Chancellor's Message: COVID-19 Update, 5/5/2020

May 5, 2020 | San Diego Community College District

SDCCD Colleagues and Friends:

I hope that everyone is continuing to be well and becoming more comfortable in the remote instruction and operations that now characterize our work lives. The Board of Trustees and I continue to appreciate your remarkable efforts during this challenging transition. Following my last update, the Presidents and I have received lots of feedback. One of the themes in the responses we received was the desire to have a firm decision regarding the fall semester as soon as possible so that people can make concrete plans. This message is primarily about that decision.

I hope that everyone is continuing to be well and becoming more comfortable in the remote instruction and operations that now characterize our work lives. The Board of Trustees and I continue to appreciate your remarkable efforts during this challenging transition. Following my last update, the Presidents and I have received lots of feedback. One of the themes in the responses we received was the desire to have a firm decision regarding the fall semester as soon as possible so that people can make concrete plans. This message is primarily about that decision.

DECISION ABOUT THE FALL SEMESTER

The fall semester will be conducted primarily online and via distance education. Therefore, most of the faculty should plan to offer their classes in that modality. We are also planning for and hope to achieve several exceptions, which will be offered on-campus, observing social-distancing and all other health protocols, via hybrid approaches:

- Science Labs (it may be necessary to conduct the actual classes on line, with the labs on campus)

- Nursing and Allied Health Clinical Labs (also perhaps in a hybrid format)

- Career-Technical Labs (also perhaps in a hybrid format)

The Presidents, Vice Presidents, Department Chairs, and others will be tasked with developing the details for this semester format. I must also point out that if COVID-19 spikes during the fall, other quick adjustments may need to be made in order to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, and supporting personnel, e.g., laboratory technicians, etc.

More COVID-19 Updates


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES

The transition we made in March from on-campus to online modalities was abrupt because it was in direct response to the COVID-19 emergency.  Although a week of professional development training was provided during the week that classes were closed and although other professional development opportunities have been subsequently provided in an independent or ad hoc manner, we want to provide more opportunities for people to learn about and explore best practices and new skills in online and distance education teaching. Therefore, the following programs and opportunities are being offered, as described by members of the institutional team.

Districtwide Program (from Vice Chancellor Stephanie Bulger)

The San Diego Community College District offers an Online Faculty Certificate Course (Canvas based) as a foundation for faculty who teach online courses. The SDCCD online certification program is designed for faculty new to online teaching. Topics include Canvas (Learning Management System), Distance Education Guidelines for CA Community Colleges; ACCJC/WASC Guide to Evaluating Distance Education; Federal Financial Aid in Distance Education; Title 5 Guidelines including Regular and Effective Communication; Student Success and Retention Strategies, including Humanizing the Online Course; Student Authentication and Authentic Assessment; Copyright; Accessibility; and Open Educational Resources (OER). It is available to be used for FLEX credit. The course consists of 20 hours, is self-paced, and includes guidance and feedback from an Instructional Designer. The course may be completed by enrolling now (completion of the course must end by June 30, 2020 during the current cycle).  Another enrollment period begins June 20, 2020.  Click Online Faculty Certificate program to get started.

City College (from President Ricky Shabazz)

City College is working with our Professional Development Coordinator to develop a train-the-trainer series of workshops to share models of equitable teaching and support service strategies for distance education. This will include ongoing workshops over the summer and during FLEX for 2020-21. The college will identify mentors to work with faculty who need assistance with implementing effective online teaching and learning practices. More information will be posted on the college’s professional development web page. Similar efforts are underway to support classified staff, supervisors, and managers.

Mesa College (from President Pam Luster)

Mesa Building with Buddies program is hands-on, humanized online support for Mesa faculty to build out their fall online courses. It will be offered as a companion course to the District's Distance Education (DE) Certification for those who have yet to complete it, and provides support for completing the certification. This is an opportunity to create connections for new-to-online Mesa faculty with seasoned online faculty “buddies” in related disciplines to assist with course design. The program will assist Mesa faculty to develop and teach well-organized, thoughtful, and interactive online courses and lead them through the process of building out, rethinking, and revising Spring 2020 temporary remote courses. Additionally, we will provide “Deep Dives” for previously certified and experienced faculty to redesign online courses to include elements that will culminate in a community share-out to showcase their work to peers and the broader Mesa community. The program will sustain past Fall 2020 to create a community of practice around DE and technology-enhanced equitable teaching practices among Mesa faculty. The program will be led by Mesa College Instructional Designer Katie Palacios and DE Liaison Cara Smulevitz. For more information on resources available check in to our Mesa LOFT Canvas Support Center.

Miramar College (from Interim President Marsha Gable)

Miramar College will be utilizing the District's DE Certification training program for faculty who have not yet completed the certification or are new to teaching online.  The goal is to broadly train instructional faculty in an online teaching modality leading to Fall 2020 instruction as well as their future abilities to teach online.  A cross-sectional workgroup is being developed and will be meeting to discuss the specifics of rolling out the certification training program this summer, in addition to building on our robust DE mentor program currently led by two faculty members. For more information, contact DE Coordinator Cheryl Reed. 

Continuing Education (from President Carlos Turner Cortez)

San Diego Continuing Education is developing an administratively supported and faculty coordinated response to providing faculty support and training towards a fully online teaching schedule. The SDCE plan leverages SDCE’s resources from the Passport to Success professional development program, the SDCE Teaching and Learning  Collaborative, the Academic Senate Distance Educational Committee, and SDCE’s FLEX/Professional Development Faculty Coordinator. SDCE also has a Faculty Online Mentor who supports the development and coordination of professional development programs and plans. For more information, contact Vice President Michelle Fischthal. 

PHASED-IN APPROACH TO RETURNING TO ONSITE WORK

In addition to the determination about instruction in the fall semester, the Chancellor’s Cabinet has begun to discuss preliminary plans for a phased-in return to onsite work for classified professionals and administrators who are currently working remotely. This plan will need to be fully coordinated with the plans and restrictions of health officials since all preventive protocols will need to be observed. Any suggestions you may have will be welcome. There will be more information about this in the near future.

Once again, thank you for your hard work, understanding, and patience as we continue to navigate the challenges of coronavirus/COVID-19.

Stay well.

Dr. Constance M. Carroll
Chancellor of the San Diego Community College District

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