Resolution number 1/6/2021 – Measures against COVID-19
Considering the measures reported by the Presidency of the Regional Government of Madeira on 11 January 2021, which entered into force at 00.00 on 13 January, aimed at maintaining control of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19);
Considering the recommendations to scientific and higher education institutions within the extraordinary measures of the state of emergency issued by the Office of the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education on 21 January 2021;
Considering the deliberations of the Government of the Republic published in Decree No. 3-C/2021 of 22 January, in particular Article 31a, paragraph 1(c) thereof;
and following resolutions No. 1/1/2021, of 5 January, and No. 1/3/2021, of 12 January, of the Management Council, and the resolution reported to the entire Academic Community by the Management Council on 21 January 2021;
after hearing the Presidents of the Organic Units, the Presidents of the Pedagogical, University and Polytechnic Councils, the Students' Union, the President of the Committee for Prevention and Control of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Rector and his management Team, the Management Council hereby determines the following guidelines:
1st semester:
1. The face-to-face teaching activities which have been suspended on 21 January 2021, namely evaluations, will be resumed from next Wednesday 27 January. The evaluations that have not been carried out will be rescheduled by the Heads of curricular units, in dialogue with students and Degree directors;
2. The number of seats available in each room has been substantially reduced to further increase physical distance;
3. The atria on floors -1 and -2 have been prepared again so that it can be used for face-to-face tests and appeal examinations;
4. The regular season, including evaluations, and the appeal season of the first semester should be completed by February 27, 2021 (March 6 for the Higher Professional Technical Courses or other exceptions, duly justified);
5. The Heads of the curricular units, together with the Degree Directors, should put the previous paragraph into operation. If necessary, the University/Polytechnic Pedagogical Council should be contacted.
6. The responsibility for scheduling the monitoring of tests and examinations lies with the Faculties/Schools. The selection of the monitors for each examination should begin with the teaching-staff of the curricular unit, followed, in this order, by other teaching staff from the department responsible for the curricular unit, other teaching staff from the organic unit responsible and, lastly, by other teaching staff from the university;
7. The heads of the Curricular Units must ensure that students who are demonstrably unable to attend scheduled assessments because they are in prophylactic isolation can carry out assessments;
8. As long as the current road bans remain in place, namely until January 31st, all University activities must end by 6pm, from Monday to Friday, and by 5pm on Saturday;
9. Students will continue to have access to the premises during normal opening hours. We recommend, however, that they do so only when necessary, in particular for the purpose of carrying out evaluations;
10. The Bar and Canteen services will continue to operate as well as the Library and some of the study rooms, although with lower capacity;
11. The use of a mask and compliance with other health safety standards are mandatory;
12. Make silence in the spaces where the evaluations will be carried out and in the surrounding spaces.
2nd semester:
13. The 2nd semester will begin on March 1st (March 8th for the Higher Professional Technical Courses or other exceptions, duly justified). The 2nd semester class period will be extended for one more week, with regard to the calendar that was envisaged;
14. Until the Easter break (from 29 March to 5 April), the 2nd semester will work preferentially online. Only the evaluation activities that cannot be remote, laboratory classes, practices, fieldwork and traineeships will take place in person;
15. At that time, Easter Break, in the light of the evolution of the epidemiological situation, the possibility of resuming face-to-face teaching will be assessed;
16. The Heads of each Curricular Unit may adapt their evaluation model according to the new reality, no longer being subject to the evaluation models defined in Annex I of the "Regulation for the Evaluation of Student Learning at the University of Madeira" (and the evaluation model is no longer subject to paragraph 8 of Article 5 of that Regulation, which requires at least two elements of periodic evaluation). They will also have to listen to the students of these possible changes to the evaluation model, which will have to be submitted to the Degree Director and to the President of the University/Polytechnic Pedagogical Council (as the case may be), who will speak if they do not consider it suitable;
17. In the distance learning components, attendance and participation in classes may be a component of the normal evaluation, although not eliminatory, but cannot be taken into account in an appeal or special evaluation season;
18. The Degree Directors should compile the situations of the students who report difficulties in access to non-presential teaching and, together with the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, the Administrator and the Social Action Administrator, find measures to overcome it;
19. The normal season, including evaluations, and the appeal season of the 2nd semester must be completed by July 3, 2021 (July 10 for the Higher Professional Technical Courses or other exceptions, duly justified);
Special Season of September and academic year 2021/22:
20. The month of September 2021 shall be kept for the special evaluation seasons of the 1st and 2nd semesters;
21. In this 2020/21 academic year, all students will have access to the special assessment season, either 1st or 2nd semesters, and will be able to recover up to 100% of the classification of all components, with the exception of some components, such as laboratory, practical, field trips or traineeships, which cannot be recovered in special assessment season;
22. The timetable for the 2021/22 academic year should be programmed, with classes starting at the beginning of October.
Specific study cycles, such as those dependent on protocols with other institutions, are not covered by these resolutions and are analysed separately.
The University will continue to operate according to its contingency plan, following the guidelines of the Health Authorities, and will adapt its procedures in line with the evolution of the pandemic.
The Management Council once again thanks the entire Academic Community, teaching-staff and researchers, students and non-teaching staff for all their commitment, despite a possible workload resulting from these changes, although indispensable for public health and the proper functioning of the University and academic activities.
Funchal and University of Madeira, 25 January 2021
The Management Council