Tenth Memorandum of Understanding between Western Washington University and United Faculty of Western Washington

August 30, 2022

A signed copy of the MOU can be found here

Preamble

Except where continuing SARS-COV2 transmission and its social effects impact faculty health, safety, workload, or evaluation, the UFWW and WWU agree in this memorandum to strive to return to normal operations governed by in-place university policy. 

Modality

  1. For AY2022-2023, faculty may request that Human Resources approve hybrid or online instruction (for courses not previously approved by ACC for the requested hybrid or online modality) based upon one of the following reasons:  
    1. Faculty who have approved medical or religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination requirements;
    2. Faculty who are immunocompromised or otherwise at high risk as determined by their health care provider, whether or not they are vaccinated;
    3. Faculty who anticipate having unvaccinated, immunocompromised, or otherwise high-risk individuals in their household or caring for such high-risk individuals outside their household;
    4. Faculty who live or have travelled out of the country if border crossings become difficult;
    5. Faculty who can demonstrate that Covid imposes a disproportionate and significant burden that can be remedied by moving to online or hybrid teaching.

HR will approve or deny the request in a timely fashion. Appeal from HR’s decision may be made to a two-person committee, consisting of a representative of the Provost’s Office and a representative of the UFWW. Unanimity is required to overturn HR’s decision.

  1. No adverse action will be taken against any faculty member making such a request, even if that request is denied.
  2. Faculty do not need to request permission to move a course from the approved modality to online instruction for two weeks or less due to disruptions related to COVID-19 including faculty isolation or quarantine, to care for someone who must isolate or quarantine or otherwise stay home, or if a significant number of students in the class must isolate or quarantine. If doing so, faculty should notify their students and chair.
  3. Faculty will make initial requests for modality changes for Fall 2022 as soon as is practicable, but not later than Sept. 16, 2022. Those for Winter 2023 should be made by October 25, 2022. Those for Spring 2023 should made by February 4, 2023. Those for Summer 2023 should be made April 18, 2023. Emergent requests after these dates should be made using the same processes outlined above.

Safety

  1. The University will comply with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) recommendations for maintaining healthy buildings, including maximizing fresh air intake, minimizing cross-flow of air in occupied spaces, and optimizing system filtration to the greatest extent possible. The University will provide all available data on: (1) real-time monitoring of supply air and exhaust rates on all air handlers to ensure that ASHRAE standards for supply air are achieved, (2) the approximately 130 CO2 monitoring points in building supply air systems to ensure air provided to large sections of buildings contains sufficient outside air (OSA), and (3) the approximately 100 CO2 monitoring points in individual lecture halls and GUC’s to verify that the overall ventilation strategy is effective. This data will be provided by March 1, 2021 (via a webpage or email) and will be updated if the ASHRAE  recommendation is not met. The University will continue the use of  MERV 13 air filters where system design and operating capacity allows and complete routine scheduled maintenance of all HVAC systems to ensure proper operation. Any building or room that falls below the ASHRAE recommendations will be taken offline or marked as for limited use. For buildings without supply air systems, the University will implement site-specific solutions within one week.
  2. The University will stock disposable masks at the main entrance to every building where classes take place. The University will restock these supplies on a weekly basis and promptly upon notification.
  3. The University will notify faculty of positive cases of COVID-19 in their classes within 24 hours of receiving notification.
  4. Upon request of the faculty member, the University will provide vaccinate rate information for their classes.

Workload

  1. The University will not require faculty to teach in more than one modality for any reason other than compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  2. If any faculty member teaches a section that includes both remote and in-person students as a result of a reasonable accommodation per the Americans with Disabilities Act, in consultation with the Disability Access Center, then the instructor, the chair, and the dean will determine the amount of extra workload, in credit hour terms, and the instructor will be paid 50% of the usual overload rate, i.e. 1/72 of their academic year salary per credit hour.

Tenure Application

  1. All probationary faculty members beginning in AY 2022-23 have a right to a one-year extension to their original tenure review date. All previous extensions remain in effect.

Post Tenure Review

  1. Upon request, tenured faculty scheduled for post-tenure review in AY 2026-27 can opt for a one-year extension by submitting their requests for postponement to their department chair, college dean, and the Provost in the year prior to their scheduled review. All previous extensions remain in effect.