Student Guide for Maintaining Academic Continuity During Quarantine or Isolation Due to COVID-19

From Dr. Jean Morrison, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Daniel Kleinman, Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs, and Dr. Amie Grills, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs – sent to all students on September 17, 2021

As we return to a fully residential campus experience this fall, quarantine and isolation will remain critical public health measures used to help control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Should you find yourself needing to enter quarantine or isolation over the coming semester, we want you to know that we as a community are fully committed to supporting your health and continued academic progress at Boston University.

As you know, the transition back to in-person classes this semester means that we are no longer offering recording or live-streaming of classes as a substitute for attendance. There are, however, a number of other actions you can take and resources the University offers that may be helpful during this time.

In the event you need to quarantine or undergo isolation this semester, we encourage you to take the following steps:

1. Each school/college has an Academic Continuity Coordinator who can support you in making arrangements to keep up with your academic work. Use the link for the Academic Continuity Coordinator list to find the coordinator for your school/college and let them know any specific concerns you have.
2. Review the syllabus for each of your classes to get a sense of what you will miss during your period of quarantine or isolation. Make sure you have access to readings and other course materials so you can keep up with the assignments when you are unable to attend class.
3. Email each of your instructors, copying your Academic Continuity Coordinator, and let them know that you will be missing class for medical reasons. You might want to ask each instructor one or more of the following questions:
   • Do they have presentation materials or notes for the classes you will miss that they can share with you?
   • Can you set up a time to meet with them, perhaps during their office hours, to review the material covered in the classes you will miss?
   • Do they have a TA or TF whom you could meet with to review missed class content or assignments?
   • Will they share the names and email addresses of students in the class who have volunteered to share notes and review material with peers?
   • If you need to miss an in-class project, quiz, lab, or exam, is there a way to do a make-up or otherwise complete the assignment?
   • Because you cannot be in class, is there a way for you to demonstrate that you have engaged with the assigned material?
   • Because you will be missing class, do they suggest any readings or activities to supplement the learning you will acquire through class preparation and homework.
4. Consider reaching out to classmates or friends in your classes and asking if they could take especially good notes and share those notes with you. Perhaps your classmate could also set up a time to meet with you virtually after class and review notes and what you missed from class. If you do not know a classmate that you could contact, ask your professor or Academic Continuity Coordinator if they can help you identify someone.
5. Consider contacting your advisor and letting them know you are in isolation/quarantine. They may be another source of support and may have ideas particular to your courses or major that can be helpful.
6. Recognize that quarantine/isolation due to COVID-19 can be stressful and make a list of things you can do to reduce your stress and remain socially connected with friends and family even while you are physically separated. Additional resources are available to all students, for example, through Behavioral Medicine and The Wellbeing Project.
7. Visit the Educational Resource Center website for additional support. For example, you might consider setting an appointment with a peer tutor.
8. If, due to ongoing illness, you will miss more class than the standard isolation/quarantine periods, please contact Disability & Access Services to discuss possible accommodations.
9. Stay in touch with your Academic Continuity Coordinator and keep them apprised of how you are doing and let them know if you encounter any difficulties along the way.

We know how disruptive entering quarantine and isolation can be to your academic, social, and personal lives, and hope that cases continue to be at a manageable level over the coming months. The work you have done over the last 18 months – and so far this fall – to help contain the spread of this virus has been truly remarkable. You have helped make BU a national model for COVID response, and we want to thank you for your vigilance and commitment to one another’s health and safety. We also want you to know that we are here to support you in the event of a disruption to your studies, and hope that the above resources, tools, and strategies are helpful.