Announcements for the week of August 24, 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.

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

• Virtual Faculty Retreat for Full-Time Faculty and Senior Adjunct Faculty, 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. Prior to the retreat, please click here to review the preparation materials.  Click here to RSVP. For questions, contact Noelle Raffy, Faculty Retreat Chair, at nraffy@callutheran.edu. Zoom meeting instructions:
  https://clu.zoom.us/j/93377304434?pwd=MjhMZzlLZkRIaGl2blBCQTYvcW9FQT09
  Meeting ID: 933 7730 4434
  Passcode: 285653
   
• University Chapel, Thurs., Aug. 27. 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
   
• Opening Convocation, Fri., Aug. 28, 1pm. Watch for an email from the President's Office with the link.
   
• Understanding 20th Century Korean History faculty lecture by David Nelson (History), Sat., Aug. 29, pre-recorded via YouTube as part of the One County One Book program. Click here for more information.
   
• First Day of Fall Classes:
  • Traditional Undergraduates, PROS, and Grad 11-week programs - Mon., Aug. 31.
  • Grad 15-week programs - Wed., Sept. 2.
  • PLTS - Tues., Sept. 8.

Announcements

• 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.
   
• 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.