SUBJECT: Fall 2022 Communication

Dear colleagues:

I hope you are enjoying the last remaining days of summer … it’s still going! I know many of you are working hard during the summer session dealing with grading and all the end of term processing that occurs this time of year. Please try to get a bit of down time before the start of the fall semester!

This message is intended to provide some updates about the fall term, particularly highlighting our efforts around the campus-wide common days and updating everyone on the status of the Future of Work Committee.

As always, there is a lot going on so I encourage everyone to review this message when you have a chance and, as always, ask questions of me and my team!

Campus-Wide Common Days (CWCD)

While remaining flexible and offering hybrid opportunities for working and learning for this new academic year, we are planning a more robust return to campus. As the Chancellor shared and the Deans announced to their colleges, this will include having all academic offices staffed for in-person operations and services. Students, staff, and faculty create the heartbeat of UM-Dearborn and with the pandemic and our move to virtual learning and services, many of those on-campus experiences were missed by so many of us. While we provided a high-quality education and a flexible work experience, there are lessons to be learned as we move forward.

For these reasons the Provost’s Office in partnership with our Human Resources team instituted “Campus-Wide Common Days” (CWCD) for Fall 2022 and Winter 2023. What we are asking is that all units aim for having staff who work a virtual or hybrid schedule to be on campus on either Monday or Thursday each week, in addition to their other on-campus days, to contribute to a vibrant campus life. We also ask that Mondays or Thursdays are prioritized for department, college, and unit events, and social activities (e.g. coffee/breakfasts, lunches, MHealthy walks, etc.). CWCDs are intended to provide a structure for scheduling in-person campus events, department programming, and staff professional development and social interaction. Some events have already been announced by the Chancellor, and the Future of Work Committee is working on organizing many more.

As a reminder, the Human Resources Office will review ADA requests for remote workplace accommodations based on personal medical situations. For all other non-ADA requests, each college and unit will need to assess the circumstances and decide what is most appropriate. HR is happy to provide support and guidance as needed for  non-ADA requests. If you recall, we suspended the exception request process for in-person campus work for individuals with special circumstances (e.g., exceptional care responsibilities) that fall outside the traditional ADA accommodations effective May 1, 2022.

Please rest assured that we continue to monitor the health situation on our campus and region, and will be ready to change plans should we need to pivot course for all on-campus activity. As a reminder, we have not had any office or classroom transmission since we returned to campus in Fall 2021.

Future of Work Committee

The Future of Work Committee has been busy meeting and discussing recommendations for what UM-Dearborn campus should look like as well as reviewing and prioritizing the Campus Wide Common Days recommendations by the Faculty and Staff Senates. The committee will be sending a very brief survey out to staff to gauge work experience across the units. We are also working on a Future of Work webpage to better communicate with our campus community and to gather information and resources.

Syllabus Template

All faculty are required to utilize the UM-Dearborn syllabus template. As a reminder, faculty can find the syllabus template here.

Conflicts Between the Academic and Religious Calendars

As you all know, UM-Dearborn is a diverse community with many of us observing and celebrating a variety of different faiths and religions. As a result, I want to remind faculty of our campus policy on Conflicts Between the Academic and Religious Calendars. The policy reads: “every reasonable effort should be made to help students avoid negative academic consequences when their religious obligations conflict with academic requirements.” Students are required to provide faculty with notice of the dates of religious holiday(s) (click here for a listing of religious holidays during the 2022-2023 Academic Year) for which they will be absent by no later than the drop/add deadline which is Monday, September 12, 2022 for the Fall 2022 semester. Faculty shall provide students with an opportunity to make up any missed work (e.g., assignments or examinations), without penalty.

Future Events

• Thursday, August 25th, Chancellor's Picnic
• Thursday, September 15th, SURE 2022 Showcase
• Week of September 19th, Homecoming
• Thursday, September 29th, Chancellor's Town Gown Bike Ride
• Wednesday, October 5th, Chancellor's Book Club

Wolverine Welcome Day, August 26th

Join new incoming Wolverines at Wolverine Welcome Day to celebrate the start of the school year! Wolverine Welcome Day is an opportunity for new students to explore campus, meet their peers, and get an introduction to campus life at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. This experience will take place on Friday, August 26, 2022 from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m. and it will be an event that you don’t want to miss! We still need volunteer support! If you wish to volunteer, please contact our Dean of Students, Amy Finley ([email protected]).

Walk and Talk with the Provost

The “Walk and Talks” will resume on Thursdays, 12:00-12:35 p.m., starting September 15th. Please join me as we get our steps in and talk about anything and everything regarding our campus!

Fall 2022 Schedule

Please remember to check your schedule and make sure everything is correct. Please let your chair know of any discrepancy you might encounter!

Fall Final Exams

The final exam period for the Fall 2022 is from Monday, December 10 - Friday, December 16. Details on protocols for final exams can be found on the Guidance for Final Exams for the Fall 2022 webpage.

As a reminder, a three-hour block on one of the exam days is provided for in-person and hybrid courses. Please note that the Fall 2022 Final Exam Schedule can be found on the Final Exam Schedule webpage of the Registrar’s Office website. All classroom assignments for in-person exams will be assigned later in the Fall term. If faculty need to adjust a final exam date or time, please refer to the Final Exams and Study Days policy and contact the Registrar’s Office at [email protected].

For online courses, faculty must provide a window for students to take the final exam and online exam proctoring is prohibited. For classes scheduled for ONLN (asynchronous), the exam window should be at least 24-hours. For classes scheduled as ONREG (synchronous), the exam window should be at least 6-hours.

Resources for Faculty/Staff Regarding Student Mental Health

As a reminder, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has compiled resources for faculty and staff in order to best support students’ mental health. The Provost Office, in coordination with the colleges, will prioritize mental health this upcoming academic year. As always, CAPS provides students information in every Sunday night all-student email about in-person and virtual services and resources available to students, including how to seek help, as well as how to prioritize wellness. CAPS continues to have zero wait time for students. Additionally, a 24/7 crisis line is available at 1-855-275-1715.

PBL Workshop

We are organizing a PBL workshop to share best practices, successful stories, and  the lessons learned by the WIP-PBL Collaborative and WIP Summer Institute. Please watch for a date and specific information to be announced in September.

I hope that you continue to enjoy the rest of the summer and that you look forward to the fall academic year and activities that many of us are planning for the whole campus. As always, please feel free to contact me and my team should you have any questions or concerns.

With all best wishes,

Gabriella

Gabriella Scarlatta
Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs