The University has returned to offering nearly all of our courses in person. Decisions about the modes of instruction to use in the coming year and beyond should be guided by our commitments to the safety of our students, faculty, and staff, and to providing an unparalleled residential educational experience for our students. With the qualification that we will continue to monitor the public health situation in our area and will change course if needed, the provost’s office offers the following set of guidelines to the schools for the 2022-23 academic year:

1. Most instruction will be in person. The University’s unique residential learning environment relies on in-person interaction between students and faculty. During the 2022-2023 academic year, the overwhelming majority of our courses will be offered in this format. Faculty should once again be available to teach and meet with students in person.

2. Online or hybrid instruction. There may be compelling pedagogical reasons to offer some courses in online or hybrid formats. Some of these will be offerings that are part of all-online programs, intended for continuing education or students living outside Charlottesville. Some may be single courses for which an online or hybrid format is pedagogically appropriate. Schools will review and approve courses to be offered in an online or hybrid format. Decisions to approve a particular instructional mode for a particular course should be driven by considerations about pedagogy and how the instructional mode will affect the students. They may consider, for example, how well a particular method achieves goals such as reaching the intended audience; promoting student learning, engagement, and well-being; or broadening access to a diverse range of course content. Once decisions are made, the delivery method for each course should remain consistent throughout the semester barring unforeseen circumstances.

3. Exceptions to in-person instruction for reasons unrelated to pedagogy. Faculty seeking a medical or disability-related accommodation should follow the Procedures for Employees with Disabilities to Request Workplace Accommodations. Faculty wishing to teach entirely online for reasons other than pedagogy or medical or disability accommodation should submit their request to their dean’s office. The student-centered considerations described above should weigh heavily in evaluating these requests. All exceptions from in-person teaching will be decided by the dean of each school.