If you have an office or are teaching in a building that will not have heat, it is critically important that you limit entry to these buildings to minimize heat loss. All meetings in buildings without heat should be moved to a remote format, and staffing in these areas should be kept to an absolute minimum. We are currently finalizing language with the AAUP for a Letter of Agreement but have been in constant communication with them. Pending final agreement, the guidance is as follows:

Classroom-Based Teaching

• If you are currently teaching in a building without heat, you should move your course to a remote modality.
• A limited number of classrooms are available at the Oakland West Center (OWC) and Macomb University Center (MUC) for faculty who must teach face-to-face. To request an off-campus classroom, please use the form Requests for classrooms during outage and email questions or concerns to Vice Provost Dr. Amy Banes-Berceli at [email protected]
• If you are teaching in a building not impacted by the heat outage, you can continue face-to-face instruction with a hybrid option to accommodate students who may be unable to return to residence halls. You may also move the class to fully remote.
• Please make sure to stay in communication with your students during these next two weeks.

Research Labs

• In a limited number of labs, large heating units have been installed to support temperature-sensitive animal and cell-based research.
• Faculty with labs in buildings not impacted by the outage may resume normal research activities.
• Faculty with labs in impacted buildings may enter on a limited basis only and must be mindful that each entry contributes to additional heat loss. 

Performances and Campus Events

• Varner Hall has been directly impacted by the heat loss. Efforts are underway to attempt to relocate scheduled performances and events. Additional information will be forthcoming.
• The Oakland Center (OC) has also been impacted, and events in this space will likely be cancelled or rescheduled.
• Other events should be verified on an individual basis and will be determined by the impacted location. For example, the President’s Colloquium has been rescheduled until next semester.

Final Exams

• If a final exam cannot be administered remotely, faculty may request off-campus classroom space at Oakland West Center (OWC) or the Macomb University Center (MUC) by using the form Requests for classrooms during outage or contacting Dr. Amy Banes-Berceli no later than Wednesday, December 3rd.
• Please be mindful that some students may need transportation assistance for off main campus classes or exams. Faculty should encourage students to contact the Dean of Students office at [email protected] if they need assistance.
• Additional guidance will be provided soon for students who require Disability Support Services, as that office is currently located in a heat-impacted area.
• Faculty should make every effort to accommodate students who may be unable to return to campus for finals. Many students will be unable to return to campus because they will not have heated residence halls.