Greetings!
Welcome to the Academic Affairs newsletter. Browse updates and announcements, connect to tips and resources, and check out stories from around campus.
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Dear Colleagues,
I’m hoping that you may be able to assist with a communication challenge that we’re likely to encounter in the next few weeks as returning students begin choosing their fall courses. Our faculty and staff are already aware that all fall courses are being initially scheduled as in person, and that we will wait till July to add the additional remote sections that may be needed for students impacted by visa or travel restrictions (so we add those sections where the latest data shows they are needed).
However, not all of our students may have fully absorbed the communications on this topic.
So if a worried student contacts you saying visa delays or travel restrictions may keep them from arriving in time for the start of Fall Quarter and they don’t see any remote course sections to register for, please reassure them that the university has a plan in place. Encourage them to be in touch with their academic advisors about planning their courses and with ISPO around the latest information about visas and travel. Refer them to the links and FAQ’s below under Academic Updates.
Thank you -- I know this will make a difference.
In the meantime, it’s wonderful to see so many additional people walking around campus these days. I hope you are able to take a little time to see our newest buildings and bridges and check out the campus eateries that have been added in recent months in the Price Center and North Torrey Pines areas.
Best wishes,
Elizabeth H. Simmons
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Reminder: Fall Registration Opens Wednesday
Course registration for continuing students opens May 18. In anticipation of possible questions from students and families, please remember that based on guidance from the UC Office of the President and detailed modeling from our public health experts, we are planning for Fall 2021 teaching to be primarily in-person with normal classroom occupancy.
Beginning July 1, 2021, academic departments, working with the Registrar, will be able to change classroom requests and/or instruction modality for specific courses, as needed to support students impacted by visa or travel restrictions, handle any county/state/CDC restrictions on classroom occupancy, and accommodate specific faculty needs. Additional information about the student population impacted by visa or travel restrictions, updates on the national vaccination campaign, and further public health guidance will be available and considered. This inflection point is late enough to ensure we have meaningful, data-supported insights into public health conditions, yet early enough to afford flexibility for adjusting academic plans.
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La Lucha Sigue
The UC HSI Initiative has published its inaugural report on the present-day status of Latinx students at the University of California. The report addresses demographics and enrollment at UC, as well as current trends that can shape our understanding and definition of "serving" in the context of Hispanic-Serving Research Institutions.
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UC Remote Instruction
Faculty and instructors are invited to participate in a new survey being conducted by the systemwide Academic Senate. The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete, and all responses will be anonymous. Feedback from the survey will help inform responses to policy initiatives from the Regents and legislature. The deadline for participation is May 23, 2021. Please review the May 6 campus notice for details.
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Updated Guidelines for MOOCs
Based on ongoing feedback from faculty, we recognize that in some cases partnering with external platforms can better help us achieve our goals of developing innovative ways to reach diverse learners.
While UC San Diego Online and Canvas will remain our preferred and default distribution platforms for remote courses, we have created a process to allow faculty to partner with other platforms (including edX and Coursera) under specific circumstances, as an exemption. These exemption requests will be reviewed and granted at the sole discretion of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Educational Innovation.
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What is so great about Canvas?
Canvas continues to be the preferred Learning Management System for UC San Diego courses. It is fully supported by ITS and provides a secure repository for course materials, assignments, and grades. Faculty are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the many benefits the platform offers both instructors and students, including calendaring tools, analytics, and discussion boards. Using Canvas also helps minimize the number of separate applications students need to access and navigate for their different courses, making it easier for them to monitor and manage their academic progress.
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New On-Site Research and Artistic Activity Guidelines
As recently announced, the university is now able to implement changes to support further increases in on-site research and artistic activity, including music and performing arts rehearsals and performances. Please consult with your department chair regarding your plan for indoor rehearsal/performance prior to beginning an activity. Artistic activities do not require a Research Ramp-up plan, but all employees must submit a Work Location Status form.
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Student Information System Update
As part of the Enterprise System Renewal (ESR) initiative, the SIS project was launched in February 2019 to provide advanced analytics to help improve the student experience and educational outcomes.
The recent search for a new SIS concluded without identifying a suitable solution available for adoption. We are grateful to to the hundreds of people who contributed to the extensive RFP process and helped us determine the best path forward. We will use what we learned from the process to continue working with vendors to develop a system that meets the needs and shared goals of the university community.
While we will not begin implementing a new SIS immediately, we hope to identify and roll out a new system by December 2023.
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A Conversation with Min Jin Lee
Join the Library on May 26 as we honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and conclude Geisel Library’s 50th-anniversary signature event series with a talk featuring New York Times bestselling author of “Pachinko,” Min Jin Lee. Lee’s award-winning fiction explores the intersection of race, ethnicity, immigration, class, religion, gender, and identity of a diasporic people. Among her many accolades, Lee is a recipient of fiction fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard, and the New York Foundation for the Arts.
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Tomorrow is Transfer Triton Day
Thank you again to everyone who contributed to and participated in this year’s virtual Triton Day - the day was a huge success thanks to your partnership!
A reminder that tomorrow, May 15, is Transfer Triton Day 2021! The program will showcase UC San Diego as a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public university. Together, our community is offering approximately 177 virtual information booths, and more than 100 Zoom sessions and Q&A rooms. Visit the public Virtual Transfer Triton site for more information about the day, and be sure to check out the Campus Partner Toolkit for the day-of checklist, FAQs, and downloadable media to show off your Triton pride.
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Upcoming Return to Learn Town Halls |
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Follow the links below to register for upcoming town halls.
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No Appointment Needed
As a reminder, UC San Diego students, faculty, and staff with a valid campus ID no longer need to book an appointment to get vaccinated at RIMAC at no cost.
We encourage everyone in the Triton community to get vaccinated before the RIMAC Vaccination Station permanently closes on June 2, 2021.
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Keep Up the Good Work!
Thanks to the ongoing commitment of Tritons to public health and safety guidelines - wearing face-coverings, continuing to social distance, and getting vaccinated - our university community has had less than 1% positivity rate for COVID-19 over the past several weeks! We continue to test around 1,000 students and employees daily, regularly reporting zero new cases of the virus. Check out the Return to Learn Dashboard for more detailed data.
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Process Palooza
Process Palooza 2021 is now underway! Join us Tuesdays and Fridays through June 8 for interactive webinars with global thought leaders and hands-on workshops focused on the power of continuous improvement. Visit the Process Palooza website (processpalooza.ucsd.edu) for more information about the program and links to register for upcoming sessions.
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Join UC Center Sacramento on Wednesday, May 19th for “A Conversation with University of California President Michael V. Drake, MD” with the 21st president of UC’s world-renowned system of 10 campuses, five medical centers, three nationally affiliated labs, more than 280,000 students and 230,000 faculty and staff. Event details.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
Connecting Online: Tips to help you manage online stress, anxiety, and feel more confident as you work, learn, and connect online.
PERMA: Activities and university resources that support positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment.
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OOTD Geisel Walk
Check out this video of the 2021 Out of the Darkness campus walk, in support of people affected by suicide and suicide prevention efforts.
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Innovation Expo: Health & Wellness
Join us May 27 for the Innovation Expo: Health and Wellness to celebrate entrepreneurship-related accomplishments at UC San Diego. Hosted by the IDEAS Council, the prototype and demo fair will showcase innovative technologies and sustainable interventions related to this year’s theme of health and wellness.
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Web Forms Upgrade
This summer, the university’s installation of MachForm will be updated to the latest version, providing additional features and functionality. To prepare for this upgrade, WTS is auditing the collection of MachForms across units and will purge obsolete forms and data older than one year.
Except for Student Affairs units (which have already been upgraded), please email WTS by June 25 to let them know which web forms should remain active.
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While people may be interested in the topic of making technology accessible and usable by persons with disabilities, the reality is that they often do not know how or where to start. Awareness comes first. Join the Library on May 20 for the Global Accessibility Fair to learn more about how to use and create digital technology that is inclusive to people with different disabilities. Register online.
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CMS Tips & Updates
View archive of tips and other updates and sign up for the WTS newsletter online here.
What CMS skills and features would you like to learn more about? Or do you have a tip to share with other users? We love to hear from you!
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The 2021 Women in Leadership panel discussion honors the legacy of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and celebrates the 20th anniversary of Sally Ride Science. This year’s program brings together trailblazers who have shattered barriers and paved the way for women across the globe.
Tune in May 20 for the premiere of the virtual panel, featuring a conversation with Brittney Cooper, feminist scholar and author; Kathy Sullivan, trailblazing astronaut and scientist; and Maria Hinojosa, award-winning news anchor and reporter. Lynn Sherr, author and award-winning journalist, will moderate the discussion. Through a candid and timely discussion, panelists will share their personal stories and vision on how women can help lead our nation to a better future.
To learn more visit sallyridescience.ucsd.edu/women-in-leadership
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Distinguished Teaching Award Winners
Phoebe Bronstein (Sixth College Writing Program)
James Friend (Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering)
Emma Geller (Psychology)
Brian Leigh (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Joseph Politz (Computer Science Engineering)
Chris Cannavino (Pediatrics)
Ekaterina Evdokimenko (Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering)
Jayseon Kim Lee (Literature)
Danbi Ahn (Psychology)
Dang Do (Political Science)
Jim Short (Theatre & Dance)
Join us May 25 to celebrate this year’s honorees and UC San Diego’s commitment to excellence in teaching. Register online.
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Reflection and Recognition: Asian and Pacific Islander...
Students faculty and staff reflect on their heritage and share ways to support the community This May, the University of California San Diego honors the 15th anniversary of its Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Celebration.
Read more
ucsdnews.ucsd.edu
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