request for Remote Access Guidelines

Temporary Remote Access for an Entire Class

Converting an entire class from in-person to remote instruction should be limited to the following COVID-19 related circumstances:

  • A College-wide decision to move instruction online in response to external circumstances
  • Other COVID-19 related circumstances such as:
    • Instructor has positive COVID-19 test (please see contact tracing information also)
    • Instructor is exposed to person(s) with a positive COVID-19 test
    • COVID-19 related child care or caretaker responsibilities (COVID-19 required school or work closures, family member quarantine requirements)
  • Also, remote instruction should only be utilized when the following options have been exhausted:
    • A suitable substitute instructor cannot conduct the class in the instructor’s absence
    • The class cannot be rescheduled or made up in another way that maintains the requisite number of credit hours for the semester
  • In the case that a class is to be temporarily held remotely, students should still attend the classroom in person with a CA/TA if available. If there is no CA/TA please contact DFI for assistance.
  • All other non-COVID-19 illness or absences should be handled in the same way as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with the Faculty Handbook Section 7, Page 7.
  • The available technology, support and internet connection on the Teachers College campus makes it more suitable than individuals’ homes for running a class even for a sizeable number of remote learners.
  • If using the Honorlock system to administer an exam the option to take the exam remotely can be offered to students but the classroom must also be available to any student who needs a quiet space to perform the exam.
  • Instructors who have historically incorporated remote instruction into their courses must work with their Department Chairs to ensure that we are balancing the pedagogical value of these strategies against the needs of the college to focus our energies on responding to the changing nature of the pandemic.

Long Term Remote Access for an Entire Class

Remote access for more than three classes or 10 days (whichever is shorter) must be approved by Department Chairs and the Provost. These classes will be re-coded as online by the Registrar.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Students

Jump ahead for international student questions.

Yes, you will be able to register for classes prior to vaccination. However you will not be able to attend in-person classes if you are not fully vaccinated at least 10 days prior to the start of the semester.

Yes, but in the event of an outbreak on or near campus, individuals holding exemptions may be excluded from all campus facilities and activities, for their protection, until the outbreak is declared to be over.

One vaccine submission is required per person. Staff members who are also students should indicate on their proof of vaccination form that they are an employee. When an employee is in their student role (ie, in class), they must follow the Student COVID-19 Protocols established for students who are attending in-person classes and they are subject to the Student Code of Conduct.

No, remote access to class will not be granted for COVID-19 related reasons for classes coded as "in person". Please consult the returning to in person classes page for more information.

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