Provost Hardgrave COVID-19 Faculty Updates

Dear Colleagues,

It's hard to believe that we have reached the end of our fourth week of remote operations. As I walk through campus, I am still taken aback at how the energy and excitement typically associated with the final weeks of the academic year have been so quickly replaced by quiet and calm. With a month now behind us, I take this week's message to say thank you for giving your best to our students despite challenging circumstances.

This transition has undoubtedly tested the resilience of our faculty and students. Each of you has taken on new responsibilities that exceed the traditional demands of your faculty roles. Our familiar classrooms have been entirely replaced by virtual spaces that have necessitated new approaches to teaching and learning. In just a few short weeks, we have learned a great deal about our faculty's remarkable capacity to balance academic quality with remote modalities. And, in some conversations with faculty, you have learned new ways to reimagine and deliver instruction that many of you will want to continue into future semesters.

We have seen the benefits of asynchronous learning take the form of increased flexibility, convenience, and new, albeit different, levels of student engagement. It is undoubtedly challenging for some of our students as they adjust to a less structured setup (i.e., no physical classroom) and, perhaps, some less-than-ideal places to concentrate on their studies (e.g., at home with younger siblings). I know that many of you continue to go above and beyond to support our students during this critical time. Your efforts showcase the best of our institution. As we continue to define this new form of work-life, I thank you for your willingness to accommodate constant schedule adjustments, participate in seemingly endless Zoom sessions, and maintain your scholarly activities beyond the classroom.

Almost on a daily basis, I am on Zoom meetings with our academic and student leadership groups to ensure we are making the best possible decisions for our campus. The role of shared governance has never been more critical as we look to Auburn's leaders for guidance in a time of uncertainty. My thanks to those you who made time to attend the most recent Senate meeting and to participate in the Senate officer elections. Your participation maintains our faculty engagement and ensures continued momentum on important academic topics. This continuity is especially crucial for Auburn's short- and long-term future as we look ahead to the summer and fall. Enrollment has already begun for our summer and fall semesters, and we anticipate welcoming our incoming students to Auburn through a new virtual orientation this summer (with, hopefully, a face-to-face component later in the summer).

When the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, I am confident we will reflect on the collective efforts of our faculty during this time with profound appreciation and pride. For now, please know you have my deepest gratitude for all you do for our students and our institution. Please continue to keep yourselves and those around you safe and healthy.

Regards,

Bill Hardgrave
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

Today marks the end of our third week operating as a remote campus. Like many of you, I continue to closely follow national and local updates on COVID-19 and reflect on the many ways in which this experience will not only change my life but the lives of those around me. As our daily routines continue to shift from the familiar to the unfamiliar, it is especially important that we remain connected to our families, friends, colleagues, and students during these times.

In looking back at the past month, it is hard to believe that our campus transitioned from simply contemplating plans for remote instruction to full remote operations in a matter of days. Yet, every member of our faculty has gone above and beyond to meet the needs of our students while upholding the integrity of our academic mission. I am especially grateful to those of you who have become a source of support to your peers during this time as they have quickly adapted their courses and embraced new teaching technologies.

Each day, our administration assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our campus and makes decisions that support the continued success of our faculty, staff, and students. With input from the faculty leadership, we have made an ongoing commitment to review and revise our policies in an effort to mitigate any long-term impacts on our faculty. Among these, we recognized that providing options for the extension of the tenure agreement for probationary faculty was important. Last week, I promised my office would provide additional guidelines and a form for faculty to request a one (1) year extension of their tenure agreements as a result of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This information has been posted on the Provost’s website.

At some point, we will have an opportunity to reflect on the collective lessons this experience has taught us as individuals, as scholars, and as an institution. I encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas, either with your departmental leader, your dean, or with me directly. For those of you who have not yet provided input to the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE), the survey closes later this month. While the instrument does not ask specific questions about the COVID-19 pandemic, the final question asks what one thing Auburn could do to improve the workplace for faculty. When things eventually return to normal, we will need to reflect on what we did well and what could have been done differently.

In addition to our campus, I know many of you have stepped up to support our broader communities in extraordinary ways. From promoting local businesses to initiating efforts of appreciation for our first responders and healthcare workers, the outpouring of kindness and encouragement from our community during this time is what makes Auburn such a unique place to live and work.

The impact of COVID-19 issues will continue to be part of our everyday lives for the foreseeable future. As we go forward, I encourage each of you to continue offering your time and talents to others.

My thanks to you for all you do for Auburn University.

Regards,

Bill Hardgrave
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As we conclude our second week of remote operations, I want to thank the faculty again for your continued leadership and flexibility during this unprecedented time. Amid the many adjustments our academic community has made in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, none have been more challenging than balancing the practice of social distancing with our inherent need for engagement with others. As we adapt to this new (albeit temporary) kind of normal, I am confident that this time of uncertainty will eventually yield many positive effects on our campus. Among these, I'm sure we all share an increased appreciation for our colleagues, our students, and the familiar sights and sounds of our campus.

While the university's academic leadership continues to navigate difficult decisions based on continually changing information, we must recognize and consider the impacts of the COVID-19 situation on the academic and professional work-life of our faculty, particularly those who are working towards achieving tenure.

This week, I collaborated with the Senate leadership to authorize a temporary modification to the university's promotion and tenure policy. This modification will allow faculty who are currently in their first through fourth years of the probationary period to request a one-year extension of their tenure agreements (similar to how the university handles medical leaves). Senate Chair Nedret Billor best articulated the need for this extension when she described the current situation as "one that may seriously impact our faculty who are endeavoring to be productive researchers, innovative teachers, and contributing members of our campus community as they strive to advance their professional careers."

Faculty interested in opting into the extension will be able to notify the Provost's Office through an online form and will have until November 1 to request an additional year. Further details regarding the process, application form, and other information will be available on the Provost's Office website in the coming days.

As we enter the home stretch of the semester, many of our traditional academic processes and departmental proceedings are delayed indefinitely. In recent days, several faculty members have inquired about the distribution of student evaluations of teaching this semester. Following advice by faculty leaders, student teaching evaluations for the spring semester will continue as planned. Once collected, however, evaluations will only be provided to faculty. Spring 2020 student evaluations of teaching will not be used in Faculty Annual Reviews or included in promotion / tenure dossiers, unless a faculty member chooses to include them.

Again, my thanks to you for your dedication to our campus and especially to our students. In just two weeks, more than 2,000 faculty members have transitioned over 5,200 courses to remote instruction. This type of dedication is what continues to move our campus forward during this time and allows us to continue delivering on our mission.

As you continue to work remotely, I ask that you please take time for your health and safety during this time.

With thanks,

Bill Hardgrave
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

By now, I'm sure you have read today's message from President Gogue announcing the university's decisions to continue remote instruction for the remainder of the semester and postpone our May commencement ceremonies. Our transition to remote instruction has undoubtedly been an adjustment for everyone this week. I thank you for your continued commitment to our academic mission and ask for your ongoing patience as we continue to adapt to these new approaches to teaching and learning together.

In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, our leadership has anticipated the need for temporary modifications to a few of our academic policies, beginning with the withdrawal date. We have extended the deadline for students to drop a course with a "W" assigned from April 3 to the last day of class, April 24. We have encouraged students to consult with their academic advisors to understand how withdrawing might impact their academic progression.

Following the conclusion of Spring Semester 2020, students will have the opportunity to convert any passing grade to an S and any failing grade to a U. This temporary policy adjustment does not impact how you assign grades in your courses. Faculty will assign letter grades as you have always done. After final grades are posted, students, in consultation with their advisor, will be given guidance on how any grade conversions will affect their academic progression. To clarify, this does not affect how faculty assign final grades, nor does it change our institution's grade policy or standards and requirements for academic progression. Details of the conversion process will be made available before the end of the semester. Again, please submit spring semester letter grades as usual and direct any questions to your Associate Dean.

As I have said many times, the Auburn faculty certainly stepped up this week, and we will continue to lean on each other in the coming days and weeks.

Regards,

Bill Hardgrave
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As we enter our second day of remote instruction, I want to thank all of the faculty who have worked so diligently to transition your courses to remote delivery and our staff who stepped up to provide additional support. Again, I recognize that this sudden transition has resulted in unexpected adjustments for many of you. I appreciate your continued efforts as our campus pulls together to uphold our academic mission and support our students as they resume their academic work.

Earlier this week, the university’s administration provided guidance for faculty and staff to work remotely in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. I am writing as a follow-up to that communication to provide additional clarification.

While on-campus classes and events are canceled through April 10, Auburn continues to conduct full university operations (with the major exceptions of remote instruction, on-campus student housing, on-campus dining, Auburn University Libraries, and the Recreation and Wellness Center). The request for faculty and staff to work remotely is an additional step being taken to help slow the spread of COVID-19. We encourage those who can develop and implement remote work plans to do so, as it reduces the overall number of employees on campus. Doing so also protects the health of our colleagues who are unable to work remotely.

Please allow me to provide a few additional points of clarification:

• Faculty and staff whose university duties can be either entirely or partially performed remotely should do so. Where possible, units should establish flexible work schedules for faculty and staff while keeping offices open with at least one staff member during regular university hours.

• Working remotely is strongly encouraged. Faculty and staff who can work remotely are encouraged to do so to minimize close contact with others.

• Working remotely and on-campus are not mutually exclusive. Faculty and staff who want to substitute working a few days remotely with a few days in the office may do so. Remember, the goal is to reduce the spread of infection as much as possible.

• Our instructional mission should continue. Faculty may deliver instruction from your office, a classroom, or away from campus – whatever works best for you and your students.

• Faculty and staff who work remotely should always remember to take precautions regarding data privacy and security. As a reminder, familiarize yourself with Auburn’s IT policies and best practices for protecting data, and use VPN and 2 factor authentication to securely access the Auburn network when you are away from campus.

• Units that utilize student workers should have them work remotely, if possible. Units who need student workers for on-campus functions may have them report to work, provided the students are comfortable coming to campus.

• Most campus buildings, except for some residence halls, dining facilities, library, and rec center, will remain open. HVAC operations and campus mail will continue as usual.

• Faculty and staff who do come to campus should always practice safe social distancing (at least 6 feet) and proper hygiene (wash hands, avoid touching common areas such as doorknobs, etc.).

Again, keeping everyone safe is our top priority. I understand the challenges that these changes place on everyone, and I thank you for your support during these uncertain times.

To keep up with the latest developments, visit: https://ocm.auburn.edu/news/coronavirus/. On this website, you can also sign up to automatically receive email updates; I encourage you to do so.

Regards,

Bill Hardgrave
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I know many of you have been working frantically to prepare your classes as we transition to remote instruction in the coming days. I understand that this transition is both hectic and stressful, and I thank you for all that you are doing to ensure that our students continue to receive an excellent Auburn education.

I also understand that this transition can be stressful for our students. In recent days, we have received several notes from students who have expressed concern over their ability to resume courses by next Monday and Tuesday, particularly those from out of state. For many of our students, especially the 40 percent who reside outside of Alabama, they are returning to Auburn from spring break only to retrieve a few items before traveling home. Other students have indicated that they are unable to return to campus to retrieve necessary course materials (such as books, notes, etc.). Still, others may struggle to locate the proper technology (such as a personal computer, reliable internet access, etc.) or an environment suitable for remote learning. As we work through these challenges in the days and weeks ahead, I ask for your patience and flexibility as our students, you, and the entire campus adjusts to this new situation.

With our transition to remote instruction, we must provide resources that ensure both faculty and students are supported to do their best work. As a reminder, the Biggio Center offers various instructional resources for faculty. If you are looking to get started with remote instruction, please visit aub.ie/keepteaching to access resources and guides. The Biggio Center also offers live support through its Zoom Room, available at aub.ie/BigHelp, where you can connect with staff members. The Zoom Room is open this Sunday, March 15, from 8 am to 5 pm and during regular university hours Monday - Friday.

It is my understanding that beginning next week, the five major textbook publishers will make electronic versions of their textbooks and courseware available to students at no charge. Additional information will be provided by the Biggio Center and the Auburn University Bookstore in the coming days.

It is, perhaps, cliché to say it at this point, but we are facing an unprecedented set of circumstances. With patience, flexibility, and fortitude, Auburn will get through this – and will likely learn much about ourselves as we do!

Again, thank you for all you do for our students and Auburn University.

Regards,

Bill Hardgrave
Provost