Dear Faculty: I know faculty have been busily preparing for their classes. A big thank you to the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Writing in the Disciplines (WID), and their collaborators for the numerous offerings they are providing to expand the faculty toolbox for teaching. I have already had two individual consultations with our awesome CTL staff and am preparing a third to practice ‘Teams break–out rooms.’  I am so appreciative of the talent we have access to in CTL, and hope you will also take advantage of their programs, resources, and open consultation hours to boost your skills before spring semester begins.

As always, I want to reinforce and offer some important information that I hope will be helpful to you.

  • Please join us for the Faculty Teams Live event next week where we’ll provide updates on our spring 2021 opening and a variety of academic, research, and professional development topics. As always, we’ll leave plenty of time to answer your questions.

Faculty Teams Live Event – Updates

January 21, 2021
12:00 – 1:00pm
http://go.uvm.edu/campusupdate

  • Due to diverse modalities and constraints placed on classroom space by the need for social distancing, the final exam scheduling process is being conducted manually for spring 2021. As a result, there is likely to be a delay in the posting of time slots and locations for this semester's final exams. The Registrar's Office is coordinating this process with the assistance of department chairs and expects to have the complete final exam schedule prepared by the end of the first week of classes.
  • Last year, the Faculty Senate approved an updated policy for student athlete class attendance. This revision clarified that student athletes should not be penalized for absences caused by intercollegiate competition, the scheduling of which they have no control over. This spring, competition schedules could conceivably change due to COVID, even after students have shared their potential conflicts with faculty.
  • Don’t miss the virtual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 20 from 5:30-6:45 pm. The keynote speaker is Leon McDougle, MD, MPH whose talk is entitled, “Slave Health Deficit: The Journey to Health Parity.” Dr. McDougle is the first African American Professor with tenure in The Ohio State University Department of Family Medicine and he’s the first Chief Diversity Officer aka ‘Chief Collaborating Officer’ for the OSU Wexner Medical Center. eTickets are required for the event, you can find more information here.
  • I am pleased to announce the appointment of Erica Caloiero as Interim Vice Provost for Student Affairs effective February 1. Erica is currently the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Having worked in a key academic position at UVM for over a decade, she has deep knowledge of both the academic and student affairs components of student development and the student experience. This interim appointment provides an excellent opportunity to begin the integration of our academic and co-curricular experiences by incorporating a seasoned academic leader with a strong student success focus into the division. We’ll celebrate Vice Provost for Student Affairs Annie Stevens’ 23 years of service to our university, and wish her well in retirement, when we can be together again in person.
  • As President Garimella announced yesterday, Vice President Wanda Heading-Grant has accepted the inaugural position of Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at Carnegie Mellon University. Words cannot adequately convey my gratitude for all that Wanda has done for our university community. This is an incredible professional opportunity for a highly skilled leader whose accomplishments have received national recognition.
  • I want to make sure you’ve seen these important recent communications:

Update on the Academic Reorganization Working Group
Academic Reorganization Working Group Clarification
Information on Increased COVID-19 Cases

  • You can find detailed information on COVID-19 tests administered and results on the Weekly Testing Report. Last week’s student test results included 25 off-campus positives and 0 on-campus positives out of 2,353 tests. Last week’s faculty and staff test results included 5 positives out of 1,014 tests. As you know, a new and more contagious strain of the virus has 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.

As we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. next week, one of his quotes seems relevant as we prepare for the new year of educating our students.  He wisely said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character––that is the goal of true education." I know you will work hard this semester to ensure our students have opportunities to think, critically analyze the information they are learning from you, and most importantly model for them the power of not only their intellect but also their character.

Good luck in your continued preparation for the start of the semester.

Warmly,
Patty