Academic Calendar

William & Mary will offer three semesters for academic year 2020-2021: an accelerated fall semester, plus spring and summer semesters. We will have no fall break.

The fall semester for undergraduates, Graduate Arts & Sciences, VIMS and School of Education will begin one week early on Aug. 19 and end before Thanksgiving. There will be no fall break. The last day of classes for undergraduates, Graduate Arts & Sciences and VIMS will be Nov. 13, and final exams will take place Nov. 16-24. Students will move out of residence halls Nov. 25. Grades are due Dec. 7. Additional program schedules will be announced soon.

Due to the compressed schedule, five extra instructional days will be added, and we will have no fall break. Delivery options include Saturday, evening or online sessions. Each course syllabus will note how and when the extra sessions will be delivered.

Summer Semester

To ensure that our students have the opportunity to spend a full academic year on campus, a rich semester experience will be offered next summer. Summer 2021 will include courses that were not offered during the previous two semesters, courses that complement and expand our current programs and offerings, as well as unique programs that can be completed during the summer, such as the new Jump Start Data Science Program and Mason’s Summer Business Institute.

Each school will determine what they intend to offer during the summer, and the deans will work with the provost to ensure that the resulting summer 2021 is a fully coordinated and comprehensive semester. More details about summer 2021 will be announced.

Learning Spaces

The changes occurring this fall will require flexibility and creativity, including adaptations of learning spaces and modes of course delivery.

Most classes will need to be moved for sufficient physical distancing. The Deans’ offices will work with faculty to decide classroom accommodations. William & Mary is completing an inventory of large spaces available for instruction in the fall, which will allow for more physical distancing of at least six feet for up to 80 participants in a room. Virginia’s Phase 3 of reopening begins July 1; if maintained, this will allow meetings of more than 50 people, including some large lectures. Face coverings are required in all public or communal spaces, including classrooms, and will be provided by W&M. More frequent cleaning of classrooms will also be required.

• For courses that are mostly face-to-face and synchronous, classrooms will hold the projected enrollment.
• For courses that evenly blend in-person instruction with expanded remote delivery of instructional material, content and activity, W&M will base classroom determination on the maximum number of students in the classroom at once. For example, if a course with a projected enrollment of 120 is going to use a “flipped” approach, and only a third of the students will be meeting in any given session, the classroom capacity would need to hold 40 students, or one third of 120. Another option is for faculty teaching at the same day and time to share a classroom, which each would use while the other met with students remotely in a week-together, week-apart modality.
• For courses that are mostly remote and asynchronous, the classroom assignment can be removed altogether.
• For remote and synchronous courses, W&M will work with departments to find spaces that can accommodate receiving synchronous video from remote instructors. These sections will need TAs or other staff to handle technology. Some support will be available from the Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation. If no classroom is needed because students will receive the synchronous instruction remotely, faculty will inform their schools during the planning process.

Course Delivery

All courses will be delivered in a format that maximizes meaningful interaction between faculty and student and reflects William & Mary’s high quality of teaching and learning. Almost all courses will be “blended” to some degree, with students learning in real time and instruction delivered both directly and via technology throughout the semester. Faculty are advised to prepare classes in a way that makes it possible to switch to fully remote learning on short notice if public health conditions require it. Instructional design support is available for technology-enhanced instruction.

The Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation is developing an online course, launching July 20, to guide faculty through blended teaching and learning strategies useful in flexible course design. Participants will work with others teaching in a similar modality and identify creative solutions to instructional challenges. The studio also anticipates training student partners to support faculty members by developing educational media, facilitating synchronous Zoom sessions and troubleshooting issues with asynchronous teaching approaches.

Led by the deans, each school will choose in-person and blended strategies, including but not limited to these options:

• Blended course design provides flexibility for faculty and students with both face-to-face and online learning experiences. Designing a course in this modality makes shifting to remote teaching more seamless for faculty and students, if necessary.
• Modular design allows faculty to prepare syllabus blocks of varying length for in-person and remote delivery. Under this model, only one block would be delivered at a time, but the class would have the option to switch modes if conditions rapidly require it.
• Split attendance allows only one cohort of a course’s students to attend in-person, with the remaining students participating online. Cohorts rotate throughout the semester, allowing all students the opportunity to have in-person instruction.
• Date and time adjustments add class meetings to evenings and Saturdays, so that all cohorts of a class meet in-person each time.
• Partner teaching has faculty members supporting each other in courses with traditionally larger enrollments. In addition to mixing in-person and remote delivery as appropriate, partner teaching provides further flexibility to faculty members’ changing personal or health circumstances.

Credit hours in shortened semester

Because the semester has been shortened by a week of instruction, an additional 50 minutes’ worth of instruction per contact hour must be added. This can be scheduled as one or more additional in-person meetings or as technology-delivered content; any additional meeting dates and content must be listed on the course syllabus. Some examples for a three-credit course are listed:

• Adding a single three-hour (150 minutes) session on a Saturday morning or a Tuesday evening.
• Holding three 50-minute sessions, perhaps one each month.
• Making available three hours’ worth of recorded lectures or other content through an approved learning management system.

Wellness in the Classroom

William & Mary is exploring a number of ways to mitigate the stresses of teaching and learning during a global pandemic. These initiatives include limits on course overloads with a process for approving exceptions, curriculum changes, empowering units to partner with students to develop guidelines for reducing stress, developing new ways to strengthen community through academic programs and promoting increased accountability for one another’s health.

Work Modes & Schedules

William & Mary will continue to emphasize telework to the maximum extent possible; most employees working remotely will continue through July 31. In July, each member of the President’s Cabinet, with their direct reports, will determine the appropriate mode of work for each unit to meet the university’s mission most effectively, while making modifications as needed, given the current public health context. For those required to work on campus, options for alternative work schedules and physical distancing within the workplace will be employed where appropriate.

• July 17: Plans will be finalized for core, on-campus functions and those that should continue to work remotely. Supervisors will seek input from employees before finalizing plans with Cabinet members.
• Week of July 20: Supervisors will communicate approved plans to employees. A town hall on returning to campus will be held to discuss workplace safety and related matters.
• Aug. 8: Students arrive on campus, physical adaptations will have been implemented.

A Cabinet member may determine that a department can continue working remotely, or blend modes of work, while meeting the university’s mission. As some employees continue to work remotely, work-related activities may require them to return to campus periodically. Thus, each plan for these departments should identify the extent to which employees will be expected to continue working remotely and what activities or circumstances will require employees to return to campus.

Plans should consider adjusting modes of work:

• Time: Adjusting time, pace and schedule of operating hours to de-densify workspaces. Examples include expanding the work day, increasing number of days in the work week, setting different shifts, shortening service hours and adopting a four-day work week of 10-hour days.
• Space: Arranging the physical environment to reduce contact. Examples include moving offices or desks, installing shields and selecting alternate spaces for service.
• Movement: Limiting or altering the movement of people. Examples include establishing customer areas, modifying break room use and limiting interoffice visitation.
• Technology: Using technology to reduce physical contact. Examples include videoconferencing, limiting drop-in appointments through use of scheduling software and remote work.
• Operations: Adapting how work occurs. Examples include implementing improvements such as electronic signatures, redesign of processes and adapted operations.

Core On-Campus Functions

William & Mary’s primary goal is to continue providing students an exceptional experience adapted to the realities of operating in the midst of a pandemic. Many core functions require direct contact with students and employees returning to campus to support those interactions. At minimum, core functions may include:

• Teaching
• Research
• Student services
• Facility service and maintenance
• Residence hall and dining support
• Public safety
• Technology support
• Mail services for critical business
• Student health and counseling centers

All academic departments and administrative departments that interact directly with students will be expected to develop plans to ensure that employees are available on campus to support student needs in ways that limit risk (pdf) to employees. Some functions may blend in-person and remote modes of work based on the university’s needs and public health conditions.

Remote Work

For areas that don’t require on-campus work, W&M will continue to encourage employees to work remotely through Dec. 31, 2020. Approval for W&M’s remote work policies have been temporarily expedited to enable remote work as determined by Cabinet members through the end of the calendar year. 

Individual Circumstances

An employee’s individual circumstances, such as child or elder care or medical condition, may require adjustments to their work schedules or modes of work. Faculty and staff should notify their department head if they have concerns about being able to work in the mode (on campus, remotely or a mix) designated in their department’s plan. The department head will coordinate with Human Resources and the appropriate Cabinet member, who will review the department plan and functional need in the employee’s domain of work.

• Cabinet members will assess whether adjustments can be made to provide flexibility, while ensuring the function is met and the department’s mission successfully delivered;
• If adjustments cannot be made, Human Resources can identify whether the employee is eligible for the Commonwealth’s Public Health Emergency Leave and options provided through the federal Families First CoronaVirus Response Act;
• An employee may be eligible for the university or state’s sickness and disability programs, earned sick leave, annual leave or other leave statuses;

Requests for Alternate Arrangements in Teaching

A clear, fair and consistent policy regarding expectations of faculty presence on campus for in-person teaching is being developed by the provost in consultation with the deans, Human Resources, Office of Diversity & Inclusion and Faculty Assembly.

Facilities & Work Spaces

To promote health and help prevent the spread of infection, employees are responsible for maintaining their personal offices and work spaces. William & Mary will provide cleaning materials. Face coverings are required in all public or communal spaces, including classrooms. Students will be responsible for cleaning class desk space before and after use.

Employees are asked to take their personal trash to a public space for disposal, which will protect custodial staff from needing to enter individual offices and facilitate more frequent cleaning of public, high-touch areas. Employees are advised to partner with Facilities Management for physical adjustments to public-facing areas and areas where physical distancing can not be maintained.

William & Mary is designing signs for use around campus to promote safe practices. Please contact Kristen Fagan, risk manager for finance and administration, to arrange for consistent signage.

The need for physical distancing in classrooms will require that instruction expand into spaces ordinarily available for student or administrative use. William & Mary is working on a system of centralized scheduling of spaces to support instruction.

Events & Travel

Campus gatherings, including university, school, department or student events and meetings, are subject to public health guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Virginia Department of Health and the governor. Current guidance (pdf) limits indoor and outdoor campus gatherings to 50% of a facility's capacity, or 50 people, whichever is less, so long as physical distancing can be maintained. External events and those with visitors should be converted to virtual gatherings. Exceptions will include a small set of university traditions, as approved by the President’s Executive Leadership Team.

Campus remains closed to the public through July 31. For fall 2020, use of space is dedicated to core mission activities – teaching, learning, research, student groups and activities – and restricted to the campus community.

No university-sponsored travel will take place this fall unless required to meet obligations of externally sponsored research or state scientific advisory services.

Our top priority for the Class of 2020 remains an in-person Commencement, with all the ritual, celebration and convening with friends that our graduates long for and deserve. Based on Virginia’s early summer projections, Oct. 9-11, 2020, falls within the governor’s loosening of in-person gatherings. If pandemic conditions prohibit convening in number, William & Mary has reserved May 23-25, 2021, as alternate dates. William & Mary will make a final decision on the timing of Commencement 2020 by July 31.

Health & Safety

While on campus, all members of the W&M community are expected to commit to specific safeguards for one another’s health. 

Face coverings are required in all public or communal spaces, including classrooms. William & Mary will provide wellness kits to employees as they return to campus. These kits include cloth masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes. Face shields and sneeze guards will also be provided as necessary. Hand sanitation stations will be placed strategically across campus. COVID-19 training may be mandatory.

Most W&M employees working remotely will continue through July 31. Extending telework into the fall as the norm for employees whenever possible is one step in limiting the spread of COVID virus. Realizing that more staff will return to campus along with our students, supervisors will determine the flexibility for units and individuals to telework as the campus reopens. For those required to work on campus, options for alternative work schedules and physical distancing within the workplace will be deployed where appropriate.

William & Mary is developing a testing program that will likely require students test for COVID-19 upon arrival, and will allow employees to take advantage of optional testing services partially subsidized by the university. Testing and contact-tracing protocols are being developed in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia and other universities in our public higher education system.

Employees who belong to a more vulnerable group and have concerns about returning to work should first talk with their supervisors. Additional guidance for such cases will be forthcoming from Human Resources.

All employees should continue to monitor their own health. Do not come to work if you are sick, have COVID-like symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who may have the virus. If this is the case, tell your supervisor and contact a healthcare professional.

William & Mary is coordinating the COVID-19 response with leaders in the City of Williamsburg and Virginia Department of Health, and we are following public health guidelines (pdf) for university reopening. As public health officials improve our understanding of how to safeguard communities while returning to in-person life and work, we will evolve our practices.

Support & Engagement

Residential universities uniquely intertwine service work and knowledge work. To the extent that W&M can adapt to sustain this unique model, we can also sustain our economy and workforce through the shocks of a pandemic. As much as possible, W&M has an obligation to ensure the prosperity of our employees and region.

W&M Human Resources offers multiple resources to support employees, both on and off campus. Wellness resources may also be found on the McLeod Tyler Wellness Center website.