Message to Faculty: November Update
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
You are making it happen! We are more than halfway through the semester and just a bit over two weeks away from taking all instruction to fully remote delivery — a significant marker in this unusual semester. I couldn’t be more grateful for all you have done to ensure that we have supported our students every step of the way. Thank you! Thank you for continuing to deliver exemplary instruction, engage in world class research and creative activity, and serve your academic communities.
I am writing today to share with you some updates and reminders, including access to documents, that have been developed by the Ad Hoc Academic Continuity Committee. I also want to remind you of support available to you and your students, should you need it as you continue to manage the stressors of this time.
Access to Buildings After Thanksgiving Break
In an effort to reduce our university costs, we will not reopen academic buildings beginning the week of Thanksgiving and through the first two weeks in January. This means that we will reduce heating and not deploy custodial crews in the same ways. However, we recognize that some of you rely on the technology available in your offices or classroom spaces to deliver instruction remotely. Also, some of you may need access to your research or creative spaces to continue your work. If this is your situation, please inform you academic administrator (e.g., campus or college dean, department chair, or school director) of the spaces you need to access and your anticipated schedule of use. We need to know this so that we can make sure public spaces are cleaned. If you can avoid being on campus, please consider doing so as we work to reduce our costs.
Guidelines for Faculty Members Considering Relocation
The Faculty Issues subcommittee of the Ad Hoc Academic Continuity Committee has developed guidelines for faculty members considering relocation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the pandemic, it is anticipated that some remote instruction will continue at least through the spring semester. While most instructors are offering remote instruction locally, some instructors may have personal circumstances that could result in the need to relocate away from the local area for an extended time. If you are considering leaving the local area and plan to teach remotely from a site that is not your campus, home, or other local area, please review the guidelines provided by the Faculty Issues subcommittee. These guidelines should be considered prior to making relocation arrangements. Instructors must receive approval to relocate from their respective unit administrator. Please note that relocating to teach remotely from a location outside the United States is not permitted at this time.
Being Reasonable, Flexible, and Equitable when Students are Required to Quarantine or Isolate
Additionally, the Faculty Issues subcommittee has developed considerations for remote teaching regarding what it means to be reasonable, flexible, and equitable when students in your classes are required to quarantine or isolate because of the pandemic. Early on in the pandemic, guidance for handling student absences was developed and shared with instructors. Now, more than ever, instructors should be open and responsive to students who report they will need to be absent from class due to circumstances surrounding quarantine and isolation.
Remote and Online Teaching During Winter Weather Closures
Kent State will continue to use FlashAlerts to inform faculty, staff, and students when severe weather requires the university to close. This year, with so many of our courses being offered in alternative formats and virtual spaces, all instructors should inform their students of their plan for class in the event of a university closure. While in-person classes will be canceled during a university closure, instructors teaching in-person may consider conducting a synchronous remote session or assigning appropriate asynchronous work. It is imperative that you inform students prior to the class meeting time by email or Blackboard about your expectations for student participation during a closure.
Support
As our community continues to deal with the complexities and difficulties of this time, please remember to practice our core value of kindness and respect in all we do. The election may have heightened the stress for many, as President Diacon discussed in his letter to the university. All of us will need time and space to process what the election results mean for us personally and for our deeply held beliefs and values. The Center for Teaching and Learning offers these suggestions for engaging students around processing the election.
We are a community of Flashes and we must take care of one another. But please remember that your needs for self-care and connection are important, too. I encourage you to utilize our resources and to share these resources with your students and colleagues.
Finally, thank you for the great honor of being the Provost of our wonderful institution. It is a privilege to serve you and our students.
My best,
Melody Tankersley, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President and Provost