“Do Your Part - 6 Feet Apart” sidewalk sign.

The information below contains policies specific to the Psychology department in addition to general resources relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the most current information on University-wide policies, visit  https://covid19.illinois.edu/

 

Updated on 6/8/2022.

General Information

Below you will find information and resources potentially relevant to all campus affiliated individuals

Psychology Business Office

During the transition back to on-site work, the Business Office will offer some in-person office hours. Drop-in's are welcome, but appointments are highly encouraged to help maintain distancing and to reduce wait times. Please check the Business Office webpage for more specifics on available in-person office hours. Please schedule your appointments via email.

University Information

For an overview of current campus Requirements and Protocols see the Campus Information on COVID-19. This is intended to be a central starting point for information and updates regarding COVID-19 and the campus.

  • Illinois Remote -- Everything you need to enable a successful transition to remote teaching, learning, working, and researching at Illinois.
  • Illinois App -- The University of Illinois app providing pandemic resources to support community health and safety. It is also the primary tool for students and employees to verify they have been approved for access to campus buildings.
  • College of LAS COVID-19 website

Disinfection Guidelines

CDC guidelines on how to properly clean and disinfect facilities

Technology Questions

  • Request Tech Support
  • Getting Started with Zoom -- Zoom is the preferred way to host online meetings and course activities at the University. Zoom can either run in your browser or on the Zoom desktop app. Visit this site to get started.
    • Please be aware that if you plan to host a meeting discussing information classified as protected health information (PHI), either for research or for service provision, you must use the Zoom PHI-compliant portal. Instructions for how to access the PHI-compliant portal can be found here.
  • Technology loan programs for laptops, cellular devices and webcams

Information for Undergraduates

Student taking notes in class

Our undergraduate student body has unique needs for effectively navigating campus activities during the pandemic. Here you will find resources that have been identified as specifically pertinent to undergraduate students. If you have any curriculum-related concerns that are not addressed in the information here or in the general information section, we encourage you to reach out to your academic advisor for further information.

Preparing to Return to Campus

ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED FOR THE SEMESTER

All enrolled students, whether you are returning to the campus or not, should visit the campus COVID-19 Guidelines page.

Research Experience

As many labs have had to suspend or limited research activities in response to changing safety needs, undergraduate research opportunities have also shifted. If you are looking to get involved with research, there are still many opportunities available and we encourage you to explore the resources here to connect with research projects and mentors.

  • Illinois Office of Undergraduate Research -- This office is a central hub for connecting undergraduate students with research opportunities. This is a good place to start if you're not sure where to start.

  • Explore Types of Undergraduate Research -- There are many ways to engage in research. Whether as a volunteer or working on a thesis project or somewhere in between, check out the Undergraduate Research page to learn more about some of the ways to get involved.

Learning Resources

  • Illinois Remote--Everything you need to enable a successful transition to remote teaching, learning, working, and researching at Illinois.
  • Disability Resources & Educational Services (DRES) --  DRES works with individuals with disabilities to ensure equal opportunities to participate in and benefit from activities at the University. If you feel you may have a disability that is making it difficult to engage with the current learning formats, you can contact DRES for more information about evaluations and accommodations.
  • LAS Student Resources

International Students

International Students & Scholars Services (ISSS) has compiled a list of common questions concerning how the current local and national responses to the pandemic may impact international students. You can read their responses on their COVID-19 page here.

Campus Housing FAQ

Please read the University Housing Coronavirus FAQ for answers to common questions about changes to campus housing. This information can be found on their website here.

Information for Graduate Students

student studying on laptop on grass outside

Graduate students juggle many things throughout the their time at the University. Responding to the changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic adds another layer of complexity to that. To help our grad student adjust to these shifts, we have compiled a list of information of particular relevance to our graduate student body.

Who to Reach Out to for Help

Who to reach out to for help during the pandemic?

 

If you feel like you are experiencing difficulties that are affecting your work, please remember that you can always reach out to the Director of Graduate Studies Cindy Fisher or the Assistant Head for Diversity and Inclusion Alejandro Lleras. They are always available to help you and might be able to facilitate discussions with your faculty advisor (if you want them to).

Teaching and Learning Resources

Working During the Pandemic

The Department is following State and University-wide recommendations regarding how to safely return to work. Remember that, as a graduate student, it is your right to decline any requests to enter the building for any periods of time. You do not have to justify your decision. Many in our community are either directly at risk (due to age or other health complications) or care for people who are at risk in their own homes. 

If, on the other hand, you decide that you want to go to the department, please remember to abide by all State, University, and Departmental policies in place to maintain the health and safety of our campus community.

Below are some resources that may aide in coping with changes in work, routines, and productivity.

 

Graduate Milestones

Psychology Department faculty and staff are aware that the pandemic may result in many possible impediments to graduate student progress. Although there have been no formal changes in milestone guidelines, faculty have been instructed to be supportive of graduate student needs and provide flexibility to accommodate changes in graduate student responsibilities and availability, and consider other additional stressors. We encourage graduate students to raise any concerns regarding their academic progress with their advisor, their Program Area coordinator, or the Director of Graduate Studies, Cindy Fisher.

International Students

International Students & Scholars Services (ISSS) has compiled a list of common questions concerning how the current local and national responses to the pandemic may impact international students. You can read their responses on their COVID-19 page here.

COVID-19 Policy Concerns

If you are uncomfortable with any procedures or policies and would like to talk to someone other than your direct supervisor, below is a list of people you can contact.

Diane Beck, Acting Department Head (dmbeck@illinois.edu)

Cindy Fisher, Director of Graduate Studies (clfishe@illinois.edu)

Josh Gulley, Director of Undergraduate Studies (jgulley@illinois.edu)

Maya Marder, Clinical-Community Graduate Student (mmarder2@illinois.edu)

Ashley Ramm, Graduate Studies Office (aramm@illinois.edu)

Susan Maxwell, Assistant to the Head (samaxwel@illinois.edu)

Aaron Benjamin, Assistant Head for Operations and Infrastructure (asbenjam@illinois.edu)

Resources for Faculty

Professor teaching class

Faculty may be facing their own set of challenges as they adjust their various responsibilities at work and at home. Here you will find resources for helping faculty respond to this shift in demands. We also encourage faculty who interact with or mentor undergraduate and graduate students to look at the resources gathered above to help their students navigate their campus responsibilities during the pandemic.

Teaching Resources

COVID-19 Policy Concerns

If you are uncomfortable with any procedures or policies and would like to talk to someone other than your direct supervisor, below is a list of people you can contact.

 

Diane Beck, Acting Department Head (dmbeck@illinois.edu)

Cindy Fisher, Director of Graduate Studies (clfishe@illinois.edu)

Josh Gulley, Director of Undergraduate Studies (jgulley@illinois.edu)

Maya Marder, Clinical-Community Graduate Student (mmarder2@illinois.edu)

Ashley Ramm, Graduate Studies Office (aramm@illinois.edu)

Susan Maxwell, Assistant to the Head (samaxwel@illinois.edu)

Aaron Benjamin, Assistant Head for Operations and Infrastructure (asbenjam@illinois.edu)

 

 

Resources for Staff

staff preparing an Illinois banner

Our staff keep the campus running smoothly and form the backbone of University activities. We value the effort all of our campus staff have made to create a safe and productive work and learning environment as the campus adapts to the changing situation. We also recognize that our campus staff may have needs that are unique to their position within our community. Below you will find resources that have been gathered that may be particularly relevant for staff activities.

COVID-19 Policy Concerns

If you are uncomfortable with any procedures or policies and would like to talk to someone other than your direct supervisor, below is a list of people you can contact.

 

Diane Beck, Acting Department Head (dmbeck@illinois.edu)

Cindy Fisher, Director of Graduate Studies (clfishe@illinois.edu)

Josh Gulley, Director of Undergraduate Studies (jgulley@illinois.edu)

Maya Marder, Clinical-Community Graduate Student (mmarder2@illinois.edu)

Ashley Ramm, Graduate Studies Office (aramm@illinois.edu)

Susan Maxwell, Assistant to the Head (samaxwel@illinois.edu)

Aaron Benjamin, Assistant Head for Operations and Infrastructure (asbenjam@illinois.edu)

 

 

Mental Health Resources

hands holding a mound of soil with a seedling growing out the top

The current pandemic has resulted in drastic changes to how we interact with one another and has caused widespread and serious impacts on people's lives. This has implications for both physical and mental health. People vary in both their experiences of and responses to the current situation and increased feelings of distress are a normal reaction. Below are links to resources that can help support resilience during challenging times.

Mental Health Resources

  • COVID-19 Mental Health Resources is a list compiled by volunteers in the Clinical-Community graduate program. This list contains information for both local and national resources for seeking further support for mental and physical well-being.

COVID Testing

close up picture of blue capped saliva collection test tubes in a styrofoam rack

As part of the campus effort to maintain the safety of our community, the University has instituted mandatory COVID-19 testing policies. Visit https://covid19.illinois.edu/ for more information about who must engage in regular testing, how often, and where free testing can be accessed.