Dear College of Science students,

We have finished two weeks of remote delivery for courses that were offered traditionally on the Corvallis campus! Because of the extremely hard work of all our instructors, things have been relatively smooth. There were problems, of course. That is unavoidable with such a quick turnover from face-to-face delivery to remote delivery. Some classes operate better than other classes. We are definitely not perfect. I encourage you all to choose gratitude in this challenging time for the things your instructor is doing well and to offer grace for the things that could have gone better.

We are now at the point where we can start looking forward. Summer term will soon be here. This is a good time to begin considering taking courses in summer term, and if your answer is yes, decide which courses. I am very glad that OSU has decided to postpone the start of registration for summer term to April 24. Many instructors are completely occupied with the work that needs to be done now to keep this term going well, so planning for summer term on top of that would be a big additional demand. By postponing registration, departments have more time to decide which courses are most needed, and if such courses require four, eight, or eleven weeks of instruction. These matters will be carefully thought through since courses in the first part of summer term will also be delivered remotely.

The first midterm exams for spring term will happen soon. They will be delivered remotely, as well. For Ecampus, changes in exam structure will be few, except that all proctoring is now limited to services like ProctorU. For those of you taking exams in traditional courses being delivered remotely, I really want to appeal to you to follow the code of honor. The reason you are in college is that you want to learn. Cheating to get a better grade is cheating yourself out of learning the material well. In the end, dishonesty while taking a test mostly hurts the person who is cheating. If after college you take a job, and your boss discovers that your knowledge does not match what was inferred from your transcript, you may not remain employed. Also, even when exams are not proctored, they are still being checked carefully for evidence of cheating. There are very good detection tools available!

Finally, this is a time for compassion. All over the news now, we hear about Boris Johnson, Britain’s prime minister in England. But how about Aunt Joan? Is she homeless? Perhaps she is walking on the streets at night shouting out that she is hungry. It is easy to dismiss a person like that thinking she is just odd. Nevertheless, the most important message she is trying to convey to you is that she is hungry! Or is Aunt Joan an OSU student who is desperately trying to keep a family together while taking a full load of classes? To all students who are currently in a safe environment, please do not ignore the many people who are hit very hard by the steep downward turn of the economy caused by COVID-19.

I am sure you have already thought of ways you might help others during this public health crisis, whether checking in on a relative who lives alone, refraining from gathering in groups, or connecting someone who is struggling to OSU resources. Let's all resolve to act on our compassion this weekend!

Keep distantly socializing.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

Because we understand that our new remote-learning environment may make it harder to assess whether or not you will be successful in a particular course, we have made some adjustments. OSU announced last week that the drop deadline is extended through the end of the second week of spring term. The new deadline to drop a course and receive a full refund without a W appearing on your transcript is Sunday, April 12. This new deadline applies to all students.

This will provide you extra time to make thoughtful decisions about your plans this term and to consider what the appropriate workload is for you given the remote-learning environment. If you are worried about coursework overload, consider lowering the number of credits you are taking. However, if you decide to take a load that is less than full time, it is very important that you weigh out financial considerations. Please carefully review the OSU financial aid resources website before you make your decision.

The impacts of our change to a remote experience are different for everybody. Some students find remote learning easier to deal with, but some of you definitely find it harder. Many people do not like to spend a lot of time in front of a screen, which may lead to headaches. Some students prefer a dark environment while working on their computers; others do not. Note that if you work in a darkened room with a dark screen, your pupils are wider and your eyes have to focus more, which causes extra strain on your eyes. I can tell you from personal experience, the effects get worse over time.

The Associated Students of OSU (ASOSU) has put together a helpful webpage that provides an overview of how student fees are being calculated spring term. This resource might help you understand the actual amount that fees were reduced because of remote delivery. Organizations like Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), the Human Services Resource Center (HSRC) and Student Health Services (SHS) are definitely busier now!

I have heard that in some remote classes, the availability of textbooks is still an issue. As always, make sure that your instructor is aware of the problem, but you can also use COS.RemoteCourses@oregonstate.edu to inform me of your concerns. Open textbooks are available in multiple places. For physics, for example, I know that OpenStax has a textbook that will give you a lot of help with content, even though in my personal opinion the presentation might not always be optimal from an educational point of view.

Keep distantly socializing.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

There are always some tasks that we postpone until tomorrow. I do that, as well. Nevertheless, I encourage each of you to keep your computer software up-to-date. It is a pretty easy task to perform on most systems. On my home computer, I run Linux and updating it is a breeze. On my work computers, I use Windows, and in that case, it is probably best to schedule updates to be done automatically. Also, it’s a good idea to address another question: Do you regularly back up content on your computer’s hard drives to a separate disk or save to the cloud?

Meanwhile, I hear that some students are still socializing in groups, and not doing so distantly. I know that the distance restriction is hard because interaction with people is an important part of human nature. So why do people not follow the instructions given to us by the State of Oregon and the social distancing policies of the university during the pandemic? As some of my students told me, they are not worried because they believe only old people die from the infection. Keep in mind, though, that you all can be carriers and spread the virus, and you might end up infecting some of your favorite old folks! The more we can restrain our behavior during these times, the sooner we will be in a less restrictive atmosphere.

I am glad to report that the start of the K-12 system going on-line this week so far has not caused any major interruptions in our course delivery.

Make sure that you participate in all activities that relate to your courses. Now even more than in the past, engage in your courses in a continuous manner. Cramming just before an exam is never effective, and even less effective in a remote environment. If you have any problems accessing the required course material, report to your instructor, or at COS.RemoteCourses@oregonstate.edu to keep me informed.

Keep distantly socializing.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

Today brought us new bandwidth challenges as the K-12 education system in Corvallis accessed Zoom learning, as well. I noticed my bandwidth was reduced by a little more than half from last week. Fortunately, that is still enough to operate Zoom sessions. For some of you that might have created a problem, however. If you experience connectivity problems, please let your instructor know. You also can report issues at COS.RemoteCourses@oregonstate.edu so as to keep me informed.

OSU has made some important decisions about tuition and fees that I would like to share with you today:

First, in recognition of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and their families, OSU’s Board of Trustees voted to freeze tuition rates for currently enrolled undergraduate students in Corvallis and Bend for summer session and the 2020-21 academic year.

Also, the board approved reductions student incidental fees for Corvallis and OSU-Cascades during spring term – following recommendations from student leaders at each campus. For Corvallis students, this means incidental fees will decrease by 11.33% to $353 for spring term.

Thank you for distantly socializing. I know it's not easy as the weeks press on, but you are saving lives.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

.Dear College of Science students,

Today’s message is rather short. I am still looking for the best solution to digital bandwidth problems that some students are experiencing within remote instruction and learning. We had a discussion with course instructors yesterday, who shared there are several advantages seeing at least some of their students on video. Like in the real classroom, visual clues are often very important! So perhaps classes completely without participant video is not the best idea. This is a work in progress and we are all learning!

In the meetings I am attending, I now track the bandwidth that is used. The total amount clearly depends on which fraction of the Zoom screen is used for video. For example, when an instructor switches to screen sharing by showing a PowerPoint, the data usage goes way down.

I ask for your help here. In your classes, please test various display options, and if you find something that really works better, please let me know. You can check the data usage by clicking on settings in the secondary zoom screen, and go to statistics. Please use COS.RemoteCourses@oregonstate.edu to report your ideas and suggestions.

So far, I have received just one question related to concerns about graduating by the end of spring term. As I have said before, connect with your advisor if you have any concerns, or use a college-wide mailboxCOS.Graduation2020@oregonstate.edu to report questions, concerns or ideas.

Have a great weekend. Take a break, and take care of yourself.

Keep distantly socializing.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

.Dear College of Science students,

I apologize for not always being clear if my messages apply only to remotely delivered Corvallis classes or to Ecampus classes, as well. The latter should operate as “normal,” whatever that may mean in our current situation. So if you are taking online courses through Ecampus, always double-check for its communications on those classes.

The drop deadline for courses has been extended for all students (Including Ecampus) through the end of the second week of spring term. The new deadline to drop a course and receive a full refund with no W on your transcript is Sunday, April 12. You may make those changes online using MyOSU. Vist here for more information about how S/U deadlines have changed.

I have received several questions from students about the security of Zoom. This is a widely discussed topic on the internet, and that might sound alarming. The big questions, however, relate to Zoom’s treatment of the data they collect for product improvement. In the past, they shared the data with Facebook, for example. Folks are upset because the default security settings for meetings lead to open meetings, where everybody can join once they guess the nine-digit access code. In addition, Zoom administrators can observe meetings without being seen. That is in general not a problem at universities.

What does that imply for you as a student? If you are an attendee at a meeting, not much – so long as the meeting is set up in a secure manner. That is why we are now requiring all classes to be authenticated attendees only. Nevertheless, use good internet hygiene and keep your anti-malware running. In general, using Zoom as a student has similar risks as using almost all other standard software products you have installed. Never click on links you do not recognize! Check the real URL by hovering over a link and check the bottom of your screen for that info. BTW, this message goes through a software package called Emma, which does redirect traffic through their site, so links look weird.

If you host a meeting, you are more susceptible to possible security flaws in the software. It is also your responsibility to use safe settings for the meetings you organize. More information about Zoom security can be found at OSU’s Zoom Security webpage, which is constantly being updated in order to present the latest information.

Note that when you try to join a class meeting and when you are not authenticated, you will be put in the waiting room. In there, you see a screen with a message telling you this. But at the bottom of that screen is another link that allows you to enter the classroom by using your OSU credentials. Please take that route, and do not sit and wait, to help the instructor!

Some students have issues with bandwidth. Even though Zoom uses just around 1-2 Mbps, in shared environments (like apartment buildings), that can lead to problems. Instructors in all your classes are asked to start with attendee video turned off, and I strongly encourage you to keep your video turned off unless required by the instructor for checking work. Even in that case, you might want to turn it on only when you are presenting. This is good inclusive behavior, allowing all students in the class to fully participate.

Keep distantly socializing.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

.Dear College of Science students,

Your instructors are learning very quickly in these first few days how they can improve remote-delivery instruction. Running a Zoom session is much different from running a class in real life. During the session, the instructor needs to check who is raising hands, what is happening on chat, who wants to enter, and so on! So if you see some unexpected pauses in delivery, several of these reasons might have caused that.

We have learned about some unfortunate issues with classes delivered on Zoom. In some instances, outside people joined open sessions and disrupted classrooms. OSU is taking this very seriously and is tracking down the perpetrators. We also have asked all instructors to make sure class settings allow only authenticated users, which means you will need to use OSU credentials to login. As you know, this requires two-step authentication with Duo. Most of you will only have to do that once a day – unless you close your computer or use a new device.

Setting up this process does mean you need to download the Zoom app. If you haven’t already done that, login to Zoom. On the black bar near the right, you will see the resources tab, and the first item is “Download the client.”

I am curious how your remote courses are going. I have created a new mailbox – COS.RemoteCourses@oregonstate.edu – where you can send concerns, questions, or any other information that could help me improve your remote-course experience this term. Please send messages from your OSU email account so that your message will not be intercepted by the spam filter. I want to hear from you!

Stay connected, and keep distantly socializing.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

Today I would like to update you on a few developments regarding Spring term instruction at OSU. As we work to create a positive remote-learning experience for you, I want to reemphasize that we will do our very best to handle the inevitable challenges alongside you.

Some of you experienced frustrating Canvas and Zoom issues today and yesterday. Let me offer an explanation and some solutions that should help. The problem stems from a recent update of OSU's previous Canvas URL (https://oregonstate.instructure.com/) to a new URL (https://canvas.oregonstate.edu/). This change is causing a lot of confusion. Going forward, when you login to your canvas sites, please use the second URL, which should connect you correctly to Zoom meetings. Also, make sure you update your bookmarks for this change. Be assured that instructors are also working on the issue and moving their Zoom meetings to the new URL.

I know some of you are facing unexpected financial challenges. I want to draw your attention to OSU’s Human Services Resource Center (HSRC) where you can seek help for several non-academic issues. The center has resources to help students in financial stress and in need of textbook support, laptop loans or food assistance. You can request help by filling out the Spring 2020 HSRC Assistance form.

Another potential resource, as I've shared recently, is the College of Science Equity Promise Scholarship. This scholarship is intended for students who have experienced sudden, extreme circumstances or life events that threaten their progress to continuing or completing their education in the College of Science.

I hope you know by now that we are all in this together. We are working hard to ensure you have access to resources that will help you succeed this term. If you have questions or ideas about we can make this sudden remote environment better for you, let me know!

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

Well, we have completed our first day of remotely delivered classes. It seems that OSU did not have major bandwidth problems today, which is a good sign. But that does not mean you did not experience issues at your own location. To help you troubleshoot when you run into problems, I have collected some resources that may be helpful:

• Home Internet Options – Offers suggestions for getting better connectivity at home.
• Internet Troubleshooting – Provides tips for when your internet is slow or unreliable
• Student Tech Support Guide – Shares resources and technical support options
• Remote & Online Learning – Offers tips for adapting to learning online or remotely.

A number of you are planning to graduate at the end of this spring term, and we will do our very, very best to make that possible. All COS advisors have looked at their students’ degree plans, and have checked which courses you still need for degree completion. There will be cases where certain courses are not available, and I have asked the advisors to create alternatives for such cases. Although it is always good to have a plan B, today that is even more important! Even a plan C makes good sense now.

If you are a graduating senior, it is advisable to be proactive, as well. Please connect with your advisor to make sure you are on track or if you encounter any problems. We also have created a collegewide e-mail account where you can send all your questions. Sending inquiries to COS.Graduation2020@oregonstate.edu will reach me and our college advisors. Note that there is a period after COS!

Ending with a poem stolen from the OSU Physics Slack channel, adapted from Dr. Seuss:

I will teach you in a room,
I will teach you now on Zoom,
I will teach you in your house
I will teach you with a mouse
I will teach you here and there,
I will teach you because I care,
So just do your very best,
And do not worry about the rest!

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

Spring break always goes by so fast. By the time grades are out, it’s almost time to go back to classes. So here we are already – about to start the new term in only a few days. If you have any concerns about your academic progress or the grades you received winter term, please connect with your advisor as soon as possible!

I have received several questions about fees for spring term for remotely delivered Corvallis courses and other local fees. A number of students noted that fees were already collected by OSU. Be assured the university is now examining all fees and assessing which fees are no longer appropriate. I know they are working on this now as I have personally been approached to provide information about lab fees. Once they sort everything out, they will reimburse students for inapplicable fees. This process will require several weeks. Please stay tuned.

As far as I know, tuition and fees charged by Ecampus will remain the same for spring term as they normally were. The administrative structure of Ecampus is independent of the College of Science.

There also has been confusion about labs for Science courses in spring term. Our plan is to deliver all labs remotely, in one form or another. You should not incur additional new costs for such delivery. Different departments are bringing different solutions. In some cases, you will watch a video of a student performing the lab that will enable you to collect data needed for your analysis of the experiment. In some cases, instructors will use computer simulations. I am impressed with the creativity of our instructors in finding solutions that really promote learning even in these circumstances. If you are in a lab that you believe fails to deliver the intended learning experience, please let the instructor know, and be reassured that we will all work together to make it work!

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

I want to thank you again for your help in making finals week a relatively smooth process and for offering your understanding as we worked through glitches. As far as I know, in all cases in our College where there were problems, students were able to work successfully with instructors to find a solution.

I skipped sending a message yesterday because I was converting to home office use. We are all required to do so. Students, too, should not go to classrooms and offices in university buildings the same way they did last week. There were allowances during exam time, but now we should all stay home, whether home is a dorm, an apartment, or a place outside Corvallis. There are some exceptions, for example, when students are part of research teams taking care of animals. But even in these cases, check with your research advisor and department head to see if it is safe for you to come in.

Our next focus is on spring term classes. I know, it is still break. But your instructors are working very hard to get everything ready for a whole new delivery world starting Monday. At this point, Canvas sites for all your courses should be open. You should have word from your instructor telling you what to expect on the first day of classes. If that is not true, write to your instructor!

Also, please realize that the abrupt need to switch to remote delivery will create some uncertainty. Normally, a syllabus states the rules of the course explicitly, but less so this term. As we realize opportunities to improve, we may need to adapt course delivery methods and our approach to assessing your work. We want to get it right, and so we ask for your understanding if some procedures, including the delivery of midterms, need to be modified during the term. Our ultimate goal is to provide a great education, and we need to pursue that goal, even in the face of uncertainty.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

It is the end of finals week. Yay! I believe that at the moment I am writing this you have all finished all your finals!

Just a reminder. The Science Success Center remains a source of support for science students, delivering care by staying open remotely. Please email sciencesuccess@oregonstate.edu with your questions or to get help with registration needs, academic resource guidance, and other student service needs. Your advisors also remain accessible remotely.

I want to share a request from our peers. People are leaving messages on the College of Science voicemail with their phone number, but when the peers call back people aren’t picking up – probably because they don’t recognize the number. So, please leave your email address if you need feedback!

I hope you all have a good next week, where you can recharge and regroup before the spring term starts. You all deserve it. Next week I will probably not send out a message every day, but that will not mean I have forgotten about our students.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

The big news, of course, came in yesterday. Effective Monday, March 30, and throughout spring term, all OSU campus instruction will be conducted remotely. This includes academic labs, testing during the term, and final examinations. Ecampus instruction remains unchanged.

University residence halls and student housing on the Corvallis and OSU-Cascades campuses – and at Hatfield Marine Science Center – will remain open during spring term. Student residents who choose to engage in their remote academic learning from their home community will be able to cancel their OSU residence hall contract without penalty. If a student chooses to return to their home community during spring term, their housing fees will be refunded on a prorated basis.

The university is reviewing all fees for spring term. All fees that are not applicable anymore will be refunded.

We should all be aware of the fact that interactions between students, staff and faculty will be different next term. They will all be remote, but beyond that, there will be many variations. We are all still working out how all these interactions will take place in spring term, so we ask for your patience while we seek good solutions. Just to let you know, our college advisers are still meeting and working on procedures for the coming term.

With closures of restaurants and some service jobs disappearing, there will be a number of students in financial need. If you are aware of any student who is running into financial problems because of the current situation, please let us know here.

There is still an open question about which level of undergraduate research will be possible. Currently, the OSU research mission has not been suspended, but special health protocols have been invoked. Think about repeatedly wiping table surfaces and washing hands. If the public health situation deteriorates there will be more restrictions. We are following closely what is happening in the state of Oregon. Nevertheless, we are continuing with the process of evaluating SURE applications for this summer and, for now, we still plan to award these scholarships.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

Many of you have questions about visits to companies next week during spring break. Due to social distancing measures to slow the spread of Covid-19, all College of Science tours to companies are canceled. We will be in touch in the future when they can be rescheduled.

Several of our courses charge lab fees for things like glassware and chemicals. OSU will do a census of all courses with lab fees and check which fees are still appropriate even with remote delivery. If the lab you have signed up for is found not to qualify for lab fees, thesefees will be returned to you. Please be patient, with so many things going on, this might take a few weeks.

Over half of final exams have been taken now, and I am happy to report that in our college there have been only a very small number of unfortunate issues. I have followed up in all cases I was made aware of. Instructors are doing their best to find solutions that are fair and equitable. But please do inform me of any problems that you encounter, so I can help straighten things out.

I thank you for all your patience while we do our best to help you in this new environment!

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

Today’s message is much shorter! Many of you have questions about spring classes being taught on-campus, not remotely. While it’s possible that some colleges still plan to hold on-campus classes, all spring-term classes in the College of Science will be offered only remotely – even labs, and even seminars. We are still looking for guidance on undergraduate research activities, so stay tuned for more information about that.

We also received questions from students who did not finish their eSET forms on time. That system is now closed. If you did not submit all eSETs, the only effect for you is that you will see your grades when OSU officially releases all grades, but not before. There are no other consequences.

Final exams seem to be going well. Undoubtedly, there have been issues, as always. But to our knowledge, students have not been prevented from taking exams because of the change in delivery mode, and the inevitable challenges have been resolved with instructors. Please let us know if this has not been your experience or if you are still facing unresolved issues.

Spring break is near, and as I said yesterday, think carefully about your travel plans. There are still students traveling to the standard spring break destinations as if nothing is happening. Their reasoning is probably that they are young and will only get minor health effects. What they forget is that when they are ill, they can transmit the disease to others who are much more vulnerable. In a difficult time like this, let’s encourage one another to be more unselfish, more community-centered, and more compassionate with others!

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

I would like to remind you that the Science Success Center will remain a source of support for science students, delivering care by staying open remotely. Email sciencesuccess@oregonstate.edu for answers to your questions, help with registration needs, academic resource guidance, and other student service needs. The peer advisors will be available on weekdays from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. starting today. To reach them live, log in to Zoom and input the code 607-574-630.

Person-to-person meetings with instructors and advisors are still possible, just not in person. Check with your instructor or advisor if they want to use e-mail, slack, zoom, telephone, or carrier pigeon.

There is a lot of confusion about the difference between online and remote delivery of a course. Online delivery refers to Ecampus and follows all the rules that are prescribed by the Ecampus environment. Remote refers to Corvallis campus classes, where during the scheduled class times, students do not meet in a normal classroom but via some electronic set-up. There will be a very small number of exceptions for very special classes.

What is the difference between remote and online? First of all, cost. The remote classes are cheaper for in-state students. Second, the classes delivered remotely will still follow the scheduled blocks of time – unless the instructor makes more time available. For example, an instructor might decide to deliver their material via zoom at the scheduled time. Or another instructor with access to the right technology might decide to record that material and make it available for a longer time. Many classes use active-engagement techniques that involve group work. The instructor can require those groups to engage during the scheduled times, but if the class structure allows, time can be extended. Check your syllabus carefully, and discover what applies to your course.

Students who are working with the Disability Access Services (DAS) office will still be covered by the agreements that were made. If you are concerned and want to know that you will still receive the accommodations you need, please contact DAS for questions. The DAS office can help you best in this matter!

Many students are wondering howlong spring courses will be delivered remotely during the term. The official word now is that on April 30, OSU will re-assess the situation. This leaves many students and faculty members confused about whether or not they will be required to switch back to face-to-face delivery when things return to normal. I do not have an answer for you yet, but I am pushing for answers.

Students are also wondering if they should go home for the whole spring term or stay here? Consider the following questions to help guide your decision: Where am I more protected against getting the disease? Does my journey back home potentially expose me to the disease? Where will I receive better care if I need to isolate myself? The answers to these questions will be different for all of us. One thing to consider is that if you plan to be on campus spring term, think carefully about whether returning home just for spring break is wise. Definitely, do not buy one of those cheap tickets to far away.

If you are studying abroad, or know others who are studying abroad, Oregon State has required that students who are studying abroad return home as soon as possible. However, if a student abroad determines that remaining in the program location is in their best interest, they may submit a request for an exception to OSU.

This week, of course, we are subjected to many changes in final exam procedures. I would like to remind you of the following, though. Ecampus formulates it best: Integrity is a character-driven commitment to honesty, doing what is right, and guiding others to do what is right.  OSU students and faculty have a responsibility to act with integrity in all of our educational work, and that integrity enables this community of learners to interact in the spirit of trust, honesty and fairness.

If you know any students for whom all these changes create severe hardship, either financially or emotionally, please let us know right away. In the College of Science, we recognize that stress levels are high now, and we want to very mindful of all issues, and help wherever we can.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

During this public health crisis, I want to assure you that in the College of Science we will do everything possible to encourage your wellbeing and offer the support you need to continue your education this year.

Navigating a pandemic is uncharted territory for most of us, but we are all working hard to curtail the difficult effects. Oregon State University is taking important steps to provide solutions and guide processes. For the latest OSU developments, visit here.

As a science student, many of your needs and challenges will be specific to the College of Science, and we want to keep you updated on new developments in the College daily. We are gathering information and making informed decisions every day, while at the same time planning ahead proactively. Every weekday afternoon, I plan to send updates to inform you about College-specific advising, instruction and student support resources.

The Science Success Center will remain a source of support for science students, delivering care by staying open remotely. Email sciencesuccess@oregonstate.edu for answers to your questions, help with registration needs, academic resource guidance, and other student service needs. Your academic advisors also remain accessible remotely. The peer advisors will be available on weekdays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. starting next Monday. To reach them, login to Zoom and input the code 607-574-630,

As most of you know, most OSU final exams will be delivered remotely. In the College of Science, there will be no in-person final exams. Your instructors will share information about alternatives in each of your classes. I recognize that there will be inconveniences and also some impossible situations. If you have any concerns about one of your classes and cannot resolve the matter with your instructor, you should contact the department head for that course right away. If you cannot resolve the issue with the department head, please contact me. This sounds a bit bureaucratic, but in many cases, the department head is more familiar with the situation than I am and can offer a good solution more easily.

All instructors of classes to be offered in Spring Term are working hard to make their material available remotely, as well. Specific details will be course-dependent since methods that work in physics, for example, might not have a counterpart in zoology. All instructors are making sure that learning outcomes for their courses can be met. Because this new mode of delivery will have a learning curve for all parties involved, we are trying to create the best possible solution for each course given where we are now. It will not be perfect, but it will give you the opportunity for the learning you need to demonstrate that you are able to fulfill the learning outcomes.

Please note that in a very small number of cases, remote delivery is not possible, in which case other solutions are needed. Once we know which courses that will involve, we will announce that.

If you are a graduating senior at the end of Spring Term, please work closely with your advisor. I have asked all advisors in our College to look very carefully at your schedules and to create alternatives for required courses that are not offered because of the pandemic. My directive is that for a student who would normally be able to graduate at the end of Spring Term, a plan should be made that will stillallow graduation at the end of the term.

I wish you all a good weekend, and I hope you are able to study effectively for your finals.

Sincerely,

Henri Jansen
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Dear College of Science students,

As I’m sure you are aware, OSU Provost Edward Feser announced yesterday that in light of the need to reduce the risk of COVID-19, most OSU final exams will be delivered remotely. In the College of Science, I have decided that there will be no in-person final exams.

I am making this decision in light of the unprecedented public health emergency we are facing and the need to offer you clarity about how the College is moving forward. For the health of our community, we must move to increase social distancing in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Restricting in-person exams in Science will help that. For this reason, I have directed the whole College to move forward with offering all final exams only remotely. Specifically, these are all classes in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Biohealth Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, Statistics and Zoology at either the undergraduate or graduate level.

Please watch for instructions from your instructor.

In keeping with our goal of limiting the gathering of students, if you have a final exam, you will be taking it without a proctor. These are special circumstances, and I thank you for working with us. In the circumstances of a global emergency, I know that I can count on you to conduct yourselves according to OSU’s student code of conduct.

We didn't reach these decisions lightly. Your safety and the health of the larger community is our greatest priority. I know this is a stressful time for many. Please be assured we will do everything we can to encourage your wellbeing and provide the support you need to continue your education this year.

Sincerely,

Roy Haggerty
Dean, College of Science