Continuity Team Updates for the Week of June 29th

Dear FSU Community,

Below and attached are the Continuity Team updates for the week of 6/29. The community is invited to continue sending in thoughts and feedback to c19suggestions@framingham.edu.

Key Dates Moving Forward:

July 6th – Start of Phase III of Gov. Baker’s Reopening Plan.
July 10th – Deadline for returning resident students to withdraw from housing without penalty.
July 13th – Student bills issued.
July 15th – Start of University’s gradual repopulation of campus offices.

July 15th to August 15th:

  • Periodic repopulation as needed for ongoing work requirements and to prepare for August Repopulation (e.g.  safety preparations, install plexiglas, staff scheduling, rearrange furniture, relocations, etc…).
  • All signage established on campus.
  • Employee health & safety training conducted.
  • Telework agreements re-reviewed by supervisors to verify validity for fall 2020.


August 1st – Deadline for first-year students to withdraw from housing without penalty.
August 3rd – Student bills due date.
August 10th – Student drop for Non-payment of bills.
Week of August 16th - Deans and VPs will determine and authorize on-campus and off-campus remote service hours and the level of staffing for each area.  These schedules will be publicized via the web and on office hours.
August 26th –  Move-in date – residential life staff.
August 27th – Move-in date(s) – residential students.
September 2nd – First day of the Fall semester.

Continuity Team Updates for the Week of June 29th:

Academic Affairs Continuity Team:

  • In collaboration with ETO and CELTSS, the subcommittees on Online/Remote Learning and on Face-to-Face (F2F) Teaching will be hosting an "Unconference" on July 15th and 16th to share experiences and provide support to their colleagues.  Subcommittee members identified overlapping issues facing instructors teaching both F2F and remotely this fall. Issues include methods for building class cohesion and community both online and in split classrooms, methods for one-on-one conferencing, and small group work.  
  • The subcommittee on planning for F2F instruction will submit its final report with recommendations by July 7. 

Administrative Services Continuity Team

  • Bond Restructuring: Pricing was completed on the negotiated issuance and restructuring earlier this week (at historically low rates for MSCBA issuances) with closing scheduled for July 1; FSU FY2021 debt service deferral savings of $6.5M.
  • Classroom Space Review: Review completed that identifies revised room capacity per social distancing guidance; this information is being used by Academic Affairs and the Registrar’s Office in ongoing class scheduling efforts.
  • CARES Federal Student Aid Funding: Distribution to students of the $1.95M in designated funds is currently occurring.

Broad Spectrum Continuity Team:

  • The group established a subgroup to better refine the types and locations of signage for both public locations and private offices. Signage will be in place no later than mid-August to coincide with repopulation of the campus.
  • The need for assigned seating in classrooms and laboratories was identified to aid in contact tracing – the issue was referred to the Academic Continuity Team for review and determination on procedures.
  • The group questioned the availability of temporary facemasks in academic or other buildings for individuals who have forgotten theirs.  After the conclusion of the meeting, it was confirmed that there will be a supply of temporary facemasks in classrooms that will be available for distribution in classrooms.
  • The group discussed student responses to recent communications from the University including inquiries re:  locations for students between classes that will accommodate appropriate social distancing and concerns about percentages of both online and on campus course offerings.

Enrollment Management Continuity Team:

  • Remote Learning Video: The Enrollment Management COVID Working Group charged Sue Dargan and Larry McKenna to produce a brief video highlighting our faculties’ intentional approach to authentic remote/hybrid/on-line teaching for Fall 2020. The intent of the video is to show students that their educational opportunities are not diminished by the remote nature of our instruction, and hence increase enrollment for the semester. Thanks to the enthusiastic response of ETO and the Office of Communications, we have a pipeline built to accomplish this, hopefully for July 17 release.
  • We are drafting an FAQ for faculty and staff on how to have a supportive conversation with any undergraduate student who contacts an FSU community member and inquires about taking a Leave of Absence or withdrawing.  This document will contain basic process information for how to make sure a student understands all their options, such as going part-time or switching to an evening course.  In addition, the FAQ will help guide students to available resources (e.g., financial aid) should they decide to make changes to their enrollment. 

Instructional Continuity Team:

  • Equipping Classrooms: A project proposal to equip 34 classrooms on campus with added video conferencing capability (a.k.a. "Logitech Meetup") to broadcast live audio and video from classroom proceedings was reviewed and discussed.  The new Logitech Meetup units will be integrated with any pre-existing audio visual equipment in the classrooms as well as Zoom, Panopto, and Blackboard software when they are implemented which will allow classroom sessions to be recorded for Students to access and review any time after the live session
  • Virtual Access to Software for Students: We reviewed and discussed a second project proposal as well.  This one will make selective software applications available to students from remote locations with access to the Internet that they may need for certain courses, through what is referred to as "Virtual Apps," that they would otherwise need to download onto their computer or physically go to a computer lab on campus to access.  Upon successful completion of this project, students will be able to utilize selective virtual apps from devices that may not normally have the ability to run the software at all.  It will also allow students to access virtual apps without having to come to the campus and use a computer within one of the general purpose or specialty labs. 

Student Programs and Support Continuity Team:

  • Athletics is waiting to hear final word from the Council of Presidents about fall Athletics. We should hear on July 15th.
  • SILD staff are working on a plan for a virtual welcome in the fall to replace Black and Gold Beginnings. Staff met with the SGA e-board to talk about how we want to get other students engaged. Guidelines were sent to student organizations about expectations and structures if they are active, as well as what groups can do on hiatus.
  • The Dean of Students office and Campus Engagement is working on a messaging campaign about Campus Life and COVID like safety and health precautions and various other protocols. The focus would be on larger topics to push out via social messaging over the summer to prepare students for the changed campus culture. By the time students arrive on campus, the hope is they have heard some of the different messages.