COVID-19 policies and resources for UNM faculty
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNM administrators have made a variety of changes to university policies including on grading, the tenure timeline and teaching evaluations. See our list below and drop us a line if you have a question that hasn’t been answered about these policies. Our list of resources for teaching and working from home have been added to this compilation.
Note: We’ve deliberately repeated information in a couple of places to make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for. Do you have suggestions for other links and information we should track? Is there additional support that ADVANCE can provide? Let us know! We’ve also been collecting information on research at UNM related to COVID. See that here.
COVID-19 Vaccine
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You’re considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the 2nd Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The CDC has issued new guidance for activities you can safely participate in once you’re fully vaccinated. Find them here.
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Find UNM’s vaccine information page here.
Information and plans for vaccinating faculty is here. (Last updated Jan. 15.)
Register for the COVID-19 vaccine here. Stay updated about the State’s 4- phase vaccination schedule and learn more about the vaccine here. The number for the NM COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline is 1-855-600-3453.
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Every Covid-19 Vaccine Question You’ll Ever Have, Answered (Elemental Medium, Dec. 2020)
The New Covid-19 Vaccine: Answers to All the Hard Questions (Yale Medicine, Dec. 2020)
CDC information for vaccine recipients
WHO information on Covid-19 vaccines
Mayo Clinc resources on Covid-19 vaccines
The CDC, WHO, and Mayo Clinc links also have information on how mRNA vaccines work. For a more musical approach, Johns Hopkins has created “I’m a Vaccine” inspired by Schoolhouse Rock.
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Provost James Holloway sent this message in early February about vaccine appointments:
“Getting vaccinated is important, and there is little flexibility available in appointment times or locations. There is no capability on the state vaccination site to change a vaccination time. Therefore, students should be given temporary release from course or other obligations in order to receive a vaccine and allowed to make up missed work. Students must be allowed to choose vaccination over their scholarly obligations. The more who are vaccinated, the better off we all are.We are similarly asking supervisors to provide employees with the flexibility to get vaccinated at the times and locations assigned to them by the state.”
Local Information Dashboards
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UNM’s main COVID-19 information page is here.
UNM’s daily COVID-19 Dashboard, reporting number of tests, people coming to campus, and COVID cases is here.
Changes in policies impacting faculty are negotiated with the faculty union, UA UNM. The current MOU between the academic leadership and UA UNM regarding COVID-19 is here and available through the UA UNM Bargaining Tracking Tool.
Read about COVID related research at UNM here.
Faculty Support
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Do you need extra help from a grad student right now? Assistant and associate women STEM (broadly defined) faculty are eligible to request up to 40 hours of support from Advance during Spring 2021.Use this form to describe a specific project (10 hours or less) for which you are requesting graduate student support from Advance. Please indicate which graduate student you would like to request (the Advance team can also provide options if needed). Please note that you are able to request additional support once this project is completed.The support must be linked to your professional development (broadly defined). Examples include (but are not limited to) enhancing quantitative and qualitative data analysis skills, data management and archiving, data visualization, interdisciplinary approaches to literature searches, and developing new collaborations. Please contact advance@unm.edu if you have questions about the suitability of your project.Use this form to report completion of your project. Graduate students involved in your project should use this form to report completion of their work.
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Members of the administration and faculty union recently have come to a series of agreements related to Spring 2021. Read the MOU for union Unit 1 here and Unit 2 here.
The following is the complete recent joint statement, released Jan. 14.
“Over the past year, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, we, and our students, have worked diligently to meet the challenges of this unprecedented context. Faculty have revised curriculum, learned new technical skills for online teaching, problem-solved approaches to on-going research, and oftentimes increased their service responsibilities in order to support students and sustain departmental or other operations.
As we know, these challenges to our work will continue through the spring 2021 semester. While these trials affect most aspects of our work, if not all, the uncertainty of the moment is perhaps felt the greatest in preparation for annual or milestone reviews, including mid-probation, tenure and promotion, and promotion.
United Academics of UNM (UA-NM) and UNM Administration want to remind faculty that departments should decide, consistently for all department faculty, whether to include peer evaluations of teaching as part of a faculty member’s annual review (see section B4.2.3 of the Faculty Handbook). Also, while peer evaluations are to be included in dossiers for mid-probationary and tenure and promotion reviews, UA- UNM and the Administration agree that those required reviews may come from courses taught prior to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. Furthermore, as per the previous semester, students’ evaluations of faculty from spring 2021 will not be used as a required evaluative tool or a required component of pending or future dossiers for annual reviews, mid-probation, tenure and promotion, or promotion.
UA-UNM and UNM Administration also recommend that bargaining unit members address the impact of the pandemic on their work by integrating information in their research/creative works, teaching, and service statements that are prepared for annual and milestone reviews. Of course, faculty are welcome to describe the ways they have worked to meet the challenges of the pandemic. However, in addition, for each realm of responsibility that has been affected, faculty are strongly encouraged to summarize the changes that have taken place in one’s practice, particularly as it has affected productivity (e.g., canceled or delayed events, activities; reduced access to facilities, personnel, research sites, research participants; reduced service responsibilities, etc.).
Those reviewing faculty performance from 2020 and 2021 shall take account of the disruptive, ongoing negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on faculty working conditions and student learning conditions when making evaluative decisions about faculty.
For faculty looking for support with their teaching, please refer to UNM’s Center for Teaching and Learning website (https://ctl.unm.edu) for the following faculty services:· Center for Teaching Excellence (https://cte.unm.edu)· Center for Digital Learning (https://cdl.unm.edu)· Writing Across the Curriculum Program (https://unmwac.unm.edu)
Also, see CTE’s new page, A Guide for Observing Teaching (https://cte.unm.edu/resources/docs-videos- links/observe-teaching.php), for formative, supportive strategies on peer observation for face-to-face,hybrid, and online courses. We are grateful to all of you, our UNM colleagues, as we continue together to rise to the occasion of working during a global pandemic. Thank you for your continued commitment to delivering substantive,thoughtfully-prepared courses and contributing valuable scholarship that are worthy of UNM’s educational and research mission.” -
Academic Affairs has released guidance for faculty and department chairs on incorporating the impact of COVID-19 into annual reviews. See the complete information here. Prefer having a checklist to show the impact of COVID in your annual review? Thanks to the History Department, we’ve got one here.
The Office of the Provost lists other faculty-relevant COVID-19 information here.
Temporary Voluntary Reduction (TVR) of FTE: Faculty can receive a one-course reduction during Spring 2021 by temporarily reducing their FTE from 1.0 to 0.93 for the academic year. The best consideration deadline is Oct 30th, and the information on requesting the FTE reduction is here. Faculty considering the TVR should consult hrbenefits@unm.edu to ask questions about the impact of the FTE reduction on benefits. Additional information about this opportunity can be found here.
Provost Holloway has consistently stated that milestone evaluations (mid-probationary, promotion & tenure, promotion to professor) are based on faculty records of research, teaching,and service and are not impacted by budget constraints.
Faculty can choose to include sections on the impact of COVID-19 in research, teaching, and service statements as part of milestone evaluation dossiers (mid-probationary review, P&T, promotion to professor), as well as in annual review information.
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The automatic tenure-extension applies to all assistant professors, including those starting this year. The policy and an FAQ document can be found on the OFAS home page as well as in the Provost’s COVID-related information for faculty. A key element of this policy is that faculty don’t have to decide about the extension until the Spring before they are scheduled to come up for tenure.
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Student evaluations of teaching for courses taught during Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 can’t be used in annual or milestone reviews of faculty unless the faculty member being reviewed chooses to include them. Additional information is in the MOUs with UA-UNM and on the Provost’s COVID-19 Page.
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Provost James Holloway and Senior Vice Provost Barbara Rodriguez had a Town Hall in May with assistant professors who are scheduled for a milestone review in the next two years. They answered a range of questions including about the tenure extension policy, on-going support for current faculty, considerations in promotion & tenure decisions, and planning for the fall. Read an edited transcript here.
The Provost had an October session with faculty who were recently promoted to Associate Professor. Watch that meeting here.
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Some ideas require multiple discussions and consultation with faculty and staff, in addition to negotiations with UA-UNM. On-going discussions with Deans and Chairs:
– The Provost meets with Deans every other week. There was a Deans’ Council discussion on the ADVANCE Faculty Experiences report, including encouragement to do “less with less” re service, committee work, and curricular changes. Discussions on COVID-19 impacts and ideas in support of faculty, staff, and students are usually on the agenda.
– Deans and some Chairs have been reminded that they can balance faculty workload across multiple fiscal years.
– Some Deans have followed up on Deans’ Council meetings by discussing options for doing “less with less” in meetings with Chairs and Directors, some of whom are having conversations in departments and programs.
– Department Chairs and Directors met with Provost James Holloway, Senior Vice Provost Barbara Rodriguez, and Associate Provost for Faculty Success Bill Stanley to discuss aspects of P&T. Provost Holloway started and ended the meeting with reminders that COVID-19 will be impacting us for years and that it needs to be taken into account in faculty reviews (annual or milestone). He also said that Chairs should expect less from faculty and from themselves while we are dealing with COVID-19.
– AP Bill Stanley met with Department Chairs and Directors to discuss peer evaluation of teaching during COVID-19. This is a current topic of discussion between the academic leadership and UA-UNM.
Annual and Milestone Reviews (starting next year for P&T and continuing for the indefinite future):
– Template for letters to external reviewers are being developed, reminding reviewers that the evaluation period includes COVID-19.
– Deans and Chairs have been reminded that the impacts of COVID-19 will have to be taken into account in annual and milestone reviews. Discussions so far are preliminary. The reminder that things are not normal and the impact will be felt for years is an important start.
Semester Plans
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There will be an in-person Spring graduation. Information released April 1 about that is here.
Information released Feb. 26 about Fall 2021 semester plans is here
Information on Spring 2021 is here.
Information on Summer and Fall 2021 was released Jan. 28 and is here.
Part of the guidelines are as follows:
“While the initial guidelines for Summer 2021 encouraged a return to more face-to-face (F2F) classes, we now think it wise to plan Summer 2021 as we did for Summer 2020. Please schedule classes with the assumption that F2F classes will need to be at 25% of fire code classroom occupancy and plan for a significant proportion of remote delivery or F2F plus remote courses, especially for the first Summer 2021 session (June 7, 2021-July 3, 2021). For Fall 2021, we can plan (provisionally) to return to a regular (or pre-COVID-19) mix of course delivery modes in scheduling Fall 2021 classes.”
Student Support
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We know UNM students are struggling with the weight of the pandemic. In the fall of 2020, researchers from the Nutrition & Dietetics in the Department of Individual, Family, and Community Education at UNM conducted a student survey that found 52 percent experienced anxiety in the two weeks before taking the survey in September to October.
Of those, nearly one in four reported severe anxiety. According to the study, “groups with the highest prevalence of anxiety included non-cisgender students (74%), the youngest age group (18-20 years of age; 62%), undergraduate students (61%), and Hispanic/Latinx students (58%).”
Faculty should know that many UNM resources are available for students. Read more and learn how to help students below.
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Information for students including about building closures is here and occasionally updated throughout the semester.
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UNM’s regular CR/NC policy is in effect. A summary of the pros and cons of switching to CR/NC, and links to the forms, is here.
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Need help supporting your students? UNM Dean of Students, Nasha Torrez, the Director of Counseling, Dr. Stephanie McIver, and Lisa Lindquist, the Director of the Lobo Respect Advocacy Center, along with other support staff can visit your class to answer questions and help students understand that they are not alone. Presentation topics include how to receive support, including mental health support, food, emergency loans, and financial capability coaching. Use this link to schedule a visit.Students can stay informed about student activities and resources by signing up for weekly info. Send an email request for a subscription to depar@unm.eduStudents also can sign up with a Lobo Social Pack here and find out about study spaces on campus that are open here.For students who need to learn about time management, the Center for Academic Program Support (CAPS) has on demand virtual workshops, including a “Time Prioritization” Series and workbook at this link (click on “On Demand Series”)This document has additional information about mental health, food, financial, and crisis support as well as opportunities to connect with campus life.
If you aren’t sure where to direct a student for questions during these times, the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center is a great starting point. They provide a wide range of services including confidential support, helping students navigate academic pressures, and access to the Lobo Food Pantry.
Additional support is available through the Women’s Resource Center, the Veteran’s Resource Center, The LGBTQ Resource Center, African American Student Services, El Centro de la Raza, American Indian Student Services, and the College Enrichment Program.
UNM has consolidated mental health resources in a website page. If you are concerned about the health and safety of a student, fill out a CARES report.
The Computer Lab in Dane Smith Hall is remaining open for students who need internet access. Hours of operation and other information can be found at the consolidated Computing Resources Site. This site includes campus-wide software licenses, computer purchases, WiFi access, the student computer loan program and other resources available through IT, University Libraries and HSC.
CAPS, the Center for Academic Program Support, is offering on-line tutoring. -
Graduate Studies has made changes to deadlines and policies to support graduate students, found here. Note that the Spring 2020 semester is not counted in the time-to-degree.
The Advance workshop on mentoring graduate students, and related material, can be found here.
If your students will need IRB approval for their research, consider having them do their CITI training now or suggest an IRB workshop. There is extensive information available on the IRB Training website.
What To Do If
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What to do if a student tells you they have tested positive for COVID-19: There is a relatively straightforward process and form for instructors to fill out; department chairs and directors then have additional steps to take. Undergraduate and graduate students with Coronavirus health concerns can find resources here.
If you test positive for COVID-19 should tell your Department Chair and fill out the self-report form. You are eligible for emergency paid leave.
If you need to care for a family member who tests positive for COVID-19, you can still request a Temporary Voluntary Reduction in FTE.
Information on building and facilities closures due to COVID-19 exposure is here.
Research Support
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Essential research is currently allowed at 25% occupancy under COVID-safe practices. Essential research is considered to be (i) activities necessary to maintain critical research infrastructure, (ii) urgent research required to satisfy degree requirements, and (iii) research that UNM is contractually obligated to perform on a specified timeline, which includes most federally funded research. Current information is summarized here and Research Guidelines are here.
At this time, research labs will be allowed to continue operating during the Winter Break (Dec. 23rd – Jan. 4th). COVID-screening logs must be maintained during for any on-campus work. There will be no daily COVID-19 check-in email.
Facilities closures due to COVID-19 exposure are here. -
The Office of the Vice President for Research lists funding opportunities related to COVID-19 and the impact of the pandemic here.
NSF has written a Dear Colleague Letter that highlights the opportunity for supplemental funding to help researchers confronted with increased dependent care responsibilities. The goal is to ensure that NSF-award-supported research can continue. See the letter here.
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The Faculty Research Development Office is open for virtual business and posting agency and institutional responses to COVID-19. If you are an early career faculty member and have not signed up for the Early PI Listserve, now is a good time to do so.
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The Sandia Labs Academic Alliance 2019 Collaboration Report is now available here. UNM is one of 5 academic institutions included in the alliance. As a reminder, you can find the video from our recent workshop on developing collaborations with Sandia here. This webpage includes a short guide on ways UNM faculty can initiate interactions with Sandia scientists and engineers.
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The UNM IRB has prepared a plan to address the gradual resumption of in-person human research activities. This guidance is meant to assist researchers with considering and preparing plans to address risks related COVID-19 exposure when conducting in-person study procedures. The UNM IRB will neither consider nor approve any requests to resume UNM-affiliated in-person research until UNM Administration releases official guidance on restarting research on campus.
A schedule of IRB workshops is here.
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The University Libraries will offer carry-out services through Nov. 20. Current processes are updated here.
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The Computer Lab in Dane Smith Hall is remaining open for students who need internet access. Hours of operation and other information can be found at the consolidated Computing Resources Site. This site includes campus-wide software licenses, computer purchases, wifi access, the student computer loan program and other resources available through IT, University Libraries and HSC.
Adobe Creative Campus information is here.
Research IT has announced a Research Technology Catalogue that includes information on data management, storage, and security; HPC services, getting an IT consultation, etc.
Resources for Teaching Online
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Find support from the Center for Teaching and Learning here.
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Online tools for supporting instruction from UNM IT Academic Technologies.
Starting from scratch with Learn
Getting started with Blackboard Learn
Recording videos with Kaltura, which is part of Learn.
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Techsmith, which makes several helpful online teaching tools like screencast recorders, is offering some of its software for free during the pandemic.
Zoom and Zoom Pro can help professors hold class meetings. It is free with a UNM net ID. You can share your screen with students.
This video, How to hold a class with Zoom, an iPad and a digital pencil by Michelle Pacansky-Brock @brocansky has helpful hints.
Google Hangouts allows groups to join a video conference. Allows screen sharing.
Blackboard Collaborate, which is built into Learn, allows group video chats and has a white board function that allows you to share Power Points, etc.
Skype is another free tool for delivering class lectures online. Here’s a video tutorial.
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How to Make Your Online Pivot Less Brutal is a good place to start.
The Teaching Effectively in Times of Disruption guide by technology specialists at Stanford University is full of recommendations and resources.
The Chronicle of Higher Education has this guidebook for teaching online.
Inside Higher Ed has this piece where 17 instructors offer their peers advice on teaching online.
The EduBlogger has this extensive list of resources and other info for teaching online, written by Kathleen Morris (@kathleen_morris).
Building Rapport to Improve Retention in Online Classes, by Rebecca Glazier Offers tips on how to build rapport with students in online classes in order to increase student success.
Inside Higher Ed also offers advice here: So you want to temporarily teach online.
Other UNM Resources and Support
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UNM has consolidated mental health resources for faculty, staff, and students. If you are concerned about the health and safety of a student, fill out a CARES report.
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The OEO and Title IX Offices are operating. You can learn about recent changes to Title IX policies in this short video, part of the ADVANCE “5 Things to Know” series. This document from the Office of Equal Opportunity has a variety of support resources for the campus community.
You can report concerns anonymously through the UNM Compliance Hotline and on-line via Ethicspoint.
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The DEI COVID-19 page is here and a list of Post Election Resources is available here.
DEI has had four panels on the impact of COVID-19, focusing on students, faculty & staff, UNM community members who are Asian & Pacific Islanders, and parents. Links to all of the panels can be found here. A link to the Town Hall “Addressing Anti-Blackness at UNM” is also available on page.
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The Computer Lab in Dane Smith Hall is remaining open for students who need internet access. Hours of operation and other information can be found at the consolidated Computing Resources Site. This site includes campus-wide software licenses, computer purchases, WiFi access, the student computer loan program and other resources available through IT, University Libraries and HSC.
Adobe Creative Campus information is here.
Research IT has announced a Research Technology Catalogue that includes information on data management, storage, and security; HPC services, getting an IT consultation, etc.
Parenting and Childcare
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We are tracking the latest news on K-12 school reopenings in New Mexico.
Officials from the state Department of Education on March 8 said schools should open for in person learning April 5. Read more.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Jan. 26 that schools may return to some in-person learning Feb. 8. Listen to her State of the State address here. The decision about returning is up to individual districts, however. Read more here.
Her announcement comes as the CDC on Jan. 26 said researchers found scant evidence of virus transmission in schools when precautionary measures are taken. Read the researchers’ report in the Journal of the American Medical Association here.
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Main campus HR has developed a page on childcare resources that includes instructions on how to advertise for in-person or virtual help from a student on the UNM student employees website.
Distractions for Everyone
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Ask the Maxwell: The UNM Maxwell Museum of Anthropology has a range of resources online. One potentially fun opportunity is the “ask Maxwell Friday.” Ask a question or encourage your kids to send questions!
The UNM Art Museum has virtual exhibitions here.
You can engage with the Albuquerque Museum online. In addition to on-line content, watch for special events during 3rd Thursday Online.
The New Mexico Museum of Natural History has a number of Science @ Home resources.
Albuquerque Murals Tour is an informative and beautiful tour of murals throughout Albuquerque.
There are interactive educational resources for parents and teachers on the ABQ Biopark Connect.
“Try This at Home” includes local resources consolidated on this city website.
Check out the creative activities for family fun at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. They also have parts of the collection on-line, as well as webinars for adults.
The New Mexico Museum of Art has a searchable art museum and some on-line exhibits.
Links to museums on Santa Fe’s Museum Hill are here. Most of them have extensive online content. For example:
– The Museum of International Folk Art has thousands of objects on-line and allows you to search through them a number of different ways.
– The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture has on-line exhibits, in addition to educational resources, and a coloring book.
– The Wheelwright Museum has a number of video interviews with, and about, artists.
This New York Times article provides links to The Best Live Animal Feeds from Around the World. Don’t forget to check the Panda Cam to watch the baby panda at the Washington Zoo.
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