Chancellor Paydar's Message to Campus in Response to Coronavirus

March 16, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

In my 34 years with the university, I have not seen a situation like the one we are facing right now with a global pandemic that is having significant local impact on our state, city, and campus. At this incredibly difficult time, I am most grateful to be working with colleagues and friends who—time and again—rise above daunting challenges with leadership and vision. Thank you for all that you have done thus far as we face this quickly-evolving crisis with a special note of thanks to staff members who are currently working on campus and continuing necessary operations.

As you have heard by now, we have determined that it is in the best interest of our campus community to suspend face-to-face classes for the rest of the spring semester at IUPUI. This announcement may have come as a surprise to you, but please know it was made after much deliberation and careful consultation with public health experts at the local and national levels.

Together we are already working through some of the questions this decision raises: about transitioning to new forms of teaching midway through a semester; about the impact this might have on program accreditation; about how to recognize our outstanding students, especially those who are graduating. Other questions will be impossible to anticipate.

Communication will be key throughout this process. With this in mind, on a daily basis I convene and lead the Council of Deans—which includes all academic deans, members of my Cabinet, and other senior campus leaders—where we prioritize and discuss campus-level issues. Additionally, I am part of the Executive Policy Group, which meets daily and looks at overall university policies, both reacting to our current situation and planning for our future. I encourage you to keep in close contact with your colleagues, supervisors, and direct reports to share the latest official university updates. If you have questions, start with your units as you seek a response. If your dean or unit leader doesn’t have an answer, we will prioritize questions and respond as quickly as possible at the campus level. I also encourage you to check the university’s coronavirus resource website for the latest information.

Ultimately, our goal is to ensure the safety of our campus community, and this requires that we work together to minimize—as much as possible—situations that bring people into close contact.

To that end, I would like to share the following key updates:

• The campus is not closed. Research and creative activity are essential aspects of our mission, and these activities must continue, albeit safely and adhering to social distancing practices.
• Work at home if possible.
  • We are strongly encouraging employees to work at home if their physical presence on campus is not required to continue strategic and necessary campus operations.
  • We have asked supervisors to be flexible in identifying project and work that can be done remotely.
• All spring events through early May will be canceled. All events will be cancelled for the remainder of the semester, including Jagapalooza, the Chancellor’s Academic Honors Convocation, as well as school-based and affinity-based graduation celebrations. A decision about Commencement will be made at a later date. 
• Ensure cybersecurity. UITS will provide guidance to employees of all categories on maximizing cybersecurity while working from home. It is very important to use your home VPN connections when conducting university business.
• Schedule:
  • Extended Spring Break: We will be extending spring break by one week. Classes will resume online on March 30 to provide additional time for faculty to prepare for and make the transition to online teaching.
    • According to the latest information, IU Fort Wayne students will be resuming online classes on March 23. IUFW started spring break one week earlier than IUPUI and IUPUC and their break is being extended already through this week.
  • Support for Faculty: Ongoing support for faculty to shift to online instruction will be provided through keepteaching.iu.edu. Faculty who wish to record their lectures with support from UITS staff can reserve times in ICTC classrooms, facilitated by the Center for Teaching and Learning. Please think as creatively as possible about teaching and assessing competencies in performance-based courses in the online environment. Some learners may need to be assigned incompletes if no online option for assessment is feasible or permitted by disciplinary accreditors.
  • Time Zones: We will continue to teach classes at their regular times, but it is important for faculty to know that some of their students may now be in different time zones around the world. Whenever possible, videotaping classes and uploading to Kaltura for captioning is the ideal practice.
  • Currently, the published final exam schedule is in effect. If there are changes to this schedule, you will receive advance notice.
• Residence Halls at IUPUI:
  • IUPUI’s on-campus housing will be closed, with limited exceptions, for the duration of the spring 2020 semester. 
  • Student Affairs is developing a process for managing move-out and ensuring safe social distance.
• Available services and continuing operations:
  • University Library and computer labs will remain open with a modified schedule.
  • IUPUI Campus Health, specifically the Coleman Hall Clinic, will remain open. However, please call 317.274.8214 prior to visiting.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will remain open.
  • Adaptive Educational Services will remain available.
  • Paws' Pantry is closed during spring break but will be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 AM -2 PM for the remainder of the semester.
  • The IUPUI Campus Center will remain open with non-essential spaces such as the game room unavailable.
  • Food Service on campus: The locations of food service on campus can be found at the Chartwells website.  
  • At this point, research laboratories and animal facilities will remain open.
  • Summer programs and events: The university is actively reviewing summer programs and events, but no final decisions have been made on them.

With this dynamic situation, the above list is subject to change.

I understand that these profound changes will disrupt our regular operations. But I also know our campus. I know that in our hearts, all of us want to do our very best to continue the outstanding education and research to which we have committed our lives.

For more than three decades, I have been proud of the way our campus rises to meet challenges, bringing creativity, resourcefulness, and determination. I am proud to be part of a scholarly community that pushes forward—with insight, care, and wisdom—in the face of adversity and emerges stronger and more resilient on the other side.

Sincerely,

Nasser H. Paydar
Chancellor