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What is academic continuity?

Academic continuity refers to the continuation of courses (programs, degrees). In the case of an on-campus emergency (weather, pandemic), academic continuity for classes on campus may not be able to be ensured unless other teaching modalities, including remote delivery, are considered.

Where do I access resources related to academic continuity?

The Office of Continuing and Distance Education has developed a set of resources for additional information.

Who do I contact with questions related to academic continuity and instructional support?

Contact keeponteaching@kent.edu

Note:

• Information on remote instruction for students, including access instructions and technology resources, is at www.kent.edu/keeponlearning.
• For technology issues, contact TechHelp by either submitting a support ticket or via Live Chat with support staff. You can also call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 330-672-HELP. 

Technology for Courses: What if I have questions or need support

• Reach out to your professor quickly if you are experiencing difficulty with technology or course content. If you have issues directly related to your coursework, contact your instructor.
• Regularly check  or for your course because it is the primary platform used to help you stay current in your coursework. Most all of the instructions and tools you will need to complete your course will be housed in Blackboard or Canvas.
  • If your instructor decides to hold live videoconferencing (synchronous) class sessions, these will be held at your scheduled class time. The link to the videoconference room will be posted in Blackboard. Collaborate Ultra or Microsoft Teams will generally be the software used. You should check with your course for instructions on communication from your professor. Please remember that your course is a work-in-progress. You should check-in regularly to view updates. Unless otherwise instructed, Kent State email will be the preferred means of communication
  • Find information on how to use these tools.
• Additional resources for courses delivered through remote instruction are available on the Keep on Learning website
  • You may also email keeponlearning@kent.edu for any other issues you may have.
• If you have technical problems, contact TechHelp by either submitting a Support Ticket or by talking with our support team via LiveChat at . You can also call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 330-672-HELP.

Emergency funding for technology-based needs:

• Kent State understands the financial hardships this pandemic has inflicted on some of our students, and since spring, we have supported thousands of students to address their personal hardships via the Kent State Emergency Grant Fund. We are excited to announce that students can use this emergency funding for technology-based needs, whether to purchase a computer, a hotspot or another technology-based item to help students succeed in the classroom. If you qualify and demonstrate financial need, these emergency funds may be used to purchase the equipment. 
• The fund is open to degree- or certificate-seeking students currently enrolled in the Fall 2020 Semester who have been affected by the pandemic and have emergency needs. Fall 2020 Semester grant fund applications now include a specific option to choose technology assistance.

I serve on several departmental/college/university committees. Will this work continue?

Academic administrators, faculty governance bodies, and other committees have been asked to assess and prioritize their essential work with a focus on student success and maintaining personnel and other processes on which the university depends (e.g., some work may continue as planned; some work may be modified or slowed; some work may be temporarily suspended).

Faculty are encouraged to continue to participate in their service responsibilities via appropriate virtual environments provided by the department/school, campus, college and university, to the extent possible.

Given the unique challenges created by the COVID-19 disruption, the Ad Hoc Academic Continuity Committee recommends a holistic approach to the evaluation of faculty in the performance of their service responsibilities to both the university and their disciplines which acknowledges both the challenges and the successes of each faculty member’s role in in these activities.

Student or Family Illness Due to COVID-19

How do I handle a student illness due to COVID-19 pandemic?

Find guidance for instructors to be flexible in requesting documentation for a student absence when students are ill.

Due to COVID-19 and the impact on students and families, we continue to ask instructors to be flexible in requesting documentation around student absences when a student is ill and also apply that same flexibility in other academic situations. For example, when students request an incomplete for extenuating circumstances, they also need to provide appropriate documentation; however, appropriate documentation is at the discretion of the instructor and academic unit, and an email from the student or the student’s caregiver may be sufficient in most situations.

What Do I Do If Students Are Too Sick to Participate?

Flexibility will be key in helping students while the campus is closed and/or classes are remote. Even though the student does not have to physically come to class, they still may be too ill to fully participate in the virtual class.

Student illness should be handled according to existing university policy, with the acknowledgment that this is an extraordinary event and additional consideration may be warranted. Visits to the doctor to get documentation may be difficult to obtain. You may want to consider changing, delaying or even canceling some assignments and/or tests.

How Should Instructors Work With Student Requests to Stay Home from Class Due to a Minor Illness?

Instructors are encouraged to use flexibility and judgment when considering whether to request documentation when students indicate they have the flu or a virus. Find information from the Center for Teaching and Learning related to how to handle student absences due to a minor illness.

What if a student indicates they have to take care of a family member due to the COVID-19 pandemic and this affects classwork?

Due to COVID-19 and the impact on students and families, we continue to ask instructors to be flexible in requesting documentation around student absences and also consider the impact that other family responsibilities may have. For example, K-12 and daycare closings and family illnesses may have a negative impact on students. Instructors should apply flexibility in other academic situations. When students request an incomplete for extenuating circumstances, they also need to provide appropriate documentation; however, appropriate documentation is at the discretion of the instructor and academic unit, and an email from the student may be sufficient in most situations.

Additional Information

Find information about COVID Response Team occurrences, reporting and testing at Kent State.

How are thesis and dissertation defenses being conducted?

They are being conducted remotely through Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other platforms. For guidelines please also see https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/file/Temporary%20Guidelines%20for%20Thesis%20and%20Dissertation%20Defenses_1.pdf

How will SSIs be used this semester?

Because of the highly unusual circumstances under which everyone is operating this semester, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee has decided that we will continue to deploy SSIs; however, only instructors will receive SSI results. SSI results shall not be part of the evaluation for personnel decisions including but not limited to reappointment, tenure, promotion, renewal of appointment, and merit (hyperlink to document from faculty senate exec)

I am a pre-tenure tenure-track faculty member. Will I be able to extend my tenure clock due to the disruption of my research activities?

Kent State University recognizes that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about major disruptions in the lives of our faculty that may temporarily prevent or interrupt their scholarly productivity and achievements. This problem is especially acute for those faculty members in their probationary period who are working towards tenure. Therefore, the university is making available an extension to the tenure-clock by one academic year, for eligible tenure-track faculty members.
 

Office Hours & Expectations: How Are They Impacted by COVID-19?

Your students must have the opportunity to meet with you to discuss any issues, concerns, or questions they may have. University Policy 6-18.101. While the policy specifies that instructors teaching face-to-face should hold in-person office hours, in these special circumstances, it is recommended that you hold office hours remotely. You should offer office hours in person only if the Flashes Safe Eight principles can be followed. If you are teaching remotely, you are strongly encouraged to hold at least some remote office hours. In general, you should meet remotely with any student who prefers that modality.

How do I hold remote office hours?

When you hold office hours remotely, students must be able to communicate with you synchronously. At a minimum you could be available to receive and respond to student emails in real time during regularly scheduled times. For more direct communication, you can make yourself available to students by phone or in a virtual office using BlackBoard Collaborate Ultra, Zoom, Microsoft Teams or another similar platform. This may be done during regularly scheduled times or using an appointment system, provided the required minimum number of hours of availability is maintained.

How do I hold office hours in person? 

Instructors must model safe behavior for students by observing the Flashes Safe Eight principles during class and office hours. In particular, you should hold office hours in person only if all of the following conditions apply:

• The office space is clean and sanitized.
• Physical distancing guidelines will be strictly enforced in all offices, requiring individuals to maintain a required amount of space between others, which may vary from 3 feet to 6 feet in different settings. In particular, instructors sharing offices should coordinate their schedules so that physical distancing can be maintained.
• The best practice would be to ensure that a facial covering is close by in case you are approached by a colleague or a visitor. For up-to-date information on facial covering requirements, please see Facial Covering and Physical Distancing Guidelines.

If your office does not meet these criteria, you may try to reserve an alternate space on campus to meet with students or hold your office hours remotely.
 

Can I still submit IRB proposals?

Yes, the Office of Research Compliance and Institutional Review Boards are operating as usual within the guidelines set by the university. Response time may be slower than usual; we appreciate your understanding.

Please use the self-determination form if you think your study may be a level I/exempt project. The online form and guidance can be accessed under the applications tab at /research/office-research-compliance/irb-forms. The use of this form will greatly improve handling and processing time.

Please email your IRB application to the IRB reviewer in your college/department for review.

Questions may also be directed to researchcompliance@kent.edu.

Is the office of Sponsored Programs open to assist with grant proposals?

The physical offices in Michael Schwartz are empty, but Sponsored Programs remains fully staffed and available to assist with your proposal submissions and post-award requests. The entire staff continues to work full time remotely. We will respond to your phone calls and emails.

The best way to contact RASP is by email. If you are planning to submit a proposal, please contact Diane Skok at: dskok@kent.edu.

Post Award questions should be addressed directly to Beverly Robertson, Associate Director for Post Award at: brobert1@kent.edu. If you have been working directly with a Sponsored Programs Administrator you may reach out to that person directly. Everyone is closely monitoring email. When working directly with a particular Sponsored Programs staff member on a time sensitive proposal submission you may be provided with alternate contact information in order to facilitate communication.

Most agencies continue to adhere to their proposal submission deadlines – and we continue to work with investigators to meet those deadlines. If RASP learns of a deadline change they will let you know.

The RASP internal deadline policy for proposal submission has not changed:

*Notify Sponsored Programs 10 business days prior to the agency deadline (earlier is even better!)

*Complete budget and KUALI tasks 5 business days prior to the agency deadline

*Submit all proposal narrative documents in near final form 2 business days prior to the agency deadline.

What is the best way to document the changes I made to my course content and requirements?

It is important that you document changes that you make to your course and provide students with a revised syllabus as soon as possible. You should also send any changes you make to your syllabus to your chair, director, or dean.

How does the Kent State Library support remote teaching?

• for immediate assistance.
• Search our digital collections through .
• Find  or through our databases.
• for help providing required course readings.
• with your subject librarian.

Check University Libraries’ COVID-19 Support Page for more information.

• University Libraries:
• Ask Us:
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• Journals:
• Journal articles:
• Course Reserves:
• Research consultations and online instruction:
• Statistical consulting:
• Libraries’ COVID page:

What are the minimum faculty expectations for teaching remotely?

All courses carrying university credit require instructors/student interaction which is appropriate to the discipline and the course. The minimal expectation of instructors/student interaction should be analogous to the amount of instructors/student interaction that takes place during the course when it is delivered in a synchronous environment (i.e., “face-to-face”). Instructors may implement one or more active instructor/student interactive methods in a remote platform, including but not limited to:

i. synchronous or asynchronous lectures and/or discussion;
ii. student communications via email, open forums or discussion boards;
iii. sessions for synchronous or asynchronous demonstrations;
iv. collaborative team/group work;
v. simulations; and/or
vi. Q&A sessions.

Instructors should select and implement remote platforms which are appropriate to the discipline and the activity for these interactions, including but are not limited to:

i. chat rooms,
ii. email,
iii. open forum and discussion boards,
iv. audio and video conferencing applications,
v. web conferencing, and/or
vi. other synchronous or asynchronous collaboration tools.

What if I am ill and cannot continue to teach remotely?

If you begin to experience flu-like symptoms, you should immediately inform your chair/director/dean. While you may be able to teach through the symptoms, you want to prepare for the possibility that you will become too ill to continue teaching remotely. If you aren’t using BlackBoard to enter your grades, you should send an updated copy of your gradebook and syllabus for each class to your chair/director/dean. If you have class assignments or exams that have not already been shared with your students, post those to BlackBoard or send a copy to your chair/director/dean. If possible, recommend to your chair/director/dean a colleague who would be qualified to take over your course.

What if I am asked by my chair/director/dean or a colleague to take over a course for a colleague who has become too ill to continue teaching remotely?

If an academic unit determines that an instructor is needed to cover a course for another instructor, instructors who may be interested in accepting such an assignment will be informed about the assignment and then decide whether they are willing and able to take over the course. If you decide that you are not willing or able to cover the course, inform your academic unit administrator of your decision immediately.

While it is not uncommon for instructors to agree to cover a course for a short period of time for a colleague who is out of town or ill, being asked to take over a colleague’s course who has become too ill to finish out the semester is a significant departure from this usual practice.

Instructors agreeing to take over another instructor’s course for a substantial period of time (more than 2.5-3 contact hours) should be suitably compensated. (The same is true where taking over a course for a short period would require extensive preparation on the part of the substitute instructor.) Academic units should first consult their Faculty Handbooks for guidance concerning these situations. The workload section and/or other sections of Faculty Handbooks may provide established parameters and processes for how academic units should handle such situations and how to calculate appropriate compensation for substitute instructors. In the absence of guidance in the Faculty Handbook, compensation could include but not be limited to: overload pay, revised responsibilities, or workload credit that can be used at an agreed upon time. In all situations, compensation for additional assigned responsibilities must comply with the terms and conditions of the applicable collective bargaining agreements and other employment contracts.

Do I need to keep the same schedule for my course if I teach a course originally scheduled face-to-face, or can I adjust my schedule?

If you are holding synchronous class sessions via BlackBoard Collaborate Ultra, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other similar platform, those meetings must be held during the time originally scheduled for your course. Scheduling synchronous class sessions for any other times is likely to conflict with your students’ other classes and personal commitments.

Can I just deliver all of my course content asynchronously?

Faculty may deliver all or part of their course content asynchronously. Asynchronous delivery has many advantages for students, including avoiding technological issues that can happen “in the moment”. In addition, it allows students to review material as often as they need to do so in order to learn what is being covered. It is still highly desirable to establish a connection with students in the course. This may take many forms, such as sending encouraging emails, sharing videos and other ways to show concern for students’ wellbeing and to decrease psychological distance.

What are the options for delivering exams?

There are many options for delivering exams and assignments (see the Keep On Teaching: How Do I page at www.kent.edu/onlineteaching/how-do-i for further information). One of the most common options is to create an exam in Blackboard or Canvas. Exams may be proctored using Proctorio (see www.kent.edu/proctoring). If a faculty member is delivering short answer or essay questions, they may wish to consider creating an assignment instead. This allows the instructor to collect all written exams in a central location, to grade these questions in the same location within Blackboard/Canvas and, if selected in settings, to use SafeAssign (Blackboard) or TurnItIn (Canvas) to compare student work with an extensive database to prevent plagiarism. Another option for delivering exams include distributing take-home exams and asking students to return them by email.

More on Proctored Testing

Do I still need to give a final exam?

Consistent with Policy 3-01.4, every course requires a final examination. Final examinations can take various formats including a final paper or student presentation. If you are changing the final examination in your course, please ensure that (a) all students are well informed about the changes through a revised syllabus, (b) the change is not negatively affecting any students in the class, or if it potentially affecting some students negatively consider an alternative arrangement for the students who are potentially negatively affected. The Department Chair/School Director should be consulted in making changes to the final examination.

Do I still give my final exam at the original time scheduled?

Consistent with Policy 3-01.4, Final examinations scheduled during Final Exam Week should occur at the time they are scheduled. Thus, if you are giving a synchronous final exam during Final Exam Week, this exam should occur only at the time the exam is scheduled.

What other aspects should I consider when giving a final exam?

In evaluating the length of the exam, particularly in situations where you are using proctoring software (e.g. Proctorio) ensure you allow sufficient time for set-up and for student ID checking.

If exams in your face-to-face class were proctored, and you are now considering an alternative to a proctored exam, please discuss these alternatives in your academic unit before proceeding.

In requiring a student ID, consider that all students have a KSU ID but not all students may have a different type of photo ID. Make sure students are aware well in advance they need to show an ID for the exam and ideally provide multiple options of ID.

If you are changing the final examination in your course, please ensure that (a) all students are well informed about the changes through a revised syllabus, (b) the change is not negatively affecting any students in the class, or if it is potentially affecting some students negatively consider an alternative arrangement for the students who are potentially negatively affected.

In making any changes/modifications to examinations check with SAS about potential accommodations students in your class may need.

What specific aspects should I consider for proctored exams?

If you are delivering a proctored exam in Blackboard or Canvas with Proctorio, consider creating a low-stakes or no-stakes practice quiz with Proctorio for practice and tech troubleshooting prior to a high-stakes exam. Also, consider sharing the following information to prepare your students prior to their first Proctorio assessment.

Top 5 Tips For Your Proctored (Proctorio) Online Exam to Share With Students

1. Tech Check! Prior to the test/quiz/exam, ensure that and the are installed and current.
2. Reboot & Refresh. Reboot your computer right before the testing session.
3. Get the Most from Your WiFi! Because of the larger numbers of Internet users at home, connectivity may be slower than usual at peak times. Right before a test, . If your bandwidth test reports a speed below 1mbps, ask other members of your household to refrain from heavy internet activities (streaming video, downloads, etc.) while you take your test. If it has been a long time since your WiFi router and/or cable modem has been rebooted, a reboot can help improve connectivity as well. Being physically close to the WiFi router often helps too.
4. During the Exam. When in an exam, allow a few extra moments for graphics and videos to download.
5. Help & Support! If you need any help with Proctorio, click on the Proctorio extension in Chrome and choose "Live Chat" or visit for chat and email support.

Since I am working remotely, and I can do that anywhere, am I required to stay in town?

No, you are not required to stay in town. During this time, if you are fulfilling your University responsibilities (e.g., teaching courses, research commitments, service commitments) and other university duties remotely, you are not considered absent from campus. However, if you travel for any reason out of state (or even to known hot spots in the state), please notify your chair/director/dean.

Can faculty and students come into their lab right now?

Faculty or Staff that have been approved as essential personnel by your College Dean and VP for research have lab access. If for any other reason you need access for essential reasons (e.g. obtain research materials that were left in the lab), please contact your Department Chair or School Director. Building access to obtain access to research labs requires approval from your Department Chair/School Director, College Dean, and VP for Research prior to building entry and will only be provided in critical and emergency situations.

ARE THERE CYBERSECURITY PRECAUTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED WITH REMOTE DELIVERY?

Yes. It is recommended that faculty use their University issued machine to conduct classes. If using a personal computer, please do not save any sensitive data to your home devices. When interacting with services, such as Banner, that contain sensitive data please use the University's VPN. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an uptick in phishing, hacking attempts, and other malicious behavior. Please be mindful of this. Do not open attachments you are not expecting and do not share your login information with anyone. For more information, please check out this site.

IS MY ONLINE MATERIAL HIPPA AND FERPA COMPLIANT?

Blackboard Learn and Collaborate Ultra platforms do meet the FERPA requirements. Please see here for the . LMS platforms, generally speaking do not meet HIPAA guidelines as they should not be used to house patient data. This is the case for Kent State University’ version of Blackboard Learn and the primary vendors: Learn Ultra, Canvas, and Desire 2 Learn. Blackboard has a statement on HIPAA in section 10.b . Most video conferencing platforms are not HIPAA compliant. Microsoft Teams and the Health Care version of Zoom are HIPAA compliant.
 

If I run into technical difficulties, who do I contact?

If you run into technical difficulties, please visit www.kent.edu/it or contact keeponteaching@kent.edu in addition to contacting your college or campus instructional designers and IT support staff for assistance.

Where do I send students for technical support?

If students need technical support, they should contact the HelpDesk (330-672-HELP), submit a request for support or use the Live Chat available at www.kent.edu/it.

How do we account for students with SAS accommodations in a remote environment?

SAS staff are working remotely during regular business hours: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students or faculty can email sas@kent.edu to set up an appointment or to arrange a phone consultation. There will be no face-to-face proctoring during the period of remote instruction, and all meetings will be conducted by phone or Microsoft Teams. Students can update or send their course accessibility letters using Access KSU using the typical process. Faculty should continue using relevant accommodations, such as extended testing time. SAS will continue to provide interpreters, transcribers, alternative media, and captioning services for students with those accommodations. If you have questions related to student accommodations in your class or if you are unsure of which accommodations will apply to remote instruction, please contact SAS at sas@kent.edu.

I am worried about being able to access online materials because I don’t have reliable internet access at home and/or have a limited data plan. What should I do?

If you do not have internet at home, please do the following: If you are at a regional campus please speak with your Dean first to see if there are options available to you from your technology team at your campus. If not, or if you are at the Kent Campus, the Division of Information Technology has a limited inventory of Internet Hotspots for students and faculty in need. Please submit a request at /ineedtech