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From Provost Arden: Appreciation, Support and Compassion in Crisis

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MEMORANDUM

TO:  NC State Instructors of Record and Academic Advisors, Spring 2020

FROM:  Warwick Arden, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

SUBJECT: Appreciation, Support and Compassion in Crisis

DATE:  April 15, 2020

As we enter the second half of April, I wanted to take a moment and express my heartfelt appreciation to each of you for all you have done and continue to do to teach and support your students. Teaching remotely, corresponding with students and participating in frequent online meetings take a great deal of energy and focus, and it can all be extremely exhausting. I know that many stresses may be weighing on you as you do this work. That includes not just the unplanned and very rapid changes you had to make this semester, but also the workplace and school changes that are affecting your household, the health concerns that you may have for yourself or your family, and the apprehension that we all share for the future. For all these reasons, I am especially grateful for all you have done for your students, your colleagues and for NC State. 

In the midst of everything, please prioritize your and your families’ well-being as much as possible; this is Chancellor Woodson’s and my top priority for every member of our community. I encourage you to contact NC State’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Program for confidential help and support, as needed. FASAP offers someone to talk to and resources to consult on emotional health, work-life solutions, legal guidance, financial resources and more.

Staff in my office and several vice provost units are working hard to support your academic efforts. Check the academic continuity website, go.ncsu.edu/keepteaching, for frequent updates and helpful new tips and tools. For questions about managing remote learning technologies, email learntech@ncsu.edu or call 919.513.7094. For questions about Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading, Incomplete grading, or other enrollment or grading issues, contact Registration and Records at 919.515.2572. If you need other assistance or need help finding resources during this time, check the NC State coronavirus site for faculty and staff resources, or contact Katharine Stewart in Faculty Affairs at kestewa4@ncsu.edu or Diane Chapman in Faculty Development at ddchapma@ncsu.edu for assistance.

As we complete the remainder of this semester, please continue to communicate with your students, offering them compassion and helping them manage the stresses they may be experiencing themselves and in their families, including any ongoing challenges with access to technology or the internet. Please also remain flexible with students who may be struggling and encourage them to make use of available student resources.

In the next few days, I’ll be sending out a very brief survey to all instructors, asking you about your experiences in making the changes you’ve had to make in your teaching this semester. The goal of this survey is to help me and my team understand what was useful to you during the transition to remote instruction, and what additional resources we should develop to assist you in the future. I hope you’ll be forthright about what has worked and what other resources or assistance would be helpful.

Thank you again for all you are doing to support NC State and our campus community. Please take good care of yourselves and your loved ones.


Link to PDF version of memo.

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