March 17: Coronavirus Update

Dear Merrimack College Community, 

I write to you this afternoon with an update with Merrimack College’s response to the COVID-19 global outbreak. As this outbreak is rapidly altering how all of us go about our daily lives, I thought it would be important to both remind our community of what we have done to date and to also what we are planning to do over the next several days. 

First, I would like to report we have no current cases of reported COVID-19 on the campus. Second, the College has taken extraordinary measures to limit access to the campus and also to do our part in social distancing and decreasing social density, as our priority has been the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the CDC are consistently placing restrictions on group gatherings and business operations and the College is adhering to that advice. We are in constant contact with government authorities. Finally, less than 20 residential students remain on campus.

Last Friday evening (March 13, 2020), I made the announcement to the Merrimack College community via email of the following decisions:

1. The College has extended spring break into the week of March 16-20. There is no expectation during this time that there will be any student learning or coursework.

2. The College is extending the Spring Semester by one week to May 15.

3. During this extra week of spring break, the College will be spending time preparing to successfully conduct remote learning to our more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students and preparing for remote work.

4. There are no in-person classes until at least April 14, 2020.

5. Effective Monday, March 23, 2020 the College will transition to remote learning, and remote learning will continue until Tuesday, April 14 when in-person classes are targeted to begin again. The return date for residential students will be Monday, April 13.

6. A Learning Continuity web resource has been developed to help faculty prepare to move into remote learning.

7. The College, effective March 23, 2020, will also provide virtual tutoring and advising as well as other support services while students transition to remote learning.

As of today, I am pleased to report that the College has successfully implemented a remote work strategy and the vast majority of our staff is off-site. The College is open and operating both virtually and also with limited campus staff, which includes the Police Department and Facilities. Other offices are rotating their staff-time between campus and home so the majority of offices have a very limited physical presence emphasizing social distancing. There are no longer any meetings on campus of more than 10 people. The vast majority of meetings are virtual through Zoom and Blackboard. All employees working from home are responding to emails and phone calls and participating in virtual meetings. Faculty are preparing for remote learning and responding to various emails from students or participating in departmental/school meetings virtually with their deans and colleagues. 

As my Friday evening message highlighted, Merrimack College will utilize remote learning beginning March 23, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. to support each of our students in their academic endeavors during these unprecedented times. I want to thank the members of this community who have reached out to me, or the task force with your support. Even more so, I want to thank members of our community who offered their assistance and expertise to assist in this effort. 

I now would like to outline to you what you can expect going forward over the next several days and beyond as we prepare together as a community for remote work and remote learning, which begins on March 23, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.

1.  In the coming days, students, faculty and staff will receive numerous emails regarding new technologies and resources that the College has implemented in order to assist the community to smoothly transition to remote learning and online teaching formats.

2. Remote learning will vary by course and instructor, most will be a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. However, instructors should choose a format that works best for them, their students and the course. This could include both synchronous work (i.e. students and instructor using Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom during regularly-scheduled class time), or it could be asynchronous activities (the work is available for students to complete at any time). I want to emphasize to faculty that you have the autonomy to do whatever you need to do to teach your classes remotely and educate your students, whether that be either synchronous, asynchronous or a combination of both.

3. Students will be receiving emails later in the week in regard to online tutoring, advising and ultimately registration for Fall 2020. In addition, The Dean of Students, Dean of Student Success, the O’Brien Center, Residential Life, Commuter Student Services and Athletics will be setting up various forums and video meetings to bring students together beyond academic courses to keep everyone connected, engaged and informed.

4. The College has purchased Zoom Enterprise to assist with remote virtual meetings for faculty, staff and students. This technology will allow departments, college units, athletic teams, student groups, student government, as well as one-on-one advising and even when appropriate class lectures to be delivered in a live synchronous format. Faculty and staff received an email on Monday, March 16 on how to activate their Zoom accounts. Students will be receiving an email about Zoom access later this evening. By the end of business on Thursday, March 19, all 6,000+ students, faculty and staff will have access to Zoom. Merrimack Zoom utilizes the College’s Google/Gmail system to authenticate access in a seamless fashion.

5. In addition, the College has a robust integrated learning Blackboard Ultra system that most students should be familiar with. This can be found through MyMack. The majority of courses that are offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels are hosted by Blackboard Ultra. Some instructors may use Google Classroom for their course delivery as it better meets their teaching and learning needs. Blackboard Ultra, Google Classroom and Google Email will be the primary tools that students use to communicate with their faculty to get assignments as well as to collaborate with fellow students and professors. More information is coming to assist students and faculty who are not familiar with Blackboard Ultra and other tech tools later this week.

As the College transitions to remote learning and work, I want all members (students, faculty and staff) of our community to know that resources are being deployed rapidly to assist you. Whether you are new to remote learning or have been using online platforms in the past, it is important to remember that as a community we are all learning as we go and over time, remote teaching and learning will become more routine for all. 

Please remember you are not alone and we are here to help. We are a community of one, and in the wake of COVID-19, working together and supporting each other is one of the hallmarks of Merrimack College. This unprecedented crisis will continue to test our strength and resilience over the next several weeks, so it is important that faculty, staff and students who need help and assistance during this time continue to reach out. We are here for you. You are not alone, we are all in this together.  

There are a number of ways to reach out should you need support, have a question or are not sure what to do:

1. Faculty and Staff

   1. Email the Task Force

   2. Visit the Learning Continuity Website

   3. Email AskIT or call the 24/7 hotline (978) 837-3500

   4. Email your deans or direct supervisors for support and guidance

   5. Email the CETL directly for assistance with remote e-learning

2. Undergraduate, Graduate and Professional Studies Students

   1. Email the Task Force

   2. Email AskIT or call the 24/7 hotline (978) 837-3500

   3. Email your Instructor or Program Director

   4. Email the Academic Success Center

   5. Email the Dean of Students

   6. For those students who have questions about their part-time work on campus, or are concerned about their finances because they, their parents or guardians are no longer working due to the COVID-19 virus, please contact the Task Force and the appropriate College administrator will contact you for assistance.

3. Parents

   1. Email the Dean of Students

   2. Email the Task Force

   3. Reach out to the 24/7 hotline (978) 837-3500 who will triage your question and put you in touch with the help you need for your student. 

   4. For those parents who are concerned about their student’s mental health or concerned about family finances because of the COVID-19 crisis, or want to know how to assist your student for any other reason, please contact the Task Force and the appropriate College administrator will contact you for assistance.

Regardless of the resources or questions, it is important to note that as a community there is always someone here to help you. Whether it be calling a phone number or sending an email, it is the purpose of this communication to convey that in this unprecedented moment that the College is doing its best to help all of our students and faculty bring some semblance of normalcy back to the Spring semester. At the same time, we must all acknowledge that this is unprecedented and this crisis is changing everything in how we go about our daily lives.  

I do believe that things will return to normal at some point in the future, and this crisis will dissipate in magnitude and impact. Until that time, anxiety and stress about the unknown are normal and expected. That is why it is important to ask for help if you need it, and we will do our very best to help and to adjust based upon the circumstances in front of us.  

Whatever your experience level with remote learning, you can be assured that the College has prepared outstanding support for all and we will be ready to deliver the same level of teaching and learning excellence we are known for at Merrimack College as we go to remote learning beginning on March 23, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.

Finally, in these times, it is important that as the College shares its support for all of us, we must recognize that the true strength of this institution is that we all look out for each other and that we are all responsible for each other and each other’s success. 

Fr. Raymond Dlugos, Vice President of Mission and Ministry, in his recent Restless Hearts podcast episode, A Lent Like No Other, offered a reflection on how this experience is an involuntary, communal act of fasting and how that might have significant spiritual implications for enduring it and even learning from it.

I urge everyone to take a moment to listen to Fr. Ray’s reflections on what this experience might or could mean for us spiritually. If you would like to hear that reflection please listen to Episode 5 of the Restless Hearts Podcast on how the Corona Virus has transformed our Lenten fast this season. You can subscribe to the Restless Hearts Podcast on iTunes or Spotify, or you can click here to listen to any of the episodes.

Below, is the first of many communications about the resources offered in regard to remote learning. Please check your email for more information over the coming days, and do not hesitate to reach out to the Task Force with any question at all, regardless of the topic. We will get back to you quickly and try to help you with your question. We are here to help.  

 

Best,

President Hopey

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Information for Students

There are some basic principles of teaching and learning that will guide us all through this transition to remote learning. We would like to share these with you for the purpose of helping you continue to be successful as you pursue your learning goals and aspirations.

Please read through the below general Guiding Principles. We encourage you to keep an open dialogue with your faculty, advisor(s), program directors and Academic Deans related to your courses and degree program. We also encourage you to communicate with the Academic Success Center and related resources (www.merrimack.edu/21C) who are ready to assist you and guide your continued success. 

1. Identify and understand any and all changes that have occurred in the course expectations and/or requirements including specific assignments and deadlines that may have (or have not) changed in the shift from on-campus to remote learning.

2. Make sure you understand your responsibilities and expectations related to the course and take responsibility for your own ultimate success.

3. Prioritize being present online when faculty hold synchronous class meetings; be highly responsive to course requirements (such as participation), assignments, and faculty; and keep up-to-date on all assignments and course activities. It might be very helpful to create a new planner, scheduler or calendar to structure your time in class and working on your own.

4. Do not hesitate to ask questions or raise any concerns about your course experiences, just as you would in an on-ground course.

5. Make sure you understand how to best communicate with your Instructor including how to ask questions and where to get answers in an online format.

6. Communicate with your Instructor immediately if you have any trouble completing an assignment.

7. Know where to find help related to technical issues during your course experience: you can call 978.837.3500 or email askit@merrimack.edu.

8. Check your Merrimack email, course Blackboard and related sites at least twice a day to be aware of any course-related updates or changes.

9. Reach out to relevant campus resources (including the Writing or Math Center, Accessibility Services, the Academic Success Center, etc.) whenever you need support; tutors, coaches, and staff will be available remotely.

10. Continue to follow Merrimack’s Integrity Code and understand the consequences if you fail to live up to these responsibilities. 

11. In this time of immense change, it is of great importance to be understanding and supportive of your fellow students and be respectful and patient in all interactions with your classmates and instructors.

Advising, Registration and Wellness Support

As the College prepares for remote learning, we are also planning for the reality of remote advising in preparation for registration for your Fall 2020 classes. Please be on the lookout for an email from the College over the next several days regarding academic advising and Fall 2020 registration.

The College understands that this dramatic and uncertain moment in time creates stress and anxiety for many members of our community. The College will be providing more virtual resources in the coming days to help students, faculty and staff who might feel overwhelmed or have a rising level of anxiety in regards to the unfolding of circumstances we all find ourselves in. Please be on the lookout for additional emails that provide additional resources to assist you. Again, do not hesitate to contact the multiple resources in this email if you feel under stress. We will work with each student, faculty and staff member to help them work through any concerns or issues they may have.

We will all get through this together by helping each other.  

Information for Faculty

In this unprecedented time of rapid change for Merrimack and the world around us, we are proud to have such outstanding faculty who are ready to adapt and continue to serve our students with creative, adaptable and effective learning solutions.

There are some basic principles of teaching and learning that will guide us through this transition to remote learning. We would like to share these with you for the purpose of helping us stay consistent from course-to-course at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  

Please read through these general Guiding Principles and let any of us know if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions. 

These guiding principles have been drafted by the Remote Learning Task Force and Office of the Provost with input from the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, the Academic Deans, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the Academic Success Center.
 

General Guiding Principles for Faculty During the Transition to Remote Learning 

1. Emphasize clear communications about your expectations regarding student responsibilities that may have (or have not) changed in the shift from an on-ground to a remote modality. 

2. Ensure that any revision in course assignments, assessments, learning outcomes, or other course activities related to the teaching-learning experience that will be altered from the original on-ground course format is clearly documented. One clear way to do this would be to send a revised syllabus with date changes highlighted/bolded/italicized.

3. Ensure that the revised course continues to meet the federal credit hour definition. In general, each week of a four-credit hour course should roughly involve twelve hours of student engagement. This could include both synchronous work (i.e. students and instructor using Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom during regularly-scheduled class time) and other student work, or it could be asynchronous activities (the work is available for students to complete at any time).

4. Our external accreditation body may require documentation of how courses continued to meet accreditation standards after changing to remote instruction. Therefore, please keep clear documentation of changes made to your syllabus or weekly assignments and activities. You may be asked for documentation of these changes.

5. Prioritize clear and timely responses to student questions and concerns and ensure they understand how to best communicate with you (and each other while in groups, etc.). 

6. Provide clear directions about how to ask questions and where to get answers about anything related to technical issues during their course experience. Both faculty and students can call 978-837-3500 or email askit@merrimack.edu for any questions related to technical support.

7. This is a time of immense change and potential student anxiety, please be sympathetic and understanding towards student concerns and challenges and exercise flexibility with students where possible.

8. The staff of the Academic Success Center will continue to assist students. They are also available to assist faculty in connecting with students. All tutoring will continue remotely and more hours will be added. The ASC can be reached at ASC@merrimack.edu.