JUNE 4, 2020: COVID-19 UPDATE
Faculty & Academic Staff Briefing #32
Dear Faculty and Academic Staff:
This brief includes:
- Message from Interim President Laurie Quinn
- Recent Student Communications
MESSAGE FROM LAURIE QUINN
Last week Incoming President Akande announced the goal of opening our campus in the fall to students, faculty and staff. While we all want to come together once again on our beautiful campus, we also know that the fall will look very different. As we continue to receive guidance from Vermont public health officials and make plans to comply with all public health measures, please continue to watch these weekly briefs for academic affairs decisions, and your college email for general news. Today I am sharing a few key updates for your awareness. I look forward to discussion with you on these or any topics on your mind at the Provost’s Forum via Zoom next Wednesday June 10 at 9 am.
First, a modification will be made to our academic calendar to mitigate risks from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Monday and Tuesday originally scheduled fall break days in October will instead be in-session days, and Thanksgiving break will be expanded to one full week. After the Thanksgiving break students will not return to campus, and all courses will conclude instruction for the fall semester remotely.
Since faculty members and students will be able to choose whether they teach or learn in person, and the calendar adjustment requires remote completion of the semester, fall courses will be in a Flex-Hybrid format. The Flex-Hybrid gives you and your students flexibility and uses a mix of formats to ensure that sound learning can continue while we respond compassionately and creatively to the uncertainties of place and time that the pandemic has created.
Definition of Flex-Hybrid: A course which offers multiple delivery modes of instruction and allows for blended learning (the integration of classroom and online learning), “flipped classrooms,” remote synchronous and asynchronous instruction, intentional community building, one-on-one coaching, and other “value added” options.
I am committed to supporting you and our students by ensuring that the details of our Flex-Hybrid approach are driven by your needs and best thinking. To that end, the Provost’s Office has prepared a survey for you to indicate your choice to teach on-campus as possible this fall or to continue remote instruction with your students regardless of their location. Your answers, which we recognize may not be definitive yet, will nonetheless be very helpful as we plan amid inevitable uncertainty for course scheduling, room assignments, and course support. The survey will be sent tomorrow, Friday. Please complete it at your earliest opportunity, and thank you very much for your understanding as we look ahead together.
I hope to “see” you on Wednesday.
-Laurie Quinn
RECENT STUDENT COMMUNICATIONS
The most recent student communications from the Division of Student Affairs, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the Dean of Students can be found on the View. These include:
- June 3 – FAQs re: Returning to Vermont & COVID Testing
- May 29 – Message to Off-Campus Residents
- May 21 – Residence Hall Pick-Up Process
ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS
Ongoing communication and resources for Faculty and Staff are posted on The View; the most recent posts are listed here for easy access. Finally, all Faculty Daily Briefing emails are stored here and also hosted on The View.
QUICK LINKS
CLT: Academic Continuity
CLT: One-on-One Support
CLT: Upcoming Webinars
Faculty Canvas Mentor List
The View: Updates on the Coronavirus
STUDENT RESOURCES
Access to Coaching and Tutoring Support
