There will have to be more assignment for the students to do independently. This will encourage more research and critical thinking.

Need to emphasize quality teaching

There is still confusion about the extended time until grades are due so the university needs to provide better messaging on that. I have seen faculty discuss dropping writing assignments because of the abbreviate calendar not realizing such assignments can be due after Thanksgiving and still be included.

We're reducing the number of events and engagement opportunities, and we're pausing most non-essential committee/planning work because of the added responsibilities that online/virtual teaching will place on faculty and graduate students.

It will be most challenging because everything is condensed without a real break (after a summer that did not allow for the usual time/travel for resting and recuperating). This will be especially difficult to have advising condensed, add in some programming around BLM, and manage students in need of more guidance and reassurance than normal.

So, the plan is to be mindful of these extra demands and build the semester plan to accommodate them ahead of time. I'm advocating for a "less can be more" approach to acknowledge that these are difficult times--in one way or another--for most people.

Since there are no breaks during the semester - I am going to encourage faculty and staff to take time for self care; schedule some time each week as non-work time (esp. for faculty who often work on weekends). Recognize that people's energy will be spread thin in the fall - as teaching prep and instructional time will increased - so less other things can get done. So, setting priorities and making decisions about what needs to get done in a unit vs. what would be nice to accomplish is going to be crucial. In terms of projects with external partners - being realistic about what can happen and managing expectations will be crucial.

Faculty are feeling very anxious about the fall, the uncertainly of being on campus, and the abbreviated calendar. As such, we are going to pass on holding a fall retreat (typically we host a 1/2 day meeting) and instead hold a few key meeting across the semester. I am developing a list of departments initiatives to share with faculty and we will determine what must be handled this Fall, what can wait until the Spring, and what can be considered in the next academic year.

We need to find the right mix of programming to engage our students, alumni and community partners, while not overburdening faculty, students and partners.

I also hope to create small faculty clusters within our department so we everyone has a 'team' to turn to for support if someone needs support to fill in for their courses.

I don't see many problems with it.

As a new chair I have concerns but lack suggestions.

I don't have a concern about the calendar.

A faculty did express a concern to me that there's less instructional time.

Work as hard as we can to follow the changed abbreviated academic calendar.

I learned through the spring and summer how important prioritization is and how to work with calendar reminders. many of my colleagues are, of course, also stressed out, but there are some that will step up and take over certain tasks that I would normally take on.

I don't see any great issue with this. I've already communicated with everyone in the department to make them aware, and have not had any issues come up.