University of Hawaii West Oahu Seal

Bulletin No. 4

Date/Time sent: 06/08/2020 8:07 am

Aloha mai kākou!

CORE Committee and Work Groups are making progress on three fronts: (1) fall scheduling, (2) planning summer II/July pilot courses, and (3) continued efforts to develop a set of guiding practices for maintaining a safe and healthy campus.

(1) Fall Scheduling:
Across work-group committee with the support of the OVCAA and OVCSA (scheduler and registrar) are working to develop an on-campus, online, and hybrid/blended academic year calendar. Note that there are a number of unpredictable variablesthat impact this process to include enrollment numbers, budget, trajectory of the pandemic, facilities logisitcs, and so on. There are a number of data points that are being used to make thoughtful decisions to include the recent Faculty/Instructor Survey (assessment of our spring 2020 online effort), MKThink assessment of our classroom usage, consultation with Division Chairs, and so on. In addition, the OVCAA (in consultation with campus units) has developed guidelines to assist their decision making regarding the modality of course delivery, “Fall 2020 Face-to-Face Instruction Prioritization Criteria”. Hereʻs a description of the tool:

“In order to provide a safe learning environment for students and instructors alike in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the campus will be reorganizing classroom instruction for Fall 2020 in accordance with current CDC guidelines on social distancing. These changes will reduce the available seating capacity and classroom inventory available for face-to-face instruction during the Fall 2020 semester. In situations in which the demand for face-to-face instruction exceeds the campus’ classroom inventory, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will prioritize requests and assignments of classroom, laboratory, and other instructional spaces according to the following set of criteria:”

A strategic communications plan is currently being developed to ensure that students, faculty/staff, and our campus community receive up-to-date information on our Fall Course Schedule.

(2) Planning July Summer Session II pilot courses:
The following 3 courses will comprise our July Summer Session II Pilot Courses:

  • ENG 100T  Instructor/Tiare Picard (DC Stan Orr) with an SD course
  • MATH 103ML Instructor/Alika Gorospe (DC Michael Furuto) with an SD course
  • EDUC Courses Instructor/Cathy Ikeda with an SD course (T III Program)
  • The course design and delivery logistics are being developed. What we know:
    Every course will be recorded/video taped as OPDAS/Distance Ed will be developing teaching tools from these pilot courses.

    • All course instructors will be provided support from IT and Distance Education.
    • All three courses will be coupled with a 1.0 Student Development course that will provide students with readiness skills, financial literacy/finaid information, and so on.
    • Every course will be assigned 5 student assistants: IT student assistant, ADA assistant, a tutor, an instructional assistant, and a student success assistant. All student assistants will be trained, will participate in student leadership training, and will be preparing to train a cohort of student assistants for AY 2020-21.
  • What can you do?
    • Recruitment of entering students for ENG 100T.
    • If interested you can observe a class or participate in a debrief.
    • Be a member of the video recording team.

(3) Continued efforts to develop a set of guiding practices for maintaining a safe and healthy campus:

  • The work groups continue to develop sanitization protocols, and are purchasing equipment and supplies.
  • We know that facial shields will be needed for all on-campus instructors and for those staff who have regular contact with students and campus visitors (library, student services, etc.). We are ordering a facial shield to be allocated to these faculty and staff.
  • Signage and video messaging is being developed to remind all employess, students and visitors of expected safety behaviors on-campus.

CARES ACT Funding Update:

  • Part I: Direct funding to UHWO students. FinAid continues to work with students to support those impacted by COVID-19. Supports their continued enrollment.
  • Part II: Funding specifically for operations impacted by COVID-19. UHWO is focusing allocations on: (1) equipment and supplies to maximize sanitization on campus, (2) support the work of faculty, staff, and students preparing for Fall 2020 semester as well as supporting the Summer Session II course pilots and professional development opportunities, and (3) direct support to students through student employment.
  • Part III: Ensuring that we are able to revitalize our campus programs and activities, and infrastructure to maximize student success of Native Hawaiians, Asian Americans, Alaskan Natives, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, underserved communities – per our value proposition ALL students at UH West Oʻahu. We have just received our funding and will be focusing the allocations on: (a) support needed to deliver dynamic course work, (b) direct support to students through student employment, (c) support to maximize the health (physical and mental) and safety/sanitization of our campus/campus community, and (d) contingency that anticipates a resurgance of COVID-19 or other related emergency.

Mahalo nūnui to all our committee/work group members and every hand, head, and heart that is working hard to ensure a thriving UH West Oʻahu!

E mālama pono!
Chancellor Benham (on behalf of CORE Committee and Work Groups)