University of Maryland News

From the Provost

Dear Colleagues:

Yesterday you received a letter from Dr. Sacared Bodison, Director of the University Health Center, informing you of the University's preparations for the predicted widespread outbreak of the H1N1 flu. Details about the preparations are also available on the UM Website: http://www.umd.edu/umnews/h1n1fall09.cfm.

Our first concern, of course, is for the health of members of the University community. However, we are also concerned about the possibility that widespread illness could disrupt the academic enterprise of the University.

If you are even mildly sick with flu-like symptoms, please stay home and seek medical attention. You should return to work only after your fever and symptoms have abated for 24 hours. It would be good to have a back-up plan in place now for covering your classes and related duties should you become ill.

Now would also be a good time to develop a plan to ensure consistency of communication with your students. There are many options available to you for staying connected, including: telephone conference calls, e-mail listservs, or ELMS (powered by Blackboard) course sites. Additional information on options available to you can be found at www.helpdesk.umd.edu/emergencypreparedness.

I encourage you to have conversations with your colleagues and students during the first week of classes and outline in writing how instruction will continue and how students can make up missed classes, assignments, and exams if you or your students become ill. Under these exceptional circumstances, I urge you to consider greater flexibility in your class attendance policies.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has many tools in place that may assist you as you develop your plans. The OIT Learning Technologies group will offer a special "ELMS Emergency Preparedness Training" for faculty that specifically focuses on the skills you will need to continue teaching online if necessary. These special workshops are being scheduled for September. You can register for them at www.training.umd.edu (listed in the Course Catalog under "OIT Learning Technologies Institute"). For additional information on this training, or other available IT tools, you can call the OIT Help Desk at 301.405.1500.

The situation is by its very nature uncertain, but we will be monitoring developments closely and will stay in contact with you. The Office of the Provost will notify you immediately if there are any significant measures taken that might impact the academic calendar, such as closing the University for a period of time during the semester. All issues related to the academic calendar will be addressed in concert with the University System of Maryland and the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

We will work diligently with University staff, State of Maryland officials, the Governor's Office, and campus, State, and national health professionals over the course of the next few months to ensure that we are prepared to deal with any potential health emergency.

For the most up-to-date information on flu, visit www.flu.gov or call 1.800.CDC.INFO (232.4636). For information about flu and precautionary measures being instituted on campus, visit www.umd.edu or www.health.umd.edu.

If you participate in a study abroad program, visit the Study Abroad Website for updates: www.international.umd.edu/studyabroad. In addition, the Website of the Center for Disease Control has health information for anyone traveling abroad: www.cdc.gov/travel.

Dr. Linda Clement, Vice President for Student Affairs, is in charge of managing the campus preparations for dealing with the H1N1 flu. She can be reached at 301.314.8430 or lclement@umd.edu. The designated point of contact for the Office of Academic Affairs is Associate Vice President Robert Waters. If you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Dr. Waters at 301.405.5793 or rewaters@umd.edu.

Thank you for your understanding as we navigate together through this challenging circumstance. Best wishes for another exciting, productive, and academically enriching semester.

Sincerely,
Nariman Farvardin
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

This note was authorized for distribution to University of Maryland Faculty by: Nariman Farvardin, Provost