December 11, 2020
Dear Pitt Faculty Members and Students,
I want to say thank you—first for your courage, and then for your adaptability, professionalism, ingenuity and patience—as we continue to respond to—and learn through—the COVID-19 pandemic. No day is easy or uncomplicated. Ingenuity and turn-on-the-dime problem solving is happening everywhere in our community.
The most recent message from the CMRO shared the ongoing need for flexibility as we look ahead to the spring term.
We know that we are well-prepared to begin classes on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, using the Flex@Pitt model—and we will do so knowing much more than we did at the start of the fall term.
At our Faculty Town Hall, held on November 19, 2020, I referenced the fall COVID-19 surveys sent to all faculty and undergraduate, graduate and professional students on the Pittsburgh campus. I greatly appreciate everyone who took the time to participate in this important survey process. Thanks to you, we know more about the ways we can unite to protect, guide and advance the entire University community.
The faculty survey, the undergraduate survey and the graduate survey on the Pittsburgh campus revealed insights that affirm the Pitt experience during the pandemic has been strong in some aspects while other areas can be strengthened in the time ahead. Without question, in these unpredictable days, we are a work in progress—which is why we will be following up with Pitt IT, the Office of Research, and the University Center for Teaching and Learning to work through issues noted in the surveys.
Not surprisingly, instructors want to continue learning how to apply technology in the most beneficial manner to support their teaching—and how to use the most effective teaching strategies for the remote environment. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the willingness to adapt is impressive and commendable. Of course, the University Center for Teaching and Learning will be ready to enhance its support in responding to ongoing needs and opportunities.
On a related note, 97.5% of faculty said that Zoom worked “very or somewhat well,” and 94.4% said the web conferencing tools worked “very or somewhat well.” To me, this shows that, even in far from ideal conditions, we are finding and mastering the best available tools at our disposal.
Survey results also confirmed the need to offer greater support for dependent care needs. We are acting on that now. The Office of Human Resources has just launched a survey which will help to identify which forms of support respondents feel would be most useful.
It is also a reality that the virtual environment has resulted in a lower sense of belonging or feeling of connection to Pitt. While not unexpected, we are committed to finding additional ways to engage students inside and outside the classroom. This is particularly important for new first-year, transfer and graduate/professional students. In the time ahead, I will be providing ways for faculty and students to share their best ideas about how to promote dialogue, mentoring and idea-sharing.
We knew that communication would be very important during this crisis, and, though we are all overwhelmed with information, faculty members reported (89%) that they knew where to go to access timely information and the majority of both TA/TFs and GSR/GSAs agreed that information about COVID-19 related to their duties was communicated in a timely and informative way (70% for TAs, 80% for GSRs). The numbers were lower for undergraduates (52.6%)—and so we will address that.
Another important takeaway is that the survey revealed we can do much better to ensure that self-care days are able to be just that—for both students and instructors. It is understandable that it will take some time to work out the best ways to maximize that experience for everyone, but I think it is very important to accomplish that.
Looking ahead to the spring term, February 23, and March 24, 2021, are designated as self-care days in which no classes will be held on any Pitt campus. I encourage instructors to keep those dates in mind when thinking about exams and assignments—and to keep these days open to take a well-earned pause. These breaks, especially in the condensed environment the pandemic has forced, are extremely important to help maximize both mental and physical health for all.
There is no question that these are deeply challenging days given the current trajectory of the pandemic. But in this season of light and of hope, I eagerly look ahead with you to brighter and healthier days in 2021. We are tackling the hurdles together and we will emerge stronger for it.
I wish you a winter recess that will be a time of safety and renewal.
Hail to Pitt!
Ann E. Cudd
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor