Stanford’s positive COVID case procedure unfairly penalizes students for contracting COVID-19.

By failing to mandate remote access to course content for students in isolation, Stanford’s administration harms our ability to learn, forces students to pay tuition for lectures they may not be permitted to watch, and disincentivizes prompt reporting of COVID-19 symptoms, endangering students, faculty, and staff.

Stanford’s administration must not penalize students for contracting COVID-19. It must do what is right, not what is easy, and mandate remote course access for students in isolation. We call on Stanford to:

1. Guarantee all course meetings will be available for students in isolation. Recommend remote access for all students at instructor discretion.
2. Guarantee access to remote office hours for students in isolation. Recommend remote access for all students at instructor discretion.
3. Allow students who receive a positive COVID diagnosis to change course grading options and drop a course with no “W” notation at any point before the end of final exam week.
4. Mandate that all course syllabi inform students of their remote access rights.

If Stanford is unable to provide remote access for students in isolation, we propose they should instead offer tuition reimbursements when students are unable to participate in class meetings and office hours due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Access to course meetings for students in isolation 
Stanford provides resources for class recording. Additionally, TAs or even students can record or livestream course meetings when no other option is available. Stanford must ensure every student can access the class meetings their tuition pays for.

Access to remote office hours for students in isolation
Currently, Stanford “recommends” instructors offer remote office hours. Supporting students in isolation is not optional! This recommendation should be a requirement.

Flexible grading and drop options
Currently, Stanford has not released any grading policy for students who contract COVID-19. This is not acceptable. Even vaccinated students may suffer COVID-19 symptoms that interfere with their ability to learn.
Stanford can protect these students by allowing them to change course grading options and drop a course with no “W” notation at any time during the quarter if they cannot complete work due to COVID-19 infection. Nobody should fail a course, risking scholarships, internships, and other opportunities, due to COVID-19.

Inform students of their rights
Course syllabi should explicitly inform students of their right to remote office hours, recorded course meetings, and enrollment changes in the event of a positive COVID-19 test. Additionally, Stanford should provide this information to every student who receives a positive test result.