From the Dean's Desk: September 8, 2020

Dear GT Computing community,

Georgia Tech Dean of Computing Charles Isbell

First, I want to thank everyone who is doing their part to keep their colleagues and friends safe by getting tested weekly for Covid. Your participation supports the Institute’s contact-tracing program, which notifies the faculty, staff, and students who come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

Now, I have not been surprised to hear that our students have started contact tracing for themselves, and are notifying their instructors when they test positive. This is a good and correct thing to do, but it does create a new set of responsibilities for us all.

If you do hear from a student about a positive test, and you have NOT yet heard from the Dean of Students, here’s the process:

  • Remind the student that if they weren’t tested through Stamps, they must use the reporting form to notify Stamps of their positive result.
  • Recommend that all other students who participated in the past session get surveillance tested, and monitor their own health. Do not tell students to quarantine without guidance from the Dean of Students.
  • Hold the next class session in remote-only mode.
  • Provide academic accommodations for any student asked by Stamps to quarantine or isolate.

The Institute has created a quick-reference graphic to help us through this process. It’s the gold standard to follow. Oh, and if you as an instructor test positive, the process is for all intents and purposes the same.

I know that most of you read President Cabrera’s e-mail announcing that positive test rates have decreased. Let me echo him in saying that good things happen with vigilance and cooperation within our community. We are definitely bearing some extra burdens this semester, but we have also seen that we can overcome them together… which is how we do everything.

Stay safe.

Peace.

--

Charles L. Isbell, Jr.
John P. Imlay, Jr. Dean
College of Computing
Georgia Tech

EA: Alicia Richhart, alicia@cc.gatech.edu, 404-894-8357

Don't just adopt opinions,  develop them

Keep colleagues and friends safe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYDkQgKgghc

Reporting form: https://gtcovid19tracing.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0IYLfm4sseKofT7

Get surveillance tested: http://health.gatech.edu/coronavirus/testing

Quick-reference graphic: https://provost.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/documents/protocol_for_positive_case_notification_from_student.pdf

Extra burdens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCSzL5-SPHM