January 14, 2021: Start of Spring Term

Dear Faculty,

Happy New Year and welcome back for the Spring 2021 term. I hope you had a restful and enjoyable winter break. It was some well-deserved time off.

As we turn our attention to the Spring, I want to reiterate that we will be delivering our curricula the same way we did for the Fall. As such, please make sure you and your students follow all COVID-19 guidelines and protocols established by the CDC and the Georgia Department of Health, and our institutional policies.

Additionally, here are a few quick reminders to get our term off to a successful and safe start:

1. Please remain vigilant. Help prevent the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing, both inside and outside of the classroom. When inside campus buildings, maintain at least six feet of distance and wear a mask when conversing with others. Classrooms will continue to have COVID caps, so please adhere to these limits. We will be following the policies established for the Fall term unless otherwise advised.

2. The new year brings hope as availability of a vaccine becomes more widespread, and we look forward with anticipation to improved conditions by the middle of the term. The vaccine is being distributed nationally and throughout Georgia. We will provide updates as we get more information from the Georgia Department of Public Health regarding local and regional distribution.

3. Please activate your course Folio accounts. Make sure you have uploaded the syllabus and mode of instruction, as well as any available course content. This minimal level of information on Folio will allow students to make informed decisions and be ready for the start of classes. Having your course Folio accounts active and current will also aid in the event you or your students need to transition to remote instruction mode because of quarantining.

4. The attendance verification policy for the Fall will be in effect for the Spring. Please use the attendance verification quiz in Folio.

5. We will continue to use the CARES center to report illnesses, close contacts, and positive COVID tests. Please submit by phone at 912-478-CARE or on the MyGeorgiaSouthern portal. Please share this with your students.

We did a great job of preventing the spread of the virus in the Fall, and to ensure a safe and successful Spring, we must not let our guards down. Thank you again for your continued adherence to our health and safety protocols and to keeping each other safe.

Sincerely,

Carl L. Reiber

Provost & Vice President Academic Affairs

Last updated: 8/13/2021