General pre-disruption planning tips

• Download student contact information: Retrieve from WebApps should you need to get in touch with your students

• Share your contact information: At the beginning of the term/semester, send your students a welcome email that includes your contact information from WebApps. Suggest that they hold on to the message until the end of the course in case they need to get in contact with you. You can also use Nexus to post the welcome info, or the Nexus Quickmail block when you need to communicate with your class.

• Remind students to download or print a copy of the syllabus.

• Create back ups: Back up copies of any prepared teaching materials prior to the start of the term/semester in case you are unable to access the files on the Union College network.

• Add a "Contingency Plan for Instruction" section in your syllabus: Include information that lays out class and college policies related to COVID-19.  For example:

  • consider linking to Union's COVID-19 website, where guidance is updated regularly: https://www.union.edu/coronavirus

    • Tip! Faculty should review the "Course and Classroom Policies" section on attendance in the Faculty Manual.

  • message about online components that will be used (e.g., Nexus, Zoom meetings). 

    • Important! Synchronous learning is the strongly preferred option of the College. You can include asynchronous learning components, like pre-recorded videos, online discussion forums/quizzes, etc., that compliment and support the synchronous learning in a class. However, emphasize synchronous activities as much as possible.

  • expectations around participation with synchronous and asynchronous online components

  • how the course will continue if there is a prolonged power or Internet outage, where Nexus, email, websites, etc., aren't available (e.g., paste copies of required reading/assignments on office door–students can come and take a picture on cellphone; if just the Internet is out, you will Xerox/print copies of readings students can pick up at your office)

 Please contact our Learning Design and Digital Innovation (LDDI) team for help and more information.