Wendy Hensel, provost of Georgia State University, updates university faculty about academic contingency plans in a message on March 10.
“We continue to prepare all operations at Georgia State for potential disruptions caused by COVID-19,” Provost Hensel says. “I am writing to ask for your help with several specific tasks and to provide answers to a few common questions.”
Provost Hensel lays out nine points to help guide faculty in the case that the university must close.
- Faculty must create a test module of an online course by the end of this week.
- Faculty can use technology that works best for their class.
- Department chairs should log online materials that faculty members are willing to share.
- One back-up instructor must be identified for each course.
- Faculty must receive approval from the department chair or dean to cancel or move the remaining class online.
- Instructors must determine if Maymester or summer courses can be moved online.
- Faculty must be flexible about attendance and the submission of assignments.
- Instructors should consider recording lectures so sicks students do not attend class.
- Laboratories must prepare to suspend operations temporarily and move to sustained maintenance.
She also tells instructors to understand changes in student attendance, assignments and submitted work.
The message clarifies that the university will remain open unless “public health authorities indicate it is unsafe to do so.” Faculty are also encouraged to be mindful of student privacy when handling illness or accommodation.
Note: This story was written for PRN, the student-led news station at Georgia State University.
