COVID-19 updates for campus buildings, technology and remote work
by Cathy Sandeen, UAA Chancellor |
Dear Employees,
Next week we begin a brave new chapter in UAA’s history as we prepare to transition our courses to alternate delivery methods beginning Monday, March 23, in response to evolving health concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19. UAA community campus directors are making facility closure and remote-work decisions for their campus and local communities. Here is some important information you should know.
Access to campus buildings will be restricted. This means all buildings are locked. Employees and students who need to be present on campus may access buildings using keys or WolfCards. Individuals will be present at each building next week to accommodate access as needs arise. Signage will be posted with names and contact information. Please note: Wendy Williamson Auditorium, Sally Monserud Hall, Lucy Cuddy Hall and the Seawolf Sports Complex are now closed and no access is available for these buildings.
Technology needs are critical. During this time, we know how crucial technology and support services are in continuing workflow and productivity and that many employees already have or are setting up to work remotely. UAA Information Technology (IT) Services has been working hard to make sure our systems are ready by Monday and has collaborated with IT offices within the university system to develop virtual toolkits for staff and faculty to easily transition from the office or classroom to a telework site.
- UA Virtual Campus is a one-stop resource for employees, providing instructions on how to set up a telework site, as well as News Highlights (see internet connection/wifi), noting free internet resources from community partners like ACS, GCI and MTA.
- On the UAA ITS website, you will also find guidance for taking UAA technology equipment home, UAA IT Services status updates highlighting recent in-progress projects. Additionally, we are asking all staff to report non-laptop related equipment they may be taking home by submitting this form to UA IT Services.
- In conjunction with Academic Affairs, UAA IT Services has developed a faculty resource webpage, Academic Continuity for Faculty, to help transition classrooms virtually.
Please leverage these resources and know that UAA IT Services is standing by to offer support and can be reached by phone at 907-786-4646, toll-free 1-877-633-3888, by email at uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu or on the web at uaa.alaska.edu/its.
Lastly, UAA IT Services has created a survey and is asking students, faculty and staff to report technology challenges like a lack of a computer or limited internet access.
Remote work is encouraged. We absolutely encourage as many employees as possible to work from home, but we are not requiring all employees to do so at this time. We still have some minimal campus operations, a limited number of hands-on courses with 10 or fewer students, and a small number of students who will continue to live in residence halls. Please consult with your supervisor on remote work options for your particular situation. I also encourage you to visit the employee FAQ for information about how to accurately track your hours, retrieve materials from your university office, address child care concerns and more.
For the most up-to-date information from UAA and the UA System on the university’s transition during COVID-19, please continue to check the UA Coronavirus Information website.
Thanks for your flexibility, Seawolves. COVID-19 is tough, but we’re tougher!
Sincerely,
Cathy Sandeen
UAA Chancellor
"COVID-19 updates for campus buildings, technology and remote work" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.