[Cse-lecturers] Fwd: Fall Instruction ADA Accommodations

Tue Jun 8 17:52:05 PDT 2021

All:
please pay attention to this message and, if necessary, act accordingly.

S.

[https://emailsignature.ucmerced.edu.672elmp01.blackmesh.com/ucm_seal.png]      Stefano Carpin, Ph.D.
Professor and chair
Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering
School of Engineering
5200 Lake Road | Merced, California 95343
robotics.ucmerced.edu<http://robotics.ucmerced.edu> | 209.228.4152
BUILDING THE FUTURE IN THE HEART OF CALIFORNIA

Begin forwarded message:

From: Sarah Frey <sfrey2 at ucmerced.edu<mailto:sfrey2 at ucmerced.edu>>
Subject: Fall Instruction ADA Accommodations
Date: June 8, 2021 at 8:40:02 AM PDT
To: UCM_SENATE_FACULTY <UCM_SENATE_FACULTY at ucmerced.edu<mailto:UCM_SENATE_FACULTY at ucmerced.edu>>, UCM_OTHER_FACULTY <UCM_OTHER_FACULTY at ucmerced.edu<mailto:UCM_OTHER_FACULTY at ucmerced.edu>>, UCM_LECTURERS <UCM_LECTURERS at ucmerced.edu<mailto:UCM_LECTURERS at ucmerced.edu>>, UCM_POSTDOCS <UCM_POSTDOCS at ucmerced.edu<mailto:UCM_POSTDOCS at ucmerced.edu>>, UCM_TEACHING_ASSISTANTS <UCM_TEACHING_ASSISTANTS at ucmerced.edu<mailto:UCM_TEACHING_ASSISTANTS at ucmerced.edu>>
Cc: Jay Lomeli <jlomeli3 at ucmerced.edu<mailto:jlomeli3 at ucmerced.edu>>, David Ellington <dellington at ucmerced.edu<mailto:dellington at ucmerced.edu>>, Shenethia Manuel <amanuel7 at ucmerced.edu<mailto:amanuel7 at ucmerced.edu>>, Andrew Boyd <aboyd2 at ucmerced.edu<mailto:aboyd2 at ucmerced.edu>>, Elisabeth Gunther <egunther at ucmerced.edu<mailto:egunther at ucmerced.edu>>

Dear Instructors and Teaching Assistants,

As you know, we are returning to in-person instruction for Fall 2021. All courses are expected to be taught in-person unless previously approved by the Senate for online delivery and scheduled as online by their department chair. Note that instructors and TAs may not make individual arrangements with students to allow them to participate remotely for in-person courses.

Some instructors and TAs may have medical conditions and disabilities that cause functional limitations impacting their instructional work. Below is some guidance for such instructors and TAs:

1.     Instructors with a qualifying disability. An instructor or TA may request reasonable accommodations for a qualifying disability, following these guidelines: Local Procedures for Accommodations.<https://hr.ucmerced.edu/sites/hr.ucmerced.edu/files/page/documents/am_procedure.pdf> Please contact Disability Management Services<https://hr.ucmerced.edu/hr-units/benefits/accommodations> with questions.

Definition of a disability under ADA:

a.      A physical disorder or condition that limits a major life activity;

b.     a mental or psychological disorder or condition that limits a major life activity;

c.      a Medical Condition that is (a) a cancer-related physical or mental health impairment from a diagnosis, record or history of cancer; or (b) a genetic characteristic that is known to be a cause of a disease or disorder that is associated with a statistically increased risk of development of a disease or disorder, though presently not associated with any disease or disorder symptoms; and

d.     any other condition recognized as a disability under applicable law.

Instructors and TAs are responsible for starting the process of making a request for reasonable accommodation by contacting Benefits at ucmerced.edu<mailto:Benefits at ucmerced.edu> and informing their Chair or unit lead of this request.  If a request is approved, Human Resources will only disclose that there is an approved condition along with the functional limitations to accommodate. More information regarding Reasonable Accommodations can be found here<https://hr.ucmerced.edu/hr-units/benefits/accommodations>.

2.       Caring for a family member with a serious medical condition. Ladder-rank faculty and teaching professors (LSOE) may be eligible for COVID-Related Dependent Care Modified Duties. Details of this policy can be found here: UC Merced Interim COVID-Related Dependent Care Modified Duties<https://academicpersonnel.ucmerced.edu/UC_Merced_Interim_COVID-Related_Dependent_Care_Modified_Duties>. 

3.       Leave of absence may be an option. Contact your school for guidance on your leave of absence options and the application process. Applicable leave of absence policies may be found in the Academic Personnel Manual, Merced Academic Personnel Policies & Procedures, and applicable collective bargaining agreements:

•       APM: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/academic-personnel-policy/benefits-and-privileges/index.html

•       MAPP: https://academicpersonnel.ucmerced.edu/policies/merced-academic-personnel-policies-procedures

https://academicpersonnel.ucmerced.edu/policies/collective-bargaining

Note that there will be separate information with guidelines on practices for dealing with illness and quarantine during the semester. We are awaiting further details about public health requirements and needs as we approach the semester.

Thank you for flexibility and hard work over the last year and a half. We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to campus. Over the coming weeks, we will be sending emails with various details about the operations logistics, current research and data that is informing our plans for a safe return to campus.

Sincerely,

----
Sarah Frey
Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education
University of California, Merced
(209)228-2317

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