The United Faculty of Florida at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and the FAU Board of Trustees are committed to maintaining the productive and efficient operation of FAU in a safe and healthy environment. The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to address the effects of COVID-19 related mandates and/or guidance from federal, state and local governments, the World Health Organization, and the United States Centers for Disease Control. The parties acknowledge the need to take measures aimed at supporting the public health of FAU faculty and students, and the work performed by faculty during the COVID-19 crisis. The terms and conditions outlined in this memorandum shall cease when the emergency is resolved or otherwise ended by declaration of the President of Florida Atlantic University, the leaders of the city of Boca Raton or Palm Beach County, the Governor of the State of Florida, or the President of the United States.
1. Faculty migrated all classes to remote instruction beginning Thursday, March 12, 2020. The University has identified a link to a webpage that includes several resources to support faculty transitioning their courses to an online format. Additionally, the University is providing a $100 stipend for faculty members who complete the basic online teaching module and has made other resources and stipends available to faculty for their professional development in remote instruction.
http://www.fau.edu/provost/covid-19.php. (see emails below)
2. Intellectual Property questions regarding ownership and rights over course materials shall be resolved pursuant to Article 18 of the CBA.
3. The parties acknowledge that remote instruction conducted pursuant to this memorandum is not necessarily the intended format for delivery of the course material. When evaluating faculty performance for the Spring 2020 semester (including for the 2020 annual evaluation, SPE, and promotion and tenure purposes for tenured, tenure-line faculty, and instructors), evaluators will consider whether faculty made a good faith effort to timely transition course materials and assess student learning outcomes to comply with state-mandated remote instruction. While SPOTs and student comments may be considered, they must be reviewed in the context of the disruptive effects of COVID-19.
4. Faculty and Instructors going up for tenure, promotion (including Instructors), or SPE may ask to delay the process for one year due to COVID-19 related reasons. The request to delay going up for tenure or promotion or what some refer to as a “stopped clock” is at the discretion of the faculty member. If opting in to delay tenure or promotion for one year, faculty members must make it clear in their Promotion and Tenure Portfolios that they “opted in” to freeze their clock for a year when explaining the overall number of years of service to FAU.
5. The University agrees to consult with a representative recommended by UFF-FAU on its Emergency Operations Team.