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<p>The Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) is continuing to field calls and emails from faculty, staff, and students. The issues/concerns are generally related to student &amp; faculty technology needs, library access, and remote tutoring &amp; learning services. I've attached documents with support options, both at MCC and through SUNY. Please look them over so that you are aware of these supports and can refer students to them, too.</p>
<p>As students raise concerns, please continue to work with them in the following ways:</p>
<ul>
<li>Please encourage students to communicate concerns about completing specific coursework with their faculty member, whenever possible.</li>
<li>Faculty are continuing to work to resolve issues with individual students, using their department chairperson and dean as resources. Some departments are meeting virtually to share best practices, too, in order to address hurdles students are facing.</li>
<li>Students who are not able to complete assignments or participate in classes due to a lack of access to technology should respond to the Friday, March 20th text (preferred) or call the EOC 585-292-8310. For the coming week, we plan to have the EOC hotline staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.</li>
<li>In addition, faculty are encouraged to work to find alternative low-tech plans that overcome the barriers some students might be communicating - e.g., lack of access to a printer might be solved by having students fill out online Word documents.</li>
<li>If students are having issues with obtaining course materials, please refer them to the bookstore. Many publishers are offering free e-texts. Charli Suter, Bookstore Manager, is the contact.</li>
<li>With the move to virtual classrooms, we need to reframe our commitment to creating inclusive learning environments in the context of this new mode of delivery. Attached is a memo from SUNY Provost Tod Laursen that provides guidance and references to resources.</li>
<li>If you feel the issue is something you cannot resolve or it is a matter of urgency, please continue to call the EOC hotline.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>New Resource for Students:</strong><br />At present, students no longer have the opportunity to meet in face-to-face study groups. To help foster student learning through peer engagement, we will be offering students access to CircleIn, an app that facilitates group study and cooperation among students in a class. CircleIn was being considered for a fall 2020 pilot, but because of the current situation, CircleIn has offered the app to our students for the remainder of this term at no cost as part of an NSF-grant-funded project. We plan for Circlein to go live on Monday, April 13. The app is a peer-to-peer design, and although it does not <em>require</em> that faculty take action in any way, there are optional opportunities for faculty to use it as part of their overall strategy for student engagement. Access to CircleIn will be integrated into BlackBoard so that students can easily find it. If you have a Supplemental Instruction (SI) section, SI leaders will be encouraging your classes to use the app. Please visit the website <a href="http://www.circleinapp.com/">www.circleinapp.com</a> to learn more about the product and be on the lookout for more details soon.</p>
<p><strong>Faculty Senate Discussions:</strong><br />I recently met with Faculty Senate President Nayda Pares-Kane and other members of Faculty Senate leadership to discuss getting faculty input on issues related to final grades and procedures for placing students into classes for this coming fall semester.</p>
<ul>
<li>SUNY has indicated that any potential decisions about adjusted grading options for this semester will rest with individual colleges; we will work with Faculty Senate to ensure that we have faculty feedback on options we identify. It will be important that we investigate any potential impact that a given grading scheme might have on student transfers, financial aid eligibility, SAP, and other important areas.</li>
<li>At present, we are not able to use Accuplacer's remote testing feature for our fall 2020 student placements. As we identify options, faculty groups who were already working on placement will be generating proposals for Faculty Senate leadership so they can reach out to its membership/constituents for feedback. Please be on the lookout for more information on these items.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bright moments on our (virtual) campus:</strong><br />There are wonderful things happening all over our campus as you continue to be in service not only to our students but to each other, as well. Here are just a few examples of what we are seeing:</p>
<ul>
<li>Please join me in giving a shout out to the entire Instructional Services Team--Virtual Campus, Learning Resources (Student Technology Help Desk and AV Hotline), and Library Services--who have been working tirelessly over the past two weeks to assist faculty in rapidly moving their courses online. Their goal has been to help faculty find the tools (blackboard, zoom, e-mail, etc.) they need to ensure that students can meet the learning objectives. These groups continue to assist faculty and students through daily "Zoom Rooms," phone, email, and remote access to meet their ongoing instructional, technical and research needs. We owe a debt of gratitude to these people.</li>
<li>Professors Julie Babulski and James McCusker remembered that there was some food left in their offices that was to be used for a class on food insecurities. The class was designed to help students create meals from items common to food pantries. Professor Babulski contacted Public Safety and they were able to find the food and deliver it to the residence halls for the students who still remain in residence.</li>
<li>The PTK officer team held a Zoom meeting with their advisors earlier this week. All nine officers were at the meeting. The officers reported that they absolutely love the communication they are receiving from the college, <strong>especially from their faculty members</strong>.</li>
<li>Administrators and support staff have been committed to answering questions and providing whatever support is needed to help with the rollout. For example, Phil Oettinger, Assistant Director of Instructional Services, spent the last two weeks ensuring faculty and students have access to the technology they need to be successful as we moved to distance learning. Phil has facilitated the purchase and implementation of our Zoom site license, coordinated the acquisition and distribution of laptops and webcams for faculty and students, and worked with Technology Services to explore options for students to remotely access the software they need to be successful. His anticipation of MCC's needs allowed us to order equipment before inventory rapidly disappeared across the country. Thanks Phil!</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/mccannou.nsf/all+listings/296482C906662F4E852585350072A14B?OpenDocument">TCC</a> continues to offer office hours and is there to help with whatever issues arise. Please see the Tribune for their invitation to the entire campus community to join together for a virtual "Happy Hour" today at 4:00.</li>
<li>In addition to providing a limited number of laptops to our students in need, our wonderful Foundation is providing additional funding to our <a href="https://monroecc.dreamkeepers.org/">Dreamkeepers</a> program for other needs.</li>
<li>Members of the EOC have been working around the clock to interpret and fulfill federal, state, and local mandates passed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Do you have a colleague to thank?</strong><br />As I mentioned above, over the past two weeks, there have been so many examples of members of MCC helping each other. Rather than working less, faculty, staff and administrators are working extra hours to make sure that students get a positive educational experience while we are separated and working/educating from a distance.</p>
<p>Please take a few moments to share your gratitude by submitting a few sentences highlighting the individual who helped you and what they did that mattered. We will share these "thank yous" publicly throughout the semester. Follow this link to make your submission: <a href="http://qeasttrial.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1N4PF9rFTIunUIl">http://qeasttrial.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1N4PF9rFTIunUIl</a></p>
<p>I know there are and will continue to be many and significant challenges, but the entire MCC community should take pride in how we are rising to the occasion by supporting one another in far-reaching ways. As we continue to move forward, we need to remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint, so please take care of yourselves so that you will have the stamina for the road ahead. If you find the challenges are overwhelming at times, please remember that we are here for you.</p>
<p>Andrea</p>

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MCC Daily Tribune

Highlights from memo to Academic Services from Provost Wade

As we approach the beginning of our second week as a completely virtual campus, I hope each and every one of you is healthy, safely at home, and doing well. I know there have been challenges both great and small over the past few weeks, but we have been working together to solve them as we continue with the mission of the College. For this and so many other reasons, I give you my sincere gratitude.

The Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) is continuing to field calls and emails from faculty, staff, and students. The issues/concerns are generally related to student & faculty technology needs, library access, and remote tutoring & learning services. I've attached documents with support options, both at MCC and through SUNY. Please look them over so that you are aware of these supports and can refer students to them, too.

As students raise concerns, please continue to work with them in the following ways:

  • Please encourage students to communicate concerns about completing specific coursework with their faculty member, whenever possible.
  • Faculty are continuing to work to resolve issues with individual students, using their department chairperson and dean as resources. Some departments are meeting virtually to share best practices, too, in order to address hurdles students are facing.
  • Students who are not able to complete assignments or participate in classes due to a lack of access to technology should respond to the Friday, March 20th text (preferred) or call the EOC 585-292-8310. For the coming week, we plan to have the EOC hotline staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • In addition, faculty are encouraged to work to find alternative low-tech plans that overcome the barriers some students might be communicating - e.g., lack of access to a printer might be solved by having students fill out online Word documents.
  • If students are having issues with obtaining course materials, please refer them to the bookstore. Many publishers are offering free e-texts. Charli Suter, Bookstore Manager, is the contact.
  • With the move to virtual classrooms, we need to reframe our commitment to creating inclusive learning environments in the context of this new mode of delivery. Attached is a memo from SUNY Provost Tod Laursen that provides guidance and references to resources.
  • If you feel the issue is something you cannot resolve or it is a matter of urgency, please continue to call the EOC hotline.

New Resource for Students:
At present, students no longer have the opportunity to meet in face-to-face study groups. To help foster student learning through peer engagement, we will be offering students access to CircleIn, an app that facilitates group study and cooperation among students in a class. CircleIn was being considered for a fall 2020 pilot, but because of the current situation, CircleIn has offered the app to our students for the remainder of this term at no cost as part of an NSF-grant-funded project. We plan for Circlein to go live on Monday, April 13. The app is a peer-to-peer design, and although it does not require that faculty take action in any way, there are optional opportunities for faculty to use it as part of their overall strategy for student engagement. Access to CircleIn will be integrated into BlackBoard so that students can easily find it. If you have a Supplemental Instruction (SI) section, SI leaders will be encouraging your classes to use the app. Please visit the website www.circleinapp.com to learn more about the product and be on the lookout for more details soon.

Faculty Senate Discussions:
I recently met with Faculty Senate President Nayda Pares-Kane and other members of Faculty Senate leadership to discuss getting faculty input on issues related to final grades and procedures for placing students into classes for this coming fall semester.

  • SUNY has indicated that any potential decisions about adjusted grading options for this semester will rest with individual colleges; we will work with Faculty Senate to ensure that we have faculty feedback on options we identify. It will be important that we investigate any potential impact that a given grading scheme might have on student transfers, financial aid eligibility, SAP, and other important areas.
  • At present, we are not able to use Accuplacer's remote testing feature for our fall 2020 student placements. As we identify options, faculty groups who were already working on placement will be generating proposals for Faculty Senate leadership so they can reach out to its membership/constituents for feedback. Please be on the lookout for more information on these items.

Bright moments on our (virtual) campus:
There are wonderful things happening all over our campus as you continue to be in service not only to our students but to each other, as well. Here are just a few examples of what we are seeing:

  • Please join me in giving a shout out to the entire Instructional Services Team--Virtual Campus, Learning Resources (Student Technology Help Desk and AV Hotline), and Library Services--who have been working tirelessly over the past two weeks to assist faculty in rapidly moving their courses online. Their goal has been to help faculty find the tools (blackboard, zoom, e-mail, etc.) they need to ensure that students can meet the learning objectives. These groups continue to assist faculty and students through daily "Zoom Rooms," phone, email, and remote access to meet their ongoing instructional, technical and research needs. We owe a debt of gratitude to these people.
  • Professors Julie Babulski and James McCusker remembered that there was some food left in their offices that was to be used for a class on food insecurities. The class was designed to help students create meals from items common to food pantries. Professor Babulski contacted Public Safety and they were able to find the food and deliver it to the residence halls for the students who still remain in residence.
  • The PTK officer team held a Zoom meeting with their advisors earlier this week. All nine officers were at the meeting. The officers reported that they absolutely love the communication they are receiving from the college, especially from their faculty members.
  • Administrators and support staff have been committed to answering questions and providing whatever support is needed to help with the rollout. For example, Phil Oettinger, Assistant Director of Instructional Services, spent the last two weeks ensuring faculty and students have access to the technology they need to be successful as we moved to distance learning. Phil has facilitated the purchase and implementation of our Zoom site license, coordinated the acquisition and distribution of laptops and webcams for faculty and students, and worked with Technology Services to explore options for students to remotely access the software they need to be successful. His anticipation of MCC's needs allowed us to order equipment before inventory rapidly disappeared across the country. Thanks Phil!
  • The TCC continues to offer office hours and is there to help with whatever issues arise. Please see the Tribune for their invitation to the entire campus community to join together for a virtual "Happy Hour" today at 4:00.
  • In addition to providing a limited number of laptops to our students in need, our wonderful Foundation is providing additional funding to our Dreamkeepers program for other needs.
  • Members of the EOC have been working around the clock to interpret and fulfill federal, state, and local mandates passed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Do you have a colleague to thank?
As I mentioned above, over the past two weeks, there have been so many examples of members of MCC helping each other. Rather than working less, faculty, staff and administrators are working extra hours to make sure that students get a positive educational experience while we are separated and working/educating from a distance.

Please take a few moments to share your gratitude by submitting a few sentences highlighting the individual who helped you and what they did that mattered. We will share these "thank yous" publicly throughout the semester. Follow this link to make your submission: http://qeasttrial.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1N4PF9rFTIunUIl

I know there are and will continue to be many and significant challenges, but the entire MCC community should take pride in how we are rising to the occasion by supporting one another in far-reaching ways. As we continue to move forward, we need to remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint, so please take care of yourselves so that you will have the stamina for the road ahead. If you find the challenges are overwhelming at times, please remember that we are here for you.

Andrea

Attached Files:
Virtual Technology Supports for Students and Faculty 3-27 update (002).pdf
26 March 2020 diversity letter Provost Laursen.pdf
March 23 2020 memo from SUNY Provost.pdf

Clayton Jones
Government and Community Relations
03/30/2020