In the future, some classes may continue even if the campus closes due to unscheduled closings.
A proposed addition to the Faculty Handbook would allow professors to use available Web technology to hold an “alternate format” class during the regularly scheduled time as long as it is available to the majority of students.
The proposal was drafted after Faculty Senate members expressed frustration about how campus closings are handled at the Feb. 9 meeting. It was discussed at the meeting.but no action was taken.
Kim Milton, physics and astronomy professor, said the policy was long overdue.
“Isn’t it common sense?” Milton said.
Journalism Professor Ken Fischer said he thinks the plan sounds like a mixed bag.
“I think it’s problematic because the nature of some projects, such as speeches and presentations due, but generally it is probably doable,” Fischer said.
Fischer also said the addition could become problematic if technical difficulties get in the way.
“If the power went out where I live, I wouldn’t be able to send or receive things,” Fischer said. “Same with students. It works both ways.”
Faculty Senate Chair Cecilia Brown acknowledged those problems, but said she encourages professors to work with their students.
Another option the addition would grant professors would be to schedule a make-up class at a time convenient for most students.
Advertising junior Emily Haynes said one of her teachers announced Monday her class will have to come ten minutes early for the next two weeks to make up for the snow days when school was cancelled in January.
“I don’t really have an opinion,” Haynes said. “I guess I’m kind of for it because it shows my professor cares and wants us to learn.”
The addition does not say whether make-up days would be mandatory, but Brown said that is not the committee’s intention. Proponents also expressed the desire to have assignments due during campus closings.
“That’s not the spirit of it,” Brown said. “It’s not to penalize the students. It’s more to help the faculty and give them guidelines.”
The faculty senate will vote on the addition at their next meeting, May 11.
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What if I don't have a computer at home and instead use campus computers for all my assignments and papers? If campus is closed how am I expected to attend an online session with no computer?
What if I don't have internet or power due to the weather? Just because my professor has/doesn't have internet doesn't mean that I will be in the same condition.
And meeting 10 minutes earlier for the next two weeks, I know a lot of students run very tight schedules. I can see 10 minutes earlier working out for night classes but not a lot of day classes.
I agree with the points made above - I don't see how this could work out. Too many limitations.
Why is this such a problem? If the professor is unable to work the missed material into future lectures, then they need to either drop the material from the class, or make the students responsible for the material on their own.
I don't understand why more legislation is required to "fix" a problem that doesn't even seem to exist.
Agree with all points so far.
These are all valid concerns, however with the advancement of technology these problems are obsolete. The presentation, including text, audio, and video, can be saved to a server and accessed at any date and time. This means that even if you don't have a computer or an internet connection at the time of the actual presentation, you will be able to download the presentation and view it whenever you want.
It is a problem if professors are required to drop material from the class. From a students point of view, I am paying good money to receive the best education possible, and losing material due to inclement weather will be a thing of the past.
Right, a lot of universities do have professors that give lectures that are accessible online. But I'd be willing to say that amount of professors that have the technological know-how to do so is very, very little. Some professors seem like they can barely manage D2L. Do you really think they will know how to video tape themselves, encode the raw footage/audio, and then upload it to a server somewhere?
The idea of a system that lets students and teachers meet in times when it is not prudent to meet on campus is a fantastic idea. The arguments that a student may not have a computer, although valid, is a waning one. Students now days are highly likely to either have a computer,to know someone who does, or to have access to one either closer to their house than campus, or on campus. Also, I feel that we as a student body need to press the University to require teachers to be familiar with the technology provided. Saying that we shouldn't do something like provide a tool that can keep a class on schedule through rain or snow simply because the faculty can't keep up with the times is asinine. It is understandable that some of the older professors are not tech savvy but it is foolish and, in my opinion, disrespectful to assume that they can't be taught the technology by university provided and required classes. I think the general reason students are abhorrent towards the idea is that they will have to go to class and not get off easy.
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