UTSA provides March 23 digest of coronavirus-related updates

MARCH 23, 2020 — UTSA is responding to the COVID-19 outbreak with a commitment to supporting the safety of the university community while enabling the academic progress of students.

It was a good day of transition for UTSA to being an online learning institution with a telecommuting workforce, and everyone’s efforts to make this a success for all students, faculty and staff are immensely appreciated. If you’ve had concerns expressed by students or your peers about how to improve their remote learning and work experience, please do your utmost to find someone to give them assistance. Here is your daily digest of updates and tips.

ONLINE LEARNING & ACCESS 

REMOTE TEACHING: The 2020 Remote Teaching Resources webpage for faculty is updated regularly, so continue to refer to it. 

RESEARCH GUIDANCE: The Office of Research, Economic Development and Knowledge Enterprise is regularly posting notices from federal agencies on conducting research. Additionally, the office has a FAQ to assist with continuity and management of research operations. 

GRANT DEADLINES EXTENDED: REDKE has extended the deadlines for the GREAT and Connect seed grant programs:

• GREAT forms are now due April 7
• Connect forms are now due April 14

TIPS FOR WORKING FROM HOME

• Maintain regular hours.
• Create a morning routine and a plan for your day.
• Set ground rules with the people in your space.
• Schedule breaks.
• Pick a spot in your home where you will work and make it free of distractions.
• Move throughout the day. Take stretch breaks, walk or do an online exercise video.
• Stay connected often with your colleagues through Microsoft Teams, email, phone, WebEx and messaging apps.
• Eat healthy snacks. Find ideas from the American Heart Association.
• At the end of the day, put your work away as a signal that it’s time to rest and recover from the day’s work.
• Contact the Employee Assistance Program or Deer Oaks for helpful information and 24/7 counseling services for you and your family to manage stress and adapt to change. Alternatively, call 866-327-2400.
• Check out the Wellness Resource Guide from the Rowdy New U program at UTSA about working from home and social distancing.

GET TECH ASSISTANCE: Tech Café is staffing phone lines, email and online chat to help you out with your tech issues. If you need support weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., call 210-458-5555, email techcafe@utsa.edu or connect with a Tech Café team member online. 

Additionally, the Tech Café has increased training sessions for Webex and Jabber to help students, faculty and staff with tools for remote learning and working. 

KNOW HOW TO COLLABORATE: Need help to collaborate with staff or faculty, share documents and more, you can check out UTSA’s available Technology Resources for students to find the best choice for you.

GRADUATE PROGRAM ADMISSIONS: To best accommodate graduate program applicants, in consultation with all colleges and with the approval of UT System, the Graduate School will temporarily suspend consideration of the following materials for admission to its graduate programs until further notice: 

• GRE and GMAT test scores
• Official TOEFL test scores: instead, applicants will be asked to use other means of demonstrating English proficiency
• Official transcripts: instead, unofficial transcripts must be submitted with application materials followed by official transcripts before the end of the first semester of registration

In the absence of test scores and official transcripts, graduate admission committees will holistically review each application and temporarily modify the weights applied to the remaining admission criteria. The same overarching goal must be maintained to admit students whose application materials demonstrate a likelihood to be successful in the graduate program and, ultimately, in their chosen career.

CAMPUS OPERATIONS 

CAMPUS CLIMATE SURVEY: After collaborating with Faculty Senate Chair Chad Mahood and Staff Senate Chair John Shaffer, the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Human Resources have determined that, due to the impact of the COVID-19 situation, the Campus Climate Survey planned by UTSA leadership will be postponed until a future date to be determined in accordance with best practices for the well-being of the UTSA community. We will have more details in a future edition of the Daily Update.  

HEALTH 

REACH OUT: Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Counseling and mental health services are available through Deer Oaks at 888-365-6271. 

Additionally, the UTSA Behavioral Intervention Team is a multidisciplinary team that responds to reports of distressed and concerning behavior for students, faculty and staff. The website includes a form to report behavioral concerns to the team. If behavior indicates an immediate safety concern, please contact UTSA Police at 210-458-4911. 

FEELING ILL? Call the Occupational Risk team at 210-458-4038, seek medical support from your health care provider or a virtual doctor via MDLive.