With the imprimatur of the President through the ExCom, this is a formal announcement to the UM community pertinent to all the preparations and instructions given to colleges and branches since last year. Based on our Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) as mandated by CMO #4 s. 2020, and in consideration of the sheer number of enrolled students, the university shall implement a gradual residential, in-person face-to-face (F2F) instructional delivery of all classes with blended modality. Please be guided by the following:

1. Instructional Delivery Modalities:

(1.a) Basic Education level: Continue full online mode but prepare to comply with the DepEd orders on the conduct of F2F sessions for elementary graders and junior high schoolers.

(1.b) SHS level: May start blended mode combining online delivery and F2F delivery with residential, in-person F2F in MW and F (AM) and asynchronous online sessions on TTh and F (PM).

(1.a) College level: Blended mode combining residential, in-person F2F and online modes, with 3-day F2F mode and asynchronous online mode intervals (Set 1 for Mon-Wed and Set 2 for Thurs-Sat). Teachers and students have been advised and guided already through their Form 1 (Certificate of Matriculation) indicating their enrolled subjects and corresponding sets and schedules.

(1.b) Professional Schools: Full online mode as of now but students are allowed to come to school for F2F consultations, research, and defense schedules.

(1.c) Law School: May implement blended mode combining F2F and online modes upon the discretion of the Dean in compliance with LEB guidelines.

(1.d) Dual delivery is absolutely not allowed for reasons of preserving instructional integrity.

Major and final examinations are likewise conducted only in synchronous F2F sessions for reasons of preserving assessment integrity.

(1.e) Internships or practicum, student exchange, externships, seminars and conferences and other student curricular and co-curricular activities may now be allowed F2F on a case to case basis and in compliance with due diligence requirements in coordination with Academic Affairs.

2. Health and Safety Protocols

(2.a) When inside the campus, everyone and all- especially the students - are obliged to wear face masks at all times. All administrators, teachers, student affairs, clinic, and security personnel are mandated to strictly impose the face mask protocol.

(2.b) Ensure social distancinq in the classroom, laboratories and other enclosed areas. Even if these areas are in 100% full-capacity utilization, teachers need to ensure that chairs and tables are spaced apart as much as possible.

(2.c) No herding and crowding in any place in the campus. All administrators, teachers, student affairs, clinic, and security personnel are mandated to strictly implement all social distancing protocols inside and outside the classrooms.

(2.d) In compliance with JMC-4, all teachers shall collect copies of (a) vaccination cards;

(b) negative anti-gen results for unvaccinated students); notarized parental/guardian undertaking for coming to school (if previously submitted or collected by the college already. no need to collect; just secure copies from the college).

(2.e) All students are directed to use their respective college holding areas and avoid loitering in the campus. All administrators, teachers, student affairs, clinic, and security personnel can check students caught loitering.

(2.f) As already practiced, all the 9,uards at the entrance Qates shall (a) check all the baqs and belongings for security; (b) check temperature; (c) check vaccination cards or anti-gen results; and (d) check school 10. Lacking any of these minimum security protocols may compel the guards to deny a student or employee entrance at the gate.

3. Vaccination requirements

(3.a) As a general policy, the university intends to implement full vaccination requirements for all its students and workforce. No student or employee shall be allowed to enter the school premises to attend F2F classes or report for work.

(3.b) However, due to leniency, the school may allow - FOR NOW - some limited exemptions. Unvaccinated students may be allowed to attend F2F classes but submit for anti-gen testing every week at their own expense. Sooner or later, the school shall implement full vaccination requirements and thus, it is to the interest of the students and all concerned to get fully vaccinated.

(3.c) All teachers in all levels shall get the list of unvaccinated students and secure a copy of the negative anti-gen results every Tuesday of every week. The teachers are accountable for failure of ensuring that all unvaccinated students are accounted for with their negative anti-gen results secured.

(3.d) The ICT department shall upload or facilitate the uploading of vaccination cards to the Student Portal for ease of monitoring.

3.e) There are programs mandated by their PSGs or nature of discipline that require full vaccination (ex: Health Sciences, Criminology, HRM). At the discretion of the concerned Dean with coordination and concurrence of Academic Affairs, these students may not be exempted from the vaccination requirements.

(3.f) All unvaccinated students, especially students in the college, graduate school and law school, are strongly exhorted to get vaccinated. In the college, all HTEs require interns and practicum students to be fully vaccinated. The Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) also requires licensure examination takers to be fully vaccinated.

(3.g) Submitting fake vaccination cards, in any form, including tampered and fabricated vaccination cards, are considered as a grave offense and punishable as.a breach of discipline. The OSA shall make random tests to validate vaccination cards.

(3.h) For health and safety reasons, it is important to be vaccinated to help avoid local transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Any transmission will surely affect the F2F

4. Library

(4.a) The students may now use the library facilities but with all the health and safety protocols imposed, especially on the face mask and social distancing protocols. Library personnel shall ensure no herding and no crowding inside the library.

5. Elevators

(5.a) For health and safety protocols, students are discouraged to use the elevators, except for PWDs and pregnant women. This is to avoid crowding in highly enclosed areas. Using the stairs is excellent for the health. Please use the stairs.

6. In case of COVID transmission

(6.a) In case a COVID transmission is established in a classroom or any enclosed area, the university may declare granular lockdown and begin disinfection procedures as stipulated in the university's Emergency Crisis Management Manual.

(6.b) The Center for Health Services (CHS) shall take the lead in managing, coordinating, and monitoring of COVID cases in the campus. The CHS shall advise the university for the declaration and implementation of granular lockdowns.

(6.c) All students and employees showing indications of COVID shall immediately proceed to the Isolation Areas put up in various locations in the university.

(6.d) In the event a classroom is put on granular lockdown, the classes shall revert to full online mode for the entire duration using the LMS.

7. Information dissemination

(7.a) The colleges and the OSA units shall be mainly responsible to disseminate the herein guidelines to the students and/or parents/guardians for smooth implementation.