Announcements for the week of August 17, 2020

Spotlight

Temporary Policies for the Fall: Please read through these temporary policies. Some are extensions of policies from the spring and summer. You’ll notice one new item - we’re adding a “low pass” grade in addition to the Pass/No Credit option.

Teaching in a Lab or Studio: We are allowing face-to-face classes in labs and art studios for the fall semester. If you have a class that takes place in a lab or studio, please contact Edna Davoudi (edavoudi@callutheran.edu) this week if you are interested in teaching face-to-face.

Teaching in Outdoor Spaces: Three outdoor teaching spaces are being created on the Thousand Oaks campus for classes in the fall. If you are interested in teaching in one of the outdoor spaces, please provide information here (https://callutheran.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3eGvL5fxhjCxiJf) by today at noon and we will be back in touch to confirm. Please note that teaching outdoors is not an option in the Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals or the Graduate School of Psychology since all classes will remain virtual.
 
Teaching in an Empty Classroom: If you responded to the recent survey indicating that you would like to teach in an empty classroom, you will be assigned to a classroom in the Swenson Social and Behavioral Sciences building. We will be in touch this week to confirm the exact classroom.
 
Teaching from an Office on Campus: Some buildings on campus will be closed in the fall to reduce utilities costs. The list of open and closed buildings will be made available this week. If your office is located in one of the closed buildings, you can still access your office to pick up items, or for a short stay. But the building will not have heating/air and the restrooms will not be cleaned, so restrooms should not be used. We are following up this week with those who requested on the recent survey to teach from your office. If your office is in a building that is closed, and if you are approved to teach in an office on campus, we will make another space available for you to teach.

August CTL Training Schedule: The Digital Learning Department will be hosting Zoom Training Webinars through Friday, Sept. 11, to prepare faculty for Fall 2020. The training webinars offer faculty opportunities which include learning pedagogical practices and techniques that enhance teaching and learning through the effective use of educational technology tools. Click here to view the schedule and register for classes. 

To view the Coronavirus Information page, click here. This page provides the latest updates, plans and protocols, and other resources.

Events

• University Chapel, Thurs., Aug. 20. Watch and interact at 11:25am every Thursday at our facebook watch party.  After worship, meet us on zoom from 12:00-12:15pm for online "cookie and lemonade" conversation time!   https://clu.zoom.us/j/9544840925
   
• Autism and Communication Center presents: Summer Comedy Connection, Thurs., Aug. 20, 5pm, via Zoom.  Click here to register.
   
• Ordination of Sara Wilson, PLTS Associate Director of Seminary Relations, Sat., Aug. 22, 11am, via Zoom.  Click here for more information.
   
• Virtual Faculty Retreat, Wed., Aug. 26, 9am - 2pm (with an hour lunch). The Faculty Retreat planning committee is looking forward to an engaging "virtual" retreat which will include meeting the new faculty, hearing about some fascinating Faculty Research projects, and participating in an Equity and Inclusion Workshop. Equity and Inclusion Workshop Overview: Cal Lutheran’s commitment to building a culture and practice of equity and inclusion across the institution has led to the redesign of the professional development opportunities available to help increase employee knowledge of equity and inclusion practices. In this preview highlighting components of these workshops that will be offered this fall, members of the University Equity Leadership Council will guide faculty in deepening their understanding of equity and inclusion as it relates to all of the interactions we have as a part of the Cal Lutheran community: student-faculty, staff-faculty, staff-staff, and faculty-faculty interactions. Prior to the retreat, please make sure to read the preparation materials that were sent via email.  Click here to RSVP for the Virtual Faculty Retreat. For questions, contact Noelle Raffy, Faculty Retreat Chair, at nraffy@callutheran.edu.

Announcements

• Summer Grade Due Dates:
  • Grades for the 11-week Summer term (20/SU/A) are due Mon., Aug. 17 at noon.
  • Grades for Summer Sessions 2 and 3 in 20/SU are due Fri., Aug. 21 at noon.
     
• The Computer Use Policy has been updated with sections reinforcing the long time policy that hardware and software purchases must be made through ITS. The policy also contains a link to software that are fully supported by ITS or Digital Learning. All other software used at Cal Lutheran must be vetted through ITS via an email request to the help desk.
   
• Association of Lutheran College Faculties (ALCF) call for papers: This year's ALCF conference themed "Using the Past to Inform our Future," will be held fully virtual and free on Sat., Oct. 3, 2020 (registration is required). Please visit https://www.concordia.edu/alcf/ for more information and to submit an abstract for a talk, workshop, or discussion. Abstracts are due Sept. 1, 2020.
   
• Association of Lutheran College Faculties (ALCF) Salon Series: ALCF is hosting a series of virtual roundtable discussions open to all faculty. The next Salon, on the topic of "Learning to Recognize and Step Outside Our Algorithmic World Views," will be on Wed., Sept. 9, at 7:30pm (Central Time). Please register at https://www.concordia.edu/alcf/ to reserve your place.
   
• Faculty “Buddy System” with Access to Blackboard. We are encouraging faculty to opt in to a “buddy system,” where a faculty member can be a teaching backup in case of emergency and have access to the Blackboard shell. For example, faculty A agrees to be a backup for faculty B. Faculty A would have Blackboard access to faculty B’s course(s). Faculty B would inform all of the students that faculty A has been given access to the course’s Blackboard site in case of emergency. Should an emergency arise that prohibits faculty B from teaching, faculty A would step in, communicate with students, and perhaps temporarily teach the course. To opt into the buddy system, please complete the Blackboard Access request form at this link: https://www.callutheran.edu/students/registrar/faculty-staff/. Under “Role being Requested” select "Instructor" and enter “Faculty Buddy” for the explanation. The form will go to your dean for approval and then to Maria Kohnke who will ensure your buddy has Blackboard access to your course(s). Note: If you are teaching at PLTS and would like to share access with a buddy to your class in Moodle, please contact Dean Vargas with this information.
   
• Faculty Searches for 2020-21: A number of academic departments and programs have been planning to search for a new faculty member this fall, with a start date of fall, 2021. Normally, we launch faculty searches in August and early September, but this year we are waiting to make a decision on launching these searches until census (which is in mid-September and is when we will have final numbers for our fall enrollments and numbers of students housed on campus). Preparations can be made by developing ads and loading information into EMap, with the understanding that these searches may not happen. If the decision is made to go forward with searches, we will schedule a meeting with members of all search committees to provide training on the search process.
   
• Faculty Advisors: Many of you have been in regular contact with your advisees to check in with them over the summer. If you have not been in contact, please email all of your advisees this week. If you advise traditional undergraduate students, your advisee list has been updated with new students for the fall semester. A recent email from Angela Naginey to traditional undergraduate advisors provided instructions on contacting your advisees.
   
• To the Faculty Advising Traditional Undergraduate Students: Academic Services provided an Introduction to Advising webinar for incoming first year students on Thurs., Aug. 13.  A recording of the webinar along with a copy of the slides used for the presentation can be found on the Academic Services web site.  Incoming first year students must watch the webinar and complete the advising acknowledgement form in order to be receive advising clearance to potentially adjust their schedules for Fall.  All of the incoming first year students have been assigned their faculty advisors.  Briefly reviewing either the slides or the webinar may assist you if you receive any questions from the students.  Any questions regarding the webinar should be directed to Maria Kohnke at kohnke@callutheran.edu.
   
• API (Asian & Pacific Islander) Employee Affinity Group - This newly established group would like to invite staff and faculty to join us on our mission for building community to support each other,  establishing allyship with other employee affinity groups, and supporting student voices. For information, contact co-chairs Caeli Koizumi ckoizumi@callutheran.edu or Rona Koe rlkoe@callutheran.edu.