From the Interim President
Online Spring Welcome and Trainings
April 6, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
I hope each of you and your families are doing well during this unprecedented time. I know there are challenges we all share -- particularly apprehension about the coronavirus itself, sympathy for those who have been affected, appreciation for the health care professionals on the front lines, appreciation for our own custodians, police officers and Bookstore staff necessarily working on campus, and concern for the many students and others who have recently lost jobs. I know we miss seeing family, friends and colleagues in person, and that we all face logistical details at home, such as how best to obtain food and supplies. I also know that some of us are caring for and homeschooling children whose routines have been entirely disrupted, some of us are caring for parents or other family members -- and that we each have circumstances unique to our own lives and situations. None of this is easy.
This includes transitioning all of our classes, services and other work online -- and yet, everyone has done a great job. As I mentioned in my previous email, the Online Education Center -- recently with additional assistance from the Office of Professional Development -- has conducted numerous trainings in online tools since March. There are more than 500 faculty members scheduled to teach this quarter, and the vast majority -- more than 400 -- have been trained to use Canvas for their classes.
Today we begin an additional week of trainings to build on those sessions so many of you have already participated in. Online Spring Training expands opportunities to ask questions and deepen knowledge about online tools and techniques. You can see a list of sessions and workshops here: deanza.edu/online-spring/training. Classified professionals are invited to participate in relevant sessions, while continuing your invaluable work of serving students, many of whom may be anxious about taking all of their classes online.
Our students likely have many anxieties, both similar to and different from our own. Please refer them to the revamped Online Spring webpage for assistance: deanza.edu/online-spring. The page provides extensive information for students during this transition -- online learning resources and student services including the psychological counseling that can be so critical during a stressful time. The page also includes referrals for food assistance and other basic needs; emergency financial assistance; job leads; tips for filing for unemployment benefits -- a sad reality for so many -- and much more.
Faculty online resources, and this week's Online Spring Training events, are also linked from the Online Spring webpage. Please consult with your administrator if you have specific questions during this period. You're also invited to join senior staff for conversation and Q&A at 1 p.m. today and each Monday of spring quarter -- see the calendar invitation for Zoom details.
I ask that we continue to practice kindness, generosity and patience with students and with each other as we embark upon Online Spring. Please take care of yourself, and each other.
Kindly,
Christina
Christina G. Espinosa-Pieb
(Pronouns: She/Her/Hers/Herself/Ella)
Interim President