Dear Faculty and Academic Affairs Staff,
I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and well.
Thank you for the incredible work you have done to help SSU get through its first ever week of all-remote instruction. This historic transition period has been challenging, so I am particularly grateful to you for everything you have done to get us to this point.
We have definitely had some hiccups along this journey. The Zoom glitch last weekend was very frustrating for many. Plus, we learned from Zoom yesterday that all recordings done before March 21 are unrecoverable (ugh!). Please know that the incredible faculty and staff in the Faculty Center are here to support those who may have lost content and need extra help.
Below I provide a few other updates from this week:
Campus Status Update: Since closing the Library on Wednesday, March 25, at 5 p.m., the campus has been operating with buildings locked except to on-site critical personnel. The only exceptions are the residence halls and the access doors to dining services.
Lobo’s Pantry: Student leaders stepped up this week to ensure that Lobo’s Pantry remains available for students who continue to live in the area. Food pick-up is on Tuesdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Staff will evaluate usage and need over time and adapt hours as needed.
Parking: Many faculty and staff have asked if they can turn in parking permits for a parking refund. The Employee parking permit page has been updated here. All employees who turn in permits and/or stop payroll deduction for parking are subject to the daily rate of $5/day. Please know that students have been contacted already to invite them to request a refund by turning in their permits if they so desire. Most residential students have chosen to move out next week, so their parking refunds will be processed automatically upon check-out.
Technology Needs: We have a student laptop program that will run for another week, depending on need. If you know of students with technology needs, please invite them to complete the laptop delivery form. As technology challenges arise for faculty and staff, please work with your dean or supervisor so we can find a solution for you as soon as possible.
Internet Needs: We know, too, that some households may not have reliable internet at home. There are a few solutions available that might help some people: Several cable companies are offering free internet for students for the next 60 days. AT&T, Comcast, Charter, Cox, Google Fiber, Spring, Verizon, and T-Mobile will not disconnect anyone for the next 60 days as they are participating in the "Keep Americans Connected" Pledge (PDF). Comcast is offering Internet Essentials package for free for 60 days during the coronavirus outbreak. Charter Communication (Spectrum) is offering free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a subscription.
All of the information above is on the SSU COVID-19 site. Also see our resource-intensive Academic Affairs COVID-19 site. Please continue to read what we post and ask questions so we can address your concerns as they arise.
I wish each and every one of you a restful weekend.
Most of all, please be well and stay healthy.
In gratitude,
Lisa Vollendorf, Provost