February 19, 2021
Dear Colleagues:
We are all concerned, first, about everyone’s health and safety, so please ask for help if you need it, and help others if you are able.
If there are critical services and supplies needed for your family and home, you can call 211 anywhere in the state of Texas for assistance. If a situation is imminently life threatening, call 911. All of SMU is coordinating efforts to support our students around the clock, so if you have concerns to report, please fill out a CCC form, because the forms are being processed daily.
We have important announcements about classes next week. First, due to water and other damage to some buildings, as well as damage that may not be visible until temperatures are above freezing, all classes (Virtual and SMUFlex) will be held in the virtual modality on Monday, February 22. Students with classes scheduled for Saturday, February 20, should watch for an email from their academic programs regarding virtual classes or cancellations. A campus-wide communication will also ensure everyone is aware of this shift.
As you are aware, your faculty colleagues, students and staff have had widely varying experiences with power outages, internet access, unusual stressors, boil water mandates, and water outages. In light of this, please:
- Assume that our students, staff and faculty colleagues have not had access to technology or other possible resources this week.
- Treat Monday, February 22nd as if it were Monday, February 15th and stay on the altered calendar until further notice.
- Do not ask your students to come to class having done any additional work or asynchronous viewing of materials that would not have been expected by the 15th. The most well-intentioned gestures, such as providing students with optional asynchronous content, are creating confusion.
We call on all faculty to either post a Canvas announcement or to send an email to each of their classes letting them know what to expect next week in class. Faculty are the best and first source for students to seek reassurance and clarity about particular classes. Please refer questions about university operations that might come from media and student media to Marketing and Communications at news@mail.smu.edu, which is an account monitored by the media relations team.
On a final note, we have received many questions from faculty and students about how makeup days will be handled. We are currently laying the groundwork for a clear and deliberate process that will involve input from deans, Faculty Senate, and Student Senate that meets accreditation requirements.
This consultation process will allow us to confirm an approach and provide clear instructions within the next 1-2 weeks.
Thank you, and I hope you are all staying safe and warm.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth G. Loboa
Provost and Vice President for
Academic Affairs