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Dear Colleagues,

As we plan to resume Spring 2021 classes on Monday, my long considered introductory message to faculty colleagues has taken a different turn in the wake of the shock and dismay many of us felt in response to the scenes we witnessed in our nation's capital yesterday. Coming on the heels of a year filled with continuing uncertainty, profound suffering and loss, like you, I shared great hopes that 2021 would usher in a brighter year. Sadly, those hopes were dashed yesterday as we were further reminded of the deeply-embedded sociopolitical discord that has become all too apparent throughout our communities. Overcoming such unhealthy divisiveness will take broad-based and sustained effort as we strive for a renewed sense of national unity and shared purpose.  

Even as we condemn the mob violence that challenged the very foundation of our democracy, we cannot allow such acts to threaten our core values. It is clear that today divisions run deep in this country. Yet, we must continue to champion the right to freedom of expression, dissenting viewpoints, and peaceful protest, hallmarks of our democracy. At the same time, we have a responsibility to provide for, and expect, reasoned discourse and debate in a safe and respectful context. In the days to come, the academy's role will become ever more vital as we continue to promote diversity of opinion and discourse within and beyond the classroom. I welcome your thoughts on how USF can more effectively serve this mission. 

In spite of recent events, I remain encouraged and inspired by your creative energy and dedication as you work to support our student's success and pursue your own research and scholarly activities during these extraordinary and challenging times. As you continue to prepare for the start of the Spring 2021 semester, I wanted to offer a few critical updates and important reminders:

• Spring 2021 classes will begin following planned instructional modalities on Monday, January 11, 2021. Please ensure that, consistent with USF Policy, your class syllabus has been uploaded to Canvas. Please remember that our students have been quite intentional in selecting their classes (with a particular focus on planned modality), and instructors are expected to deliver classes in the scheduled format.

• Please visit your classroom before classes start, and become familiar with the updated instructional and learning technology platforms that you and your students will rely upon this semester. Please visit the Faculty Toolkit for more information on classroom access and key contacts. 

• Be prepared to transition to quality online delivery at any point in the Spring semester should conditions dictate; this includes making a plan to deliver online instruction for students exposed to and/or diagnosed with COVID-19.

• Share your contingency plans for instructional backup with your department chair if you cannot continue your instructional assignment.

• Communicate with your students clearly and regularly with a healthy dose of care, compassion, and understanding. They want to hear from you regularly, and this is the most common concern expressed by our students.

• We heard a lot from you, our staff, and our students throughout the Fall 2020 semester about how we are missing our sense of community in this physically distanced environment. To that end, we now have a dedicated multi-campus, interdisciplinary workgroup developing a curated calendar of academic enrichment programs to engage all members of our university community, across all three campuses, in collaboration with academic colleges, support units, departments, and program areas. Please stay tuned for more details as this academic enrichment initiative launches later this month.

• Please be mindful that our mandatory mitigation measures are still in place. You and your students are expected to adhere to CDC/public health-recommended protocols, as well as those established by the USF COVID-19 Task Force, all intended to limit the viral transmission. Please remind your students that they, along with you, are required to participate in the daily symptom checks, increased sanitation protocols for their workspaces, mandatory face-coverings, and appropriate physical distancing.

• As we move into the Spring semester amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in Florida, and with the possibility of an even more contagious variant on the horizon, faculty/instructors must continue to work in close partnership with the COVID-19 Task Force to minimize potential exposure to, and transmission of, the virus on our campuses. We have enhanced our public health surveillance protocols to quickly identify anyone at risk and communicate that information more immediately to those who need to know, including faculty/instructors. Please visit the Faculty Toolkit to learn more about our enhanced protocols.

• We will begin administering vaccines by appointment only to USF faculty and staff age 65 and older. This is the only population outside of front-line health care providers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities currently eligible for the vaccine at this time per an order from the Governor. All faculty and staff should have received a communication detailing the process. Faculty and staff are asked not to call USF Health. For more information about vaccine distribution please visit our Faculty FAQ's.

• *Updated 1/14/21

  Summer 2021: In support of USF’s commitment to student access for success, the university is preparing to significantly increase the number of on-campus classes and activities in Summer 2021, especially during Session B (currently scheduled to begin June 28). Continuing the shared responsibility demonstrated in mitigating transmission of the COVID-19 virus throughout 2020, USF will carefully monitor public health conditions as we plan for a safe and supportive Summer term. As part of this shared responsibility, we are grateful to all members of our campus communities — in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee — for their continued compliance with preventive health measures. At all times, we will be guided by the scientific advice of our public health and infectious disease experts at USF along with government agencies. Recognizing that public health conditions can change quickly, our faculty and staff will be prepared to rapidly adapt, as needed, during Summer 2021. If, as we expect, Summer classroom seat availability will continue to be limited due to physical distancing requirements, and recognizing the difficulties and disappointments faced by recent high school graduates, on-campus class priority will be set for current freshmen who entered USF in Summer/Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, and incoming freshmen starting Summer/Fall 2021.

  Fall 2021: In support of USF’s commitment to student access for success, the university is planning for a full return to on-campus classroom delivery and activities beginning Fall 2021. Continuing the shared responsibility demonstrated in mitigating transmission of the COVID-19 virus throughout 2020, USF will carefully monitor public health conditions as we plan for a safe and supportive Fall semester. As part of this shared responsibility, we are grateful to all members of our campus communities — in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee — for their continued compliance with preventive health measures. At all times, we will be guided by the scientific advice of our public health and infectious disease experts at USF along with government agencies. Recognizing that public health conditions can change quickly, our faculty and staff will be prepared to rapidly adapt, as needed, during Fall 2021. As we have done for many years, we will continue to deliver an array of quality online classes for students who find them more convenient and to ensure choice of student access and progress to timely graduation.

• SACSCOC peer reviewers will be conducting a virtual, post-consolidation site visit on the Tampa, Sarasota-Manatee, and St. Petersburg campuses during the period January 26-28, 2021.The visiting team will be reviewing the Documentation for the Substantive Change Committee that ßÙßÇÂþ»­ submitted in mid-December 2020, and will be meeting during the site visit, via Microsoft Teams, with faculty, students, and administrators on each campus, to determine whether the consolidated USF is in compliance with SACSCOC's Principles of Accreditation. 

• I would also like to echo President Currall's messages from earlier in this academic year in reaffirming USF's commitment to dismantling systemic racism and promoting equity, across our campuses and in our surrounding communities.  To this end, much important work continues to be guided by USF's Principles of Community. To learn more, please visit  our Anti-Racism website for information about our progress and to learn how to get involved.

• Finally, I want to underscore our continuing efforts to enhance Faculty Success at USF. We recognize the central importance of faculty recruitment, support and retention in achieving our high levels of institutional performance in Performance-Based Funding, Preeminence, Top 25 ranking in U.S. News and World Report, and strengthening our position for membership eligibility in the Association of American Universities (AAU). If you need guidance, support, or special clearance for particular research and scholarly activities, please consult the Spring 2021 Guidance and Advice for Faculty.  You should also feel free to reach out directly to the USF COVID-19 Task Force.

In closing, permit me to thank you once again for your dedication and tireless efforts to support our students and extending your scholarly, research and creative contributions. Please let your deans and I know how we can better support you and your important work moving forward. I can be reached directly at provost@usf.edu with comments, questions, or concerns.

Best regards,

Ralph C. Wilcox
Provost & Executive Vice President