March 11, 2020
Dear Graduate Students (cc Chairs, DGSes, Graduate Administrators),
As the University adjusts to the COVID-19 outbreak, I wanted to reach out to you in these challenging times to help orient us all toward adapting to the quickly evolving circumstances.
As you may have seen, the Chancellor announced that the University will replace in-person instruction with online learning when classes resume on March 23. I wanted to follow up with some resources and specific information about instructional and administrative plans that affect graduate students in the Dietrich School.
Critical Sources of Information
- Specific guidance for graduate and professional students and postdocs is available at the University’s COVID-19 response website. The University will add to this guidance as more information becomes available - so please check it if you have questions.
- Please bookmark and frequently visit the University’s definitive source of information for Pitt’s response to COVID–19: https://www.emergency.pitt.edu/covid19. I will not be separately communicating information provided on that website.
- You are encouraged to sign up for emergency notification alerts. The University’s Emergency Notification Service will be used to communicate with subscribers through voice, text, and email messages, as deemed appropriate in the event of an emergency.
For TAs/TFs: Moving Instruction Online
- Please coordinate with and notify your DGS, department chair, or instructor of record about your plans to complete your classes for the remainder of the term in an online format.
- Please consult the constantly-updated resources of the University Center for Teaching and Learning: https://teaching.pitt.edu/instructional-continuity/. This page has step-by-step instructions for online course delivery options and educational technologies, including those for course grading/assessment. UCTL will answer questions and provide help via phone: 412-624-3335 or email: teaching@pitt.edu.
- IT Resources to Support Remote Operations https://www.technology.pitt.edu/remoteworkresources is also a helpful resource. Questions on IT should be directed to the 24/7 IT Help Desk.
- If you are teaching an independent course, please contact all students in your class(es) at least one weekday before the first meeting to explain how your online class will take place and provide any adjustments to the syllabus.
- Direct any questions to your DGS or department chair.
Operations That Will Continue On Campus
Most administrative operations of the Dietrich School will continue as usual, with additional opportunities to participate remotely when required and feasible. Doctoral milestones and other graduate student committee meetings should continue. Graduate programs have been informed about temporary adjustments to attendance policies for doctoral milestone committees.
Graduate students are welcome to use their offices and labs.
Hillman Library will remain open for business through remote operation. Due dates will be extended so no fines are accrued during the on-line instructional period. A website is being developed to give updated information about available services. The following services will continue:
- Support for access to electronic resources off-campus.
- Delivery of .pdfs of articles from the remote storage facility for as long as staff are available to do it.
- Delivery of scanned copies of print journals from the physical locations.
- Undisrupted continuation of the Ask a Librarian service for reference and consultations.
- Providing articles through Interlibrary Loan.
- At least some delivery of print book content, with priority on reserve items.
- All operations that can be done remotely: deposits of theses and dissertations, the Open Access Publishing program, etc.
Office of Graduate Studies
Effective immediately and until further notice, the Office of Graduate Studies will be serving graduate students remotely. Staff members will be accessible to students via email, phone, and other communication channels. Graduate students requiring assistance should call or email the relevant staff member. If the relevant staff member is not known, students should email graduate@as.pitt.edu or call 412-624-6094 and their query will be routed appropriately. I will be holding my office hours remotely (details TBC).
I thank you for your collaboration as we all adjust to these changes as a campus community and as part of a global community experiencing this pandemic. I know that – with pragmatic realism and creativity, and with patience and compassion to ourselves and others – we will live up to current and evolving challenges.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or suggestions.
Best wishes,
Holger Hoock.
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Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences – University of Pittsburgh