Elon University professors will now be able to monitor a student’s quarantine status via OnTrack, using the online course roster. Previously, instructors received an email when students were put in isolation.
Jeff Stein, the chair of the Ready & Resilient Committee, said this change was suggested by faculty members who did not find the original quarantine notification system to be satisfactory.
“Faculty members shared that this system was cumbersome and did not help them react quickly in supporting students,” Stein said.
In the fall semester, when a student was required to isolate themselves due to exposure to the coronavirus, their professors would receive an email alerting them of the situation.
While Elon’s IT team has been working to keep up with the unique demands of education in the pandemic, the student’s OnTrack status may not update immediately, Stein said.
“While not automatic, IT staff, who have been pressed to create many new processes this year, have worked to make the most efficient process possible, with as minimal a gap as possible,” Stein said.
Despite this potential gap in time before a student’s OnTrack status updates, this change will still allow instructors to monitor the quarantine status of their students with greater ease and efficiency than the methods used in the fall semester.
In light of the adjustment towards convenience, Stein said he thinks students should remain vigilant in communicating with their instructors.
“Faculty and staff want to know how students are doing and want to support students,” Stein said.