March 16, 2020
Contact: Linda Fox  |   | More about Linda

RESOURCES and UPDATES TO KNOW

March 13: Guidance for graduate students on assistantship in response to UGA COVID-19 directive

As a follow-up to the UGA memo entitled “Continuity of Instruction and Operations” released March 13, 2020, the Graduate School is providing additional guidance to graduate students on an assistantship and faculty, administrators, and staff engaged in graduate education. During the two-week period in which UGA will temporarily suspend instruction (starting Monday March 16, 2020), graduate assistants will be expected to continue to fulfill their work responsibilities/expectations.  Graduate assistants and other graduate students employed as student workers on campus must contact their supervisors as soon as possible to determine the work expectations and the safest way to accomplish them.  Please discuss any concerns you have and possible work arrangements with your supervisor(s).  We strongly encourage supervisors to allow students to work remotely when feasible.

Graduate assistants who have traveled internationally in the past 14 days MUST self-quarantine until you have been asymptomatic for a period of 14 days from the date of entering/reentering the United States. as outlined in the March 12, 2020 memo.

The Graduate School has created a FAQ for graduate students about the temporary suspension of instruction: https://grad.uga.edu/index.php/suspension. As we learn more, additional information will be added to this page.

March 13: UGA Library Resources

The health and safety of our campus community is of paramount concern at this time. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we strive to ensure the continuity of UGA’s research, teaching, and outreach missions, while simultaneously reducing the impact of COVID-19.

March 13: In light of the cancellation of classes for the next two weeks, I thought a quick update on library resources would be appropriate and timely.

*All library databases should be unaffected and usable remotely.

*The library resources page for all subjects is here: https://guides.libs.uga.edu/?b=s

   If you have any difficulty locating a research guide for your topic, please email me (ithomas@uga.edu).

*I will be monitoring my email multiple times a day, so please send me any questions you have or any issues you encounter using our resources. My contact information is included above.

*GIL Express, Interlibrary Loan, and Repository requests will be operating as per usual but operating with a skeleton staff; we ask that you *not* visit the building—if you need to as part of your research (you need a copy of an article that is only available in print for example) *please email Ian first* as he can probably take care of it without you needing to make a trip. For example, he or staff can scan and email you a PDF of an article if you need it.

*The Science Library will be closing tomorrow, Tuesday, 3/17 and services consolidated to the main library.

*Please keep in mind that since we're operating on a skeleton staff I may not be able to help you in a timely manner. I will, however, do my best.

Thanks, and don't hesitate to contact Ian Thomas, FACS liaison, ithomas@uga.edu; 706-542-0703 Science Library if you have any questions.

March 16: Teaching and learning continuity

We encourage faculty to stay in contact with their students during the next two weeks, as students will have lots of questions and concerns. However, please understand that faculty cannot require students to attend class remotely, submit assignments, work problems, etc. while classes are suspended.

The USG has released a Rapid Guide to Teaching Online that may help faculty move their courses online. We have created a more UGA-specific version of this and have released it as an eLC course, HERE. Anyone with an instructor role on eLC has already been enrolled in the course. Others may request access, HERE. This course can help faculty make a rapid transition to online learning.

The Withdrawal deadline has been pushed back to April 17th to allow students time to re-assess their coursework and preparation and to make an informed decision regarding continuing in their classes.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH

FAQ for faculty researchers: The Office of Research has launched a webpage that addresses many of the questions you may have regarding sustaining research activities during this unprecedented time of the Coronavirus pandemic.  The site is advertised on the Office of Research homepage and can be found here: https://research.uga.edu/coronavirus/. 

Many of you are dependent on UGA’s core facilities for your research activities.  David Lee writes to let us know that the major core facilities listed on the Office of Research website have indicated to us that they plan to be open and accessible in next two weeks. There may be some changes in procedures or protocols in order to minimize the number of individuals and/or the possibility of infection in the cores, and users should also anticipate some delays.  I recommend you contact the core facility director for additional information. https://research.uga.edu/core-facilities/. 

Students working in research projects: Interpretation of memos, faculty can talk with students engaged in faculty mentored research. Students who are able and wish to do so, should be allowed, not forced to do so. If able to work remotely, this is ideal and students should be able to do so. We encourage faculty and students to have conversation up front first, don’t assume. Faculty need to be flexible, allow students to voice concerns and share their own concerns about health and safety.

Source: David Lee, Vice President for Research

UGA is closely monitoring the novel coronavirus (covid-19)

The campus’ senior leadership team will continue to meet regularly and monitor developments and will inform the campus community as the situation warrants.

We urge you to pay attention to direct communications that you receive from the University of Georgia via ArchNews and to ignore the many rumors or unsubstantiated information that you might receive from other sources. We will communicate with you as soon as we have any updates to share.

Updates also will be posted to www.uga.edu and the University of Georgia coronavirus website, which we encourage you to check regularly.

SCHEDULE (Dean’s travel and purpose during the next two weeks):

  • Remote work contact: 706-224-6086 (cell call or FaceTime)
  • The next Dean’s Update will be the week of March 24, 2020, or earlier.

Sincerely,

Linda Kirk Fox

Dean

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia embraces a commitment to diversity by modeling for the state and nation a community of individuals and programs which seek to reduce prejudice, disparities, and discrimination and build a supportive environment for all.

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