Welcome Back
August 23, 2021
Dear colleagues,
Welcome back! I have very much enjoyed being on campus daily these last weeks and seeing more people cross the Quad. I look forward to greeting many of you during the fall.
I want to begin this letter with important updates to the class schedule we are making to enhance the safety of the community. The vast majority of our classes this semester will proceed according to plan. However, we are receiving new data about student vaccination that requires adjustments to some classes.
Our students are submitting their vaccination information in CUNYfirst on a regular basis, and we are monitoring their submissions carefully. We have checked all classroom assignments to ensure that they provide adequate room for social distancing for those students who are not yet confirmed in CUNYfirst as fully vaccinated.
If you have a class on campus and its current room assignment is large enough, you will not hear about any changes to it, and you are good to go. If you have a class on campus and its current room assignment has inadequate space––given room capacity, enrollment, and the current vaccination status of enrolled students––we will move your class to a larger room. Where we could not move your class to a larger room, your dean will e-mail you to indicate that we have changed the modality of your class to hybrid to allow more time for students to confirm their vaccination status. These changes are designed to enhance the safety of our campus.
We all know that information and guidelines may change due to COVID-19, CDC and CUNY guidance, and the College’s Reentry Review Board’s (RRB) considerations. We ask that you stay up-to-date by consulting the Updates on Campus Return web page regularly.
Teaching
- All classes that meet face-to-face need to follow the most up to date college guidelines for masking and social distancing. As stated in President Anderson’s e-mail to the community, if a student refuses to wear a mask in class after you gently request it, please contact Security at 718.951.5511.
- We ask all faculty to continue to be as flexible as possible with students. Many students have experienced trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic and have had great difficulties learning remotely. The Center for Teaching and Learning has excellent resources that can assist you in helping your students learn at their best.
- With flexibility and kindness in mind, faculty may resolve their own students’ requests for asynchronous assignment work, if these arise. Please consult your chair for guidance.
- As you know, only hybrid or in-person classes may schedule in-person exams. Any in-person exams must be indicated and scheduled with the dates on the syllabus at the start of the semester Students need to plan their schedules for work, family, and school.
- All classes that involve student off-campus dyad or group assignments must specify that students are required to follow college guidelines for masking and social distancing at all times.
- All faculty teaching/supervising fieldwork, externship, and internship courses are required to follow the latest CUNY guidance applicable to their area. As part of this process, the College will provide all departments with in-person internships, externships, field work placements, etc. with a waiver form next week that all enrolled students must sign, and faculty must collect and keep. We will also be centrally surveying students to ensure their placements meet CDC and CUNY health and safety requirements and working directly with specific faculty on follow-up.
- Film, Theater, Music, Physical Education, Speech Language Pathology, Audiology, and Art courses will continue to work closely with the Reentry Entry Review Board (RRB). In general, no performances will be permitted during the fall semester.
- Guest access to campus is limited and must be required (requested) via e-mail to me.
- In-person events require RRB approval. Please send an e-mail describing the event, number of people, and the plan to ensure health and safety.
Research
- Researchers seeking modifications in their reentry plans should continue to submit their revisions to me. The original plan should indicate modifications to the schedule and personnel, etc.
- Researchers who seek to conduct research on campus for the first time since the campus’ closure, will need to complete full health and safety plans for review by the Reentry Review Board. Please visit the EHS website for details and contact me directly for further guidance in the preparation of your plan.
I wish you a healthy and enjoyable return to campus. I will be in touch with other specific Academic Affairs updates as the semester progresses. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly (anne.lopes@brooklyn.cuny.edu; 718.951.5864) if you have any questions and concerns.
Anne
Anne Lopes
Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs
