The university has committed to: (i) providing in-person instruction as an essential component of the university’s educational offerings to its residential students and (ii) also to balancing this goal with the needs of its faculty, TAs, and graduate instructors. It is reasonable to expect that graduate students may encounter conditions/events that interfere with their academic responsibilities when serving as a TA or instructor (e.g., as instructor of record for First-Year Writing Seminars). Cornell has a wide variety of policies that are designed to support graduate students in those circumstances (i.e. leaves, student disabilities services, support programs, etc.). These guidelines are designed to help graduate students, mentors, DGSs, and department chairs balance institutional values and meet teaching obligations.

In general, the mode of teaching used in a course should be determined based on the nature of the programmatic offerings. Decisions regarding future use of online instruction methods should be primarily programmatically driven.

1. Deans can authorize online instructional methods for programmatic reasons such as to extend student access to the course or enhance the academic offering and benefit students. TAs and graduate instructors must seek approval from their assistantship supervisor. If there is agreement that online instruction is reasonable, the assistantship supervisor and graduate instructor will prepare a proposal that requests permission from their department chair/dean. The decision from the chair/dean is final. As best practice, the TA or graduate instructor should also inform their major advisor of any changes in their employment conditions while they are teaching.
2. Some examples of when online instruction may be authorized for programmatic reasons include;
   • Where there is an online element of a degree program, such as in hybrid in-person/online master’s programs,
   • Where the program is specifically designed to provide access to students who are not residing near campus,
   • When online instructional methods facilitate connecting Cornell’s Ithaca, New York City, and Geneva campuses, as well as other formal program locations. For example, where the instructor’s assigned job location is on one campus and remote instruction is used to connect with students located on another campus.
   • When online elements can enhance in-person teaching and online access may be used as a supplemental way to provide the availability to students during office hours. This should not replace the ability of students taking an in-person class to meet with the graduate student in person during regularly scheduled office hours for the course.

Before starting any semester, graduate instructors should speak candidly about considerations that may come up during the semester, including the need to use online/remote instruction. Ultimately, assistantship supervisors may authorize (but are not required to do so) temporary use of online instructional methods in response to a disruption in a TA or graduate instructor’s ability to teach remotely on a temporary basis.

1. First, TAs and graduate instructors are eligible for a paid sick time benefit under New York state law. Paid sick leave can be used for 1) personal or family member’s mental or physical illness, 2) diagnosis, care, or treatment of personal or family member’s mental or physical illness, and 3) absences related to domestic violence, family offenses, sexual offenses, stalking, and human trafficking. As a best practice, graduate instructors should confer with their assistantship advisor before the semester begins about how to handle sick time as it relates to completing their assistantship responsibilities. Illnesses that last less than seven days are handled directly with the supervisor and do not need to be coordinated with Student Disability Services.
2. In addition, with approval by the assistantship advisor, online instructional methods may be used temporarily in situations where the graduate student instructor’s health condition affects the ability to provide in-person instruction, but the graduate student can do remote teaching, including lectures, seminars, and office hours. This should be a temporary arrangement (less than seven days in a term) and needs to be approved by the assistantship supervisor. If not resolved, a student can escalate the concern to the faculty director of graduate studies, department chairs, college dean’s office, or the Graduate School for support toward resolution. This option may be appropriate for TAs who are required to isolate after a COVID diagnosis or exposure.

All graduate students, including graduate TAs/instructors, can seek support related to providing online/remote instruction with managing medical needs through Student Disability Services (SDS). The SDS Office will verify medical needs and ensure that the university complies with its legal obligations to its students. SDS verifies the underlying medical condition, discusses barriers to academic or assistantship duties, and identifies possible accommodations. The assistantship supervisor will then evaluate the request and determine whether it fundamentally changes the experience of the students or the instructor. As a best practice, graduate instructors should not discuss medical issues with supervisors/faculty advisors nor should faculty members be deciding accommodations. The process includes:

• Graduate student contacts Student Disability Services (SDS) to register, completes a Disability Self-Disclosure Form, and shares documentation as possible. The student will be assigned an SDS counselor.
• If a student disagrees with the decision about accommodations/options, the student should use an established appeal process for SDS.
• Faculty who have concerns about a particular accommodation may resolve those concerns in discussion with SDS and their department chair or DGS as needed.
• If SDS determines accommodation is not warranted, the SDS counselor will advise the student about what other office(s) on campus to consult for assistance (e.g., Graduate School).

• All graduate assistants (including TAs and graduate instructors) are eligible for a paid sick time benefit under New York state law. While students in assistantship positions often have considerable flexibility to adjust their schedules and duties, the policy is designed to provide further assurances that students won’t feel pressured to perform while ill. If appointed for a full 12-month calendar year, students accrue 0.2917 days per pay period for a total of seven paid sick days/year. Paid sick leave can be used for 1) personal or family member’s mental or physical illness, 2) diagnosis, care, or treatment of personal or family member’s mental or physical illness, and 3) absences related to domestic violence, family offenses, sexual offenses, stalking, and human trafficking. More information is outlined in University Policy 6.9, Time Away From Work, and the Graduate School’s Paid Sick Leave for Assistantships policy.
• All graduate students are eligible to take a leave of absence, either personal leave or health leave. More information can be found in the Graduate School’s Leaves of Absence policy.
• Cornell is a U.S.-based entity and is generally unable to directly appoint faculty, staff, or students into positions that receive compensation through the Cornell payroll office if they are outside the U.S. The university therefore normally expects and requires that graduate instructors be on campus or performing duties at an approved U.S. location.