[Biomed_students_masters] Need Accommodations for In Person Classes and Work?

Thu Feb 3 13:43:23 PST 2022

Send on behalf of Dr. Monica Carson:

 Dear Biomed Colleagues,

The campus vaccination (plus booster) rate is very high, robust campus testing, campus masking and daily wellness survey requirements are in place, and the infection rate within our community is very low. Thus, many in our community are enthusiastically welcoming the return to in person activities, especially the return to in person classroom instruction that began this past Monday.  However, I've learned there are significant concerns amongst those who may have health related issues that the campus-mandated return to in person instruction may cause them potential harm.

In brief, I wish to reassure those with these health-related concerns and re-amplify the messages sent out by our Provost that there are campus support services available.  Specifically, to address and serve those with health-related/disability-related needs, there are dedicated campus offices for students and for employees (faculty, fellows and staff).
For students, this office is the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC).  In addition, Christina Granillo in SOM Student Affairs is a SOM student affairs resource able to facilitate navigating this process for our BMSC graduate students.  However, students can also go directly to the SDRC and do not have to go through Christina Granillo.
For faculty, fellows and staff, this office is the Disability Management office.

Both offices have confidential and individualized processes by which accommodations for health concerns are designed and approved for individuals (including but not limited to COVID related issues). It is important that individuals use these processes to protect the privacy of their information and to have professional skilled individuals design appropriate accommodations in an equitable manner.  I also note that according to the Provost's Compassionate Clause, circumstances qualifying for accommodation include when an individual:
a.    Lives with children under the age of 5 who do not attend in-person school or daycare.
b.    Is immunocompromised themselves or lives with one or more immunocompromised individuals.

The link to SDRC is https://sdrc.ucr.edu/<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sdrc.ucr.edu_&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=_8LPQYVYocC3t_PBPnvfy-9RV4KQgG-MeEYOQG0Ch_E&e=> with the specific link for the accommodation approval process here: https://sdrc.ucr.edu/apply-accommodations<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sdrc.ucr.edu_apply-2Daccommodations&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=IS10MlFEKLBfqgeqecj6KLKnfRtqk4ll3S2FWXCYSpc&e=>.  The link to the Disability office is https://hr.ucr.edu/front/workplace-health-wellness/disability-management<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__hr.ucr.edu_front_workplace-2Dhealth-2Dwellness_disability-2Dmanagement&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=yUojaa4bPIcYJO30AHs2VqzwRwdHvPT7yGzD_kvN9EI&e=> and their email address is: disabilitymanagement at ucr.edu<mailto:disabilitymanagement at ucr.edu>. Again, by going through the UCR office designed and authorized to discuss health related issues, we ensure that situations are handled appropriately, fairly and confidentially -- without faculty or supervisors asking or receiving information we shouldn't have.

When an individual is approved for an accommodation by these UCR offices, faculty and supervisors do not question why or what is the cause.  That is private.  Faculty and supervisors only attend to what they are directed to accommodate and how they are directed to accommodate by SDRC of the disability management office (ex. more time on tests, alternative learning material, office locations/setups, remote access, whatever we have been directed).

The Division of Biomedical Sciences supports all in the division and the graduate program -- faculty, fellows, students and staff.  We actively support all UCR approved accommodations. I am happy to report that over the years, we have successfully implemented campus generated accommodation plans for a broad spectrum of faculty, staff and students in our division.   I strongly encourage all who might need these services to engage in the campus process.

Lastly, as a resource for all in our community, the Provost has shared that Environmental Health and Safety is making surgical and N95 masks available to all UCR employees. To request masks, click here<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ehs.ucr.edu_coronavirus_facecoverings&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=uD79GEzwGq0gjne23wPn6qA6ud0VRq7E36lInKwcxt8&e=>. The Well is offering a similar resource<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__well.ucr.edu_covid-2Dwellness-2Dkits-2Dmasks&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=GDFMyyhbmzYLvJbmofHSLdSWdxp1U9EEbtlgKKWALCU&e=> to UCR students.

Please do share and discuss this information with those in our community.  As always, I thank everyone for their support of each other and our entire community.
Monica

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monica J. Carson, Ph.D.
S. Sue Johnson Presidential Endowed Chair
Professor and Chair of Biomedical Sciences

                Director, Center for Glial-Neuronal Interactions
                University of California Riverside, School of Medicine
                Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Neuroinflammation

                Executive Administrative Assistant: Maribel Velarde
               Maribel.velarde at medsch.ucr.edu<mailto:Maribel.velarde at medsch.ucr.edu>           951-827-9150
               microglia.ucr.edu<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__microglia.ucr.edu&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=_FYjOzHHlgmZnSiP8u10yWv3VYy88D1LXVNHMfQIJvc&e=>   cgni.ucr.edu<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__cgni.ucr.edu&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=2oTlTJeb8F7ujn3-zIou5xwhgc3yArIK1DRTML9L8rY&e=>   jneuroinflammation.com<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__jneuroinflammation.com&d=DwMF-g&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=FnK1iymJu3XoCHGyqz3S_PVoZXHDMzO-hWZxsy6JO1I&m=FwQB5nYpHaZYF7GB--bM7TnhC1XcIGcskaKHTKeIBnAudcFctkqcOp3SpuJ5HgF0&s=VlEhbGcQ9_GbrRowqQM03b_nid7eVALD-LAX7qe9hiw&e=>

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