Dear Faculty,

I can’t believe it is week three of the semester! I continue to enjoy learning from my students and sharing new research with them while making applications to practice. Their engagement in the class content is exciting to see, whether they are in-person or on Microsoft Teams. Technology in the classroom certainly facilitates meaningful learning opportunities. Thank you ETS! Having a classroom producer who is also a member of the class helps to create seamless transitions from screen sharing, to video and audio navigation, to assigning break out groups. I hope you are finding your teaching to be a satisfying and rewarding experience.

As I do each week, I’m writing to share some important information with you.

  • The Academic Reorganization Working Group is continuing the process of engaging the campus community to get input, hear ideas, and answer questions about academic restructuring. There will be an open forum on Wednesday, February 24 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., followed by subsequent facilitated conversations with various campus stakeholders including faculty, students, staff, academic units, and administrators. Dates for these conversations will be announced at the open forum. The Working Group looks forward to hearing from you.
  • The Expression of Interest form for proposing international or domestic 2021-22 Travel Study courses is now available. Please note that new proposals for Winter Session or Spring break courses will not be considered this year; however, proposals for previously offered courses and for new courses to be offering in Summer 2022 can be submitted. More details are available in this memo.
  • The Center for Teaching and Learning is recruiting a Faculty Director for academic year 2021-22. A description of the position and application information is available here.
  • The Writing in the Disciplines (WID) spring 2021 line up for book groups, writing groups, and faculty learning communities. Check the WID website for the program descriptions and registration information.
  • UVM Summer University registration is now open! Summer is the perfect time for students to catch up or get ahead on degree requirements and to explore new areas of interest. Courses fill quickly so please encourage your students to register now! More than 500 course options, including online, on-campus, and hybrid modalities are available with three start dates in May, June, and July. Some of your students may have questions about the tuition-free summer course available to some fall 2020 at-home students. You can find information about that here. Students who are eligible for this benefit received a confirmation via Navigate on February 12.
  • I want to make sure you’ve seen these important recent communications:

The February 11 Academic Reorganization Working Group Update
The February 17 Testing Results Update

  • You can find detailed information on COVID-19 tests administered and results on the Weekly Testing Report. Last week’s student test results included 10 off-campus positives and 36 on-campus positives out of 11,036 tests. Last week’s faculty and staff test results included 0 positives out of 1,136 tests. As you know, new and more contagious strains of the virus have emerged. Please recommit to all COVID-19 safety precautions and practices and refrain from travel and gathering. Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to participate in regular testing.
  • We are all excited about the progress that has been made related to the vaccine and its distribution in Vermont. I am especially proud of the role UVM researchers have played to advance vaccine trials. I strongly encourage everyone to get the vaccine as soon as it is available to you. Additional information about vaccines is available at the Vermont Department of Health vaccine webpage and from the CDC’s vaccination webpage.

Hopefully, you find these updates helpful. I want to give a shout out to Kerry Castano, J. Dickinson, and Jim Vigoreaux who work hard in the Provost’s Office to make sure the most critical information is provided to you in a timely manner.

Have a great weekend. Be mindful of the concerns related to social gatherings and travel, and take advantage of our testing center! Stay safe and healthy.

Warmly,
Patty