Technology for Fall 2020 Teaching (July 15, 2020)

[Summary: This message invites FAS faculty who meet certain conditions to place orders for three sorts of equipment that might be required for remote teaching: (a) audio/visual kits (headphone, microphone, camera); (b) annotation devices; (c) other peripheral enhancements. The deadline for ordering is 5:00 PM on Monday, July 20.]

To: Ladder and full-time multi-year instructional FAS faculty
Cc: FAS Steering; FAS Dean’s Office; FAS Lead Administrators, Operations Managers, and Chair’s Assistants

Dear ladder and full-time multi-year instructional FAS faculty,

Now that we have confirmed a residential/remote model for fall 2020 teaching, we are working with ITS to ensure that instructors have the technology necessary to prepare for and teach classes.

Thanks to the provost, the FAS and ITS have been allocated special funds to provide equipment to faculty who do not already have access to technology for remote instruction through other sources. This equipment was identified by ITS, the Poorvu Center, the FAS Academic Planning committees, and prior FAS faculty surveys. A list of available equipment can be found below.

Your task is to indicate your technological needs by completing the online questionnaire available here. The deadline for completing the questionnaire is 5:00 PM on Monday, July 20. (Late submission up to July 27 will be permitted, but equipment requests submitted after July 20 cannot be guaranteed.)

• Please indicate the equipment that you need by completing this questionnaire. Please make sure that you provide full and accurate shipping information so that we can deliver your equipment to you.
• We expect that equipment will be delivered in mid-August. However, the ongoing pandemic may result in shipping delays; we apologize in advance if this occurs.
• As you make your selections, please keep in mind that our budget is limited, and that you should only request equipment that is specifically required for your COVID-related teaching needs. To help calibrate your request, approximate prices are listed for each item. If you have access to such equipment through other sources, we ask that you not call on our limited central supply, which is particularly targeted towards teaching-intensive faculty without access to such equipment.
• Note: even if you responded to the May survey, you will still need to complete this new questionnaire to order equipment. The first survey enabled ITS to gauge approximate faculty need to pre-order equipment; it was not an order form. Now that fall semester plans have been announced, your actual equipment needs may have changed, and you are welcome to answer differently than you may have done on the May survey.

A few words about items not included in this questionnaire:

• Laptops for multi-year instructional faculty: All multi-year instructional faculty who do not already have a university laptop will be issued one. The relevant faculty members will be contacted directly, regardless of whether they complete this questionnaire.
• Routers and home internet upgrades: The university’s procurement rules do not allow university funds to be used for these purposes. Poorvu Center recommendations for troubleshooting internet connections is available here.
• Classroom and departmental equipment for remote teaching: Further information will be provided in the coming weeks about classroom and shared departmental equipment.
• Support from University Technology Assistants: Further information on the allocation of student Technology Assistants will be provided in the coming weeks.
• Equipment for Teaching Fellows: Teaching Fellow equipment needs are being assessed and further information will be provided in August.

We are grateful to the provost for providing additional financial resources to the FAS to support these efforts. We are grateful to each of you for requesting only equipment that you require for your COVID-related teaching needs so that we have sufficient resources to cover the entire community.

With thanks,

Tamar
 

Tamar Szabó Gendler
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Vincent J. Scully Professor of Philosophy
Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science
 

Technology for fall 2020 teaching: Options for FAS faculty

When you complete the questionnaire, you will be able to choose from among the following options:

Audio/Visual Kits

Provided to any full-time FAS faculty member who is teaching at least one course during academic year 2020-21 who does not already have such equipment, and who requires it for teaching. The cost of this equipment is covered by the FAS dean/provost.
 

University-provided kit not needed.

OR

A simple remote kit (suitable for most faculty – cost to university $171.32). Simple remote kits include:

• A webcam that can connect to your computer in the event that your computer does not have a built-in camera, or to provide higher-quality video than your built-in camera;
• A mini-tripod that will allow you to position your camera wherever you like;
• A multimedia hub that allows you to connect multiple devices (ie: phones, tablets, microphones, etc. to your computer so that all devices may be connected at once to avoid having to switch among them.

• A webcam that can connect to your computer in the event that your computer does not have a built-in camera, or to provide higher-quality video than your built-in camera;
• Headphones that cover the ears and make it easier to hear student participation in class;
• A speakerphone that can be used to more accurately capture the sound of your voice or the voices of a group of speakers who are gathered in the same room, making the audio clearer for remote participants;
• A mini-tripod that will allow you to position your camera wherever you like;
• A multimedia hub that allows you to connect multiple devices (ie: phones, tablets, microphones, etc. to your computer so that all devices may be connected at once to avoid having to switch amongthem.

Annotation Devices

Available for any full-time FAS faculty member who is teaching at least one course during academic year 2020-21 who does not already have such equipment, and who requires it for teaching. The cost of this equipment is covered by the FAS dean/provost. Please request such a device only if you require it for your COVID-related teaching needs, and if you have not been provided with equipment through other sources (eg: departmental funding, SEAS funding, purchase of equipment in Spring 2020).

Standard: No annotation device needed.

Other Peripheral Enhancements

Available for any full-time FAS faculty member who is teaching at least one course during academic year 2020-21 who does not already have such equipment, and who requires it for teaching. The cost of this equipment is covered by the FAS dean/provost. You are eligible for a centrally-supplied external monitor only if you do not already have an external monitor in your home or office. You are eligible for an external microphone only if you require it for specific COVID-related teaching needs.
 

Standard: No peripheral enhancements needed.

OR

Additional 24” monitor, with stand and HDMI cable (cost to the university - $160.00).

AND/OR

In cases of need: An external microphone to provide enhanced sound quality for music classes, language classes, or similar courses in which audio quality is particularly important (cost to the university - $128.00).