Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – November 2023

We are just a few weeks away from the end of the fall 2023 semester, which means we are wrapping up classes with final exams, closing out projects from the semester, and preparing for a well-deserved holiday break. I hope that you all will find time to do things you enjoy, whether it be spending time with loved ones, relaxing and unwinding, or working on projects you didn’t have time for during the semester.

The end of the semester can be a stressful time for students as they take final exams and complete semester-long projects or presentations. UConn offers many resources to help students prepare for success academically and personally in the event you are in a position to help. The Q-Center and W-Center are excellent resources for support with both quantitative classes and writing classes. If your student needs to reschedule an exam, they can work with the Dean of Students office. If they need an accommodation for an exam or final evaluation of any kind, they should contact the Center for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible. Finally, Student Health and Wellness offers many programs and events to help students cope with stress and support their health, from meditation and yoga to pet therapy.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention what a stressful and busy time this can be for our staff and faculty. I want to remind you to take care of yourselves and your colleagues. Human Resources recently offered this good advice:

Supporting Yourself

Recognize your limits.

At times, it's important to recognize our limits and understand that we may not always be as efficient as usual - and that's completely okay. The key is to plan accordingly, show ourselves kindness, and ask for support when needed.

Engage in healthy activities.

Basic self-care makes a significant difference during stressful times. Taking breaks while working and connecting with colleagues can help us recharge and stay focused. It is also crucial to find what brings us joy and incorporate it into our daily routine. Whether it's engaging in spiritual practices, meditating, listening to music, or going for a walk, doing things that feel good is essential for our overall well-being.

Find community support.

Attending community events or informal gatherings with friends can be a way to process grief, fear, and other difficult feelings. Sharing our experiences helps to reduce the intensity of our emotional distress. Experiencing empathy and understanding from others helps us know we are not alone.

Move your body.

Additionally, moving our bodies can be a powerful tool for stress relief. When we experience stress, our muscles tend to tense up. Engaging in physical movement, such as stretching or self-massaging, helps release tension and process emotions.

I look forward to seeing you all when we return in the fall and wish you all the best in this holiday season!

Center for Students with Disabilities FAQ

The Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) oversees accommodations for students who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Accommodations are academic adjustments, modifications and/or auxiliary aids and services applied to elements of a student’s postsecondary program to help compensate for the student’s impairment(s) and provide equal access for students with disabilities. If a student is granted an accommodation by the CSD, instructors are legally obligated to provide it. Instructors do have the right to respond to CSD to discuss the accommodation(s) if they believe they are not feasible or will fundamentally alter the class pedagogy or learning objectives. Click here to view a FAQ on the top 10 Accommodations Questions for Instructors to learn more.

If you have questions about meeting a student’s accommodations, call the Disability service Professional (DSP) named on the accommodation letter at 860-486-2020

The CSD also offers daily drop-in opportunities, both in person and on WebEx.

Reading Days

Reading Days are Saturday and Sunday, December 9 and 10, and Thursday, December 14. Per the University Senate By-Laws, the intent of Reading Days is as follows:

Reading Days are protected time for students to prepare for the final exam and assessment period. Instructors shall not require any course-related activity, assessment, or submission of work on Reading Days. Instructors may use Reading Days for optional activities, such as office hours.

While an instructor cannot initiate required course-related activity, assessments, or submission of work on Reading Days, instructors have the option to accommodate student requests for required work and/or examinations to be rescheduled for a Reading Day.

Reading Days restrictions do not include responsibilities with external placements, such as clinical positions and internships.

Final Exams

Final exams begin on Monday, December 11 and end on Sunday, December 17.

In very limited instances, undergraduate students may request rescheduling for an exam. They must make such a request through the Dean of Students Office for the Storrs campus or each regional campus student services office, and as early as possible. The reasons for such a request include “bunched” finals and immediate illness. A student whose absence is excused by the Dean of Students Office or regional student services staff shall have an opportunity to take a final without penalty. Please consult the Dean of Students website and the Registrar’s website for further detail.

***Please note, the above does not apply to the School of Law, School of Medicine, or School of Dental Medicine.***

Faculty Office Hours in Dining Halls

The Provost’s Office is partnering with Dining Services to continue the program for faculty to host their office hours in dining halls in the spring semester. We have learned from our students that attending office hours in faculty offices can feel formal and intimidating. We want students to feel comfortable talking to their instructors and provide an opportunity for a more casual interaction to build community between our students and their instructors. We are asking for instructors who are willing to participate and are specifically looking for instructors who are teaching large lectures at the 1000 or 2000 level, where students may not get as much direct interaction. Instructors will be provided with lunch.

Contact provost@uconn.edu to get involved.

Interfolio Faculty Activity Reporting

As you know, UConn has contracted with Interfolio for the Review, Promotion and Tenure (RPT) and Dossier modules which were implemented over the last year. We are excited to announce that we will now be adding Faculty Activity Reporting (FAR) which will replace HuskyDM for faculty activity information storage and reporting. The implementation and roll-out are being managed by the offices of Budget, Planning and Institutional Research and the Provost. The roll-out of FAR will take place late in the spring semester. More information on this implementation and how faculty can get involved will be coming soon.

Winter Weather Reminders

The following guidance applies to all UConn locations except UConn Health, which has its own relevant policies.

How you’ll know UConn’s status:

When we determine it is necessary to cancel or delay classes, or to change business operations at the University, we’ll notify the UConn community as quickly as possible.
When storms occur overnight, we try to make this notification by 5 a.m. Sometimes conditions change rapidly, however, and we might need to adjust decisions about class schedules and business operations on short notice.
The UConnALERT webpage (http://alert.uconn.edu) is the definitive source of information about the University’s operating status.
UConn community members at all locations, excluding UConn Health, can also check the 24-hour emergency closing information number: 860-486-3768.
The University notifies the media about operating changes at UConn’s campuses, but we cannot guarantee that details provided by news outlets represent the most current or complete information.

What stays open, what might change:

If classes are cancelled, this applies to all classes -- including those online.
UConn follows suit if the Governor closes state agencies, releases state employees from work, or restricts road travel due to weather conditions.
Certain essential operations continue despite inclement weather, including public safety, residential and dining services, health services, animal care, facility maintenance, and other critical services.
Decisions about whether to continue or cancel specific services, such as transportation, are made on a case-by-case basis depending on existing conditions and needs.
The Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, UConn Athletics, and other units that sponsor events and activities decide independently whether to continue or cancel their events, and you should contact them directly with questions.

Academic operations:

If the University has not announced a delay or cancellation of classes, faculty are expected to hold their classes as scheduled in the modality originally advertised.
In circumstances when a faculty member determines that they cannot travel safely to campus, the faculty member must notify all students in the class in a timely manner along with their dean and department head.
Faculty must not preemptively cancel class before the University decides and announces whether UConn’s normal schedule will be changed.
Students should contact their professors as soon as possible if they must miss a class or other activity due to weather conditions.
Faculty should respect the decisions of commuting students who decide not to travel to campus or to leave class early to get home safely, and should provide options for them to make up missed work.

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