Dear colleagues,

As noted in Dean Galea’s accompanying note, we will deliver our courses remotely, starting Monday, March 16.

Faculty should plan to hold virtual class sessions at their regularly scheduled times and deliver course content using Zoom.  Course materials should be shared through Blackboard, per our usual practices. If you need any assistance with Zoom, please see our series of notes in SPH Today this and last week for links to resources and trainings. And, if anyone would like to drop by to Talbot 1 West on Friday, March 13 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a Zoom practice session, please join us and bring your laptop. We will provide the coffee!

This is a challenging time, for many reasons, and certainly not what we anticipated for our courses. As I mentioned in my last note, we do not expect any faculty member to convert their course into an asynchronous online course, but rather, to continue to run courses as best they can, remotely. Some course components will transition easily and others will not. For example, guest speakers can join a class by Zoom link, students can present in real-time by sharing the screen, and small group discussions can take place in break-out rooms in Zoom. However, some components may not work as well virtually.  If you need any assistance adapting materials to the online environment, please let me know and I will connect you to appropriate supports.

A few questions have come up already and I fully expect there will be many more as things unfold.  As you know, I am the SPH Remote Teaching Coordinator and I am attending daily briefings to get information and to get answers to questions from our community.  Please continue to send questions to me or suggestions that might be useful for others and I will share answers and ideas.  Following are questions that have come up and what we know, as of now.

What support is the University providing?

To learn about working and teaching remotely, visit the IS&T website or contact ithelp@bu.edu (regarding working remotely) or askedtech@bu.edu (regarding teaching remotely). Resources for students about learning remotely can also be found on the IS&T website.

Who is supporting students who need technical assistance?

The University will be supporting all students to ensure that they have appropriate access and support to continue learning. We will share messages that go to students so that all faculty are aware of what is being communicated out to students. Some faculty have expressed concern that some students may not have adequate internet access from home. Zoom allows students to join a conversation by phone, if necessary, and instructors can record Zoom sessions and send them for students to review at a later date. Specifically, when setting up a Zoom link, you are provided with a meeting ID that can be shared with students by email or on Blackboard (or both). More information on joining a meeting by phone is available here.

Will students be able to complete their practicums?

We are investigating this now as policies and procedures of external organizations will have to be followed. We will contact CEPH to explore options as to how we can meet accreditation requirements, under the circumstances (e.g., using case studies, simulations).

How do I handle student accommodations?

Student accommodations will continue to be managed by Mary Murphy-Phillips, our Director of Graduate Student Life.  Please contact Mary (mcmurph@bu.edu) with any questions or concerns and she will coordinate with Disability and Access Services as needed.

How should I administer examinations?

At this stage, we do not yet know if we will be in remote teaching mode through the end of the semester. But, as we plan, we may want to consider alternative options to assess student learning such as final papers or projects, if feasible. Blackboard has a testing function that can be used with multiple choice, short answer or calculated numeric responses. If faculty would like to learn more about these options, we can set up a training session. We can also explore the use of a commercial product, such as Examsoft (currently used by MED), with options for essay responses if needed. Please let me know if you may need this option. The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is also preparing a guidance with options to consider—I will send this around as soon as it is available.

Can VPN handle the volume?

VPN is not needed to access Blackboard or Zoom. In fact, VPN degrades Zoom and should not be used. The University is preparing a guidance on VPN as many questions are arising around this issue. We will circulate that message as soon as it is available.

Can I run my online sessions from my office computer?

This is up to individual faculty and units. We have been asked to create social distance to minimize the spread of coronavirus so, to that end, it may be best to run course sessions remotely.

Can Zoom handle the capacity?

Zoom is a cloud provider with a robust, global backing that can be scaled to meet the demands introduced by institutions with increased online meetings or instruction. Zoom’s founder and CEO, Eric Yuan, released a statement regarding their commitment to support and continuity during the outbreak. In this statement, he specifically calls out that they are “proactively monitoring servers to ensure maximum reliability amid any capacity increases.” As an additional note, BU IS&T is prepared to provide alternatives for instruction if needed and provisions are in place in case of emergency.

What additional resources are available?

For international students and scholars with questions about travel, please contact the International Students & Scholars Office at isso@bu.edu or 617-353-3565.

For questions about Study Abroad, please contact abroad@bu.edu.

For students’ questions regarding financial situations, please contact the University Service Center at usc@bu.edu or 617-358-1818.

For those with medical questions or concerns about COVID-19, contact the applicable on-campus health centers listed below for more information.

For students: Student Health Services, follow instructions to send a message to a nurse.

I greatly appreciate everyone’s willingness to adapt and to help and support one another.  We are in this together and I am confident that we can get through it.  There are many details that have yet to be worked out as things unfold. I will share updates as they become available. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Lisa

Lisa Sullivan
Associate Dean for Education
lsull@bu.edu

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