Return to Instruction

The Academic Programs Continuity workgroup of the JHU 2020 Planning task force shared updated guidance for instructional activities on Oct. 1. Comments and questions can be shared at any time via theĀ JHU 2020 Planning feedback form.

Introduction

This document provides general guidelines for instructional activities at Johns Hopkins University in the context of COVID-19 planning. These guidelines are based on detailed recommendations and analysis from the 2020 Academic Programs Continuity Workgroup, composed of faculty, academic staff, and support staff from across the university and led by Stephen Gange, professor and executive vice provost for academic affairs. During the past several weeks, the workgroup and each school has engaged in intensive planning for the resumption of academic instruction.

This initial draft of guidelines has been reviewed by workgroup members, the Student Advisory Committee and other faculty and student groups, as well as leadership from across the schools. It is intended to elicit community feedback and will be revised based on that feedback and further review by the deans.

The guidance offered here is meant to integrate seamlessly with other university guidance, divisional planning efforts, and critical cross-cutting university functions to safely support full resumption of instruction on campus. Those functions include: Facilities; Health, Safety and Environment (HSE); Health and Wellness (including testing and contact tracing); Human Resources; Information Technology; Transportation; and Security. The guidance does not discuss issues regarding residential living, which will be detailed in future documents.

Accordingly, this document should be read in conjunction with the draft Return to Campus Guide, which contains proposed guidelines about such topics as maintaining an inclusive workplace, altered staffing and scheduling plans, significantly augmented cleaning protocols, required physical distancing, and universal face coverings. The application of these guidelines as they relate to instruction is discussed herein.

The principles laid out here will form the basis for operations at all domestic (e.g., Homewood, East Baltimore, Peabody, Carey, DC) and international (e.g., Bologna, Nanjing) campus locations. In all cases, actual operations will reflect local guidance and conditions. This is a living document and as such will be updated on the JHU 2020 Planning site as we receive feedback; it will also be subject to alteration based on developing circumstances, changed or increased understanding of the virus, and governmental and public health guidance.

Town hall on instructional activities

June 5, 2020

This session focused on several general issues related to instruction, including planning for instruction in different phases, instructor and student accommodations and adjustments, health and safety in the learning environment, and preparation for instruction with mixed and remote/online modality.