Dear Faculty Colleagues,

Undoubtedly, we are living through unprecedented times and facing an extraordinary global pandemic health event that is impacting every aspect of our lives.  We truly recognize that even as you each prepare to continue instruction in your classes online or remotely, you also are trying to prepare yourselves and your families.  So, first, I want to thank each of you for the way that you have already stepped up for your students and this University, and for all of the efforts and work you have already undertaken to ensure that Howard University continues to operate optimally for our students through this crisis.   You are what has always made Howard University an extraordinarily special and unique institution of higher learning.

Today, you are receiving a Needs Assessment Survey from my office (see link below) which will help us to be more strategic and supportive in helping you to move your courses online. The purpose of the Needs Assessment Survey is to assess your needs so that we can provide additional resources (technical and supportive) to faculty, as necessary. Additionally, we want to provide the University with current information on each faculty member’s state of readiness to move instruction to an online platform.  You are the best source of information about each of your courses, and whether you are presently anticipating a barrier that hinders your ability to move instruction fully online when spring break is over.  So, your completion of this survey is absolutely critical. This survey is due on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. EST.

CLICK HERE FOR NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY

You are also receiving an Academic Continuity Plan Survey (see link below). The purpose of the Academic Continuity Plan Survey is to ensure that each course offered at the University has a course continuity plan following Spring Break. The Academic Continuity Plan Survey is also very short and is critical to the deans, department chairs and the Office of the Provost. We need every faculty member responsible for teaching a course this term to respond by 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 19, 2020, if not sooner, by taking the survey online (click on the link below to start the survey).

CLICK HERE FOR ACADEMIC CONTINUITY PLAN SURVEY

We will continue to do our best to provide you with resources to help you, especially as you complete your course continuity plans.  The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (CETLA) has regularly sent articles, free Webinar information and other resources to the faculty providing tips on moving a face-to-face course online.   A recording of the CETLA Open House that was held on Thursday, March 12, will be posted on the CETLA website, and the PowerPoint for the Open House is already posted there.  Blackboard Basics training will be offered via Zoom next week (more information to follow.)  We strongly encourage you to visit the CETLA website at http://www.cetla.howard.edu/ where there is a great deal of assistance via videos and identified resources on Blackboard and online education in general.  

Finally, please continue to monitor your Howard email for messages from this office and the University more generally.  As I know you can fully appreciate during this time, a lot is changing as actions are taken at the Federal, State and local levels to combat coronavirus, and it can affect decisions that we are making to maintain our operations at the University.   

Again, thank you for your diligence, patience, and professionalism. 

Excellence in Truth and Service,

Anthony K. Wutoh, Ph.D., R.Ph.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer