As a complement to our return-to-campus operationalization, a COVID-19 Academic Operations Team is created to facilitate the implementation of (1) the changes to the academic structure for Fall 2020 and (2) the academic response to different levels of community transmission of COVID-19, as articulated by the CDC (none, minimal-to-moderate, substantial) or an existing case on campus. Other important roles for this group are to regularly communicate with students, faculty, and staff about the changes taking place, and to quickly respond to academic questions that arise in the course of both the academic preparation for the fall term and the instruction during the fall term.

The COVID-19 Academic Operations Team will be composed of the three Academic Associate Deans (Andrew Fisher, Al Montero, and Gretchen Hofmeister), the Registrar (Emy Farley), the Director of Academic Technology (Wiebke Kuhn), the Director of the Perlman Center for Learning and Teaching (Victoria Morse), the co-chair of the Education and Curriculum Committee (Liz Raleigh), and the Senior Assistant to the Dean of the College and Office Manager (Peggy Pfister). Gretchen Hofmeister, who is also a member of the COVID Core Team, will serve as chair. The team will consult with the ECC, the Classroom Committee, the ASC and other governance committees as appropriate.

The Academic Planning team will complete its work in consultation with the Dean of the College, Tuesday Group, and the COVID Core Team, as indicated in the Return to Campus Operational Structure Organizational Chart (attached).

Some representative duties include:

  1. Define and communicate how the new modes of instruction will be implemented, for example:
    • The technology tools and classroom infrastructure that will be available to support the modes of instruction
    • In-person class sizes within established parameters and classroom layouts
    • Classroom disinfection procedures
    • COVID-19 community standards in the context of academics (e.g. syllabus statements)
  2. Coordinate and communicate the academic response to changing levels of community disease transmission, for example:
    • Academic support for a confirmed case in a particular class
    • Support and guidance for the possible need to curtail (or expand) in-person teaching
  3. Coordinate and regularly review FAQs to make sure they are up to date and complete
  4. Maintain a master spreadsheet of policy and operational issues and ensure that they are addressed quickly and consistently
  5. Coordinate the space and technology needs for all forms of instruction
  6. Respond to the technology and other academic needs of students and faculty
  7. As appropriate, assist with assessment of student learning from spring 2020 to help students prepare for fall 2020