Good morning, Main Campus Students
As you read in this today’s email from President Hopkins to the Post Community, effective Monday March 16, you will be taking your campus courses virtually through your Blackboard course shell. The health concerns associated with COVID-19 are fluid and variable, and this decision is consistent with the decisions being made by most Colleges and Universities in the State of Connecticut. Transitioning our courses to the online environment is an effective way to create ‘social distancing’, while maintaining the integrity of the education at Post University.
The biggest academic change that this poses for you is that you will be attending your main campus courses virtually (from anywhere!) using Bb Collaborate. Bb Collaborate is a web conferencing tool that allows students and instructors to share files, applications, and use a virtual whiteboard. Prior to each class meeting, your instructor will post an announcement in your course that includes a link to join the Bb Collaborate session. Using a Bb Collaborate session, your campus courses will continue to be taught virtually at their regularly-scheduled times. If you encounter access issues, please email [email protected].
Since your classes will continue to meet virtually on our established Spring 2020 class schedule, the Campus Attendance policy is still in effect. We have modified it slightly to better align with virtual class meetings:
- Students are expected to attend all virtual Bb Collaborate sessions, which will be held at their regularly-scheduled class time. If they are unable to attend a virtual class, they must discuss it with their instructor before class.
- Students are expected to attend the Bb Collaborate session via video on their computer or device. If students are off campus, and only able to attend via audio due to technology or steaming limitations at their location, they must inform their instructor of this limitation immediately before or after class.
If your off-campus location does not provide you with the technology or wifi access to attend your classes virtually, please contact your instructor ASAP. They will work with you to keep you on track with your course material and ensure that the alternative means of participation in class is documented as attendance.
We do have campus courses that do not easily lend themselves to the virtual classroom. These courses include lab courses, art studio courses, and other courses based heavily in experiential learning. We are putting in place a recovery plan for each of these courses that will document how we anticipate students will make up missed work and complete the semester once our courses return to their classrooms. If you are taking one of these courses, your Instructor will be in touch to discuss your course’s recovery plan.
All of your academic support services will continue to be available to you while your courses are offered virtually. The Center for Academic Success will remain open for professional tutoring via phone and review of emailed papers by the Writing Specialists. They can be reached at [email protected] or 203-596-4686. And, of course, TutorMe will continue to be available 24/7. Our library databases and services are already primarily online on the Blackboard library tab, and our A to Z database list of links including online services and open resources is available at https://researchhelp.post.edu/az.php. The University Library will remain open to support your research needs and can be reached at 203 596-4560 or [email protected]. The Center for Career and Professional Development will also remain open and can be reached at [email protected] or 203 828-2989. And finally, your Academic Advisor will continue to be available to you through phone or email. Registration for Fall 2020 will continue virtually next week. Your advisor will be in touch with you to schedule and confirm your meeting time as a phone call. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] and any advisor can assist!
We know that change is difficult, but I assure you that as a University that offers extensive online education, Post is uniquely well-qualified and well-equipped to support your learning in an online environment. We do ask for your patience as we work through the details of transitioning over 200 classroom courses into virtual learning experiences.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your Instructor, your Advisor, or any of us at Post. We are ready work with each of you to personally minimize the impact of this transition on your college experience and assure that your learning experience remains effective and extraordinary.
All my best,
Dr. Johnson