Moving to “Remote” at SMU

“Remote” is an occasional adjustment to campus operations under unique circumstances, including select campus-wide events that limit access to parking or facilities. The University may also designate specific days when remote work is permitted for staff based on operational needs. Authorization to move to remote operations may be given by the University only.

Inclement weather and emergency operations are governed separately by University policy and the Provost’s Inclement Weather and Emergency Operations Guidelines.

When remote operations are authorized, the guidance below is intended to clarify what that means for instruction, staff and administrative offices.

Classes, Labs, and Other Instructional Activities
Faculty are responsible for delivering the same quality of instruction that would count toward SACSCOC's definition of instructor contact hours, which entails meaningful instructor-led engagement, not independent work assigned in place of class. The table provides a few examples to help clarify this distinction.

Counts as “Remote”

Live (synchronous): the class meets at its normal time, with the instructor present
Example: The instructor holds the regular 2-hour seminar live on Zoom instead of in the classroom, and teaches it in real time.

Live (synchronous): students interact with the instructor and each other during that session
Example: The instructor runs live breakout-room discussions and then reconvenes the full group to debrief, just as they would in the physical classroom.

Asynchronous, but instructor-created and instructor-reviewed
Example: The instructor records their own mini-lecture for the day, and students complete a task tied to it (a problem set, short response, or discussion post) that the instructor reads and responds to.

Asynchronous, with required interaction the instructor engages with directly
Example: Students post to a discussion board on that day's material, and the instructor reads the posts and replies substantively — not just posting a grade.

Does not count as “Remote”

Assigning a pre-made video in place of class, with no instructor involvement
Example: “Watch this documentary during our class time” — a video the instructor didn’t create, with no discussion, assignment, or follow-up from the instructor.

Assigning a reading instead of holding class, with no instructor follow-up
Example: “Read chapter 7 instead of coming to class” — no live meeting or asynchronous task, no instructor interaction, no feedback on the reading.

Canceling the class and leaving students to work entirely on their own
Example: The instructor cancels the session altogether and simply posts a task for students to complete on their own, with no instructor review or response.

Staff and Administrative Offices

Offices remain operational virtually during regular business hours. In most cases, walk-in services may be suspended unless they are determined to be on-campus essential. Note that each unit will have its own guidelines on how to establish office coverage (e.g., signage on external-facing doors, continuity in email and phone communications, etc.).

Staff designated as Remote Essential work remotely and continue in their normal duties from an off-campus location. Services that require a minimal team of in-person support have staff designated as On-Campus Essential. See the Policy 7.7 Employee Classifications for clarification on which positions are designated as On-Campus Essential and Remote Essential. Services are continued through designated staffing plans, and staff remain available remotely during regular business hours. Remote work entails the expectation that meetings, training, and routine activities should be maintained as scheduled via virtual technologies.