Winthrop, COVID-19, Week III: March 23-March 29, 2020

Greetings Winthrop!

Biggie is loving this.

This is the first of a weekly post for all students. So as not to flood your inboxes with post after post as news comes in I am collecting and curating important items to share with you just once a week. Happy to report that my office hours by appointment are back, virtually! Please go to my scheduling link and book a time, you will be prompted to choose how you'd like to connect: Zoom, Google Hangout or a phone call! I'm also working on holding open office hours virtually so stay tuned!

Let this blog be a simple thing you can rely on as part of your routine, as a resource for news, important information from the College and -- most importantly -- for recommendations for caring for yourself in these times. And in that spirit, see the below listed in order of significance:

DEADLINES

• Seniors! The May Degree Application is Open! -- Students can apply through the My Program tab of my.harvard.edu, deadline is April 1st!

• If you would like to drop a course, or change your grading status in a course, please fill out this form by April 13th.

YOUR HEALTH

• Stay At Home Online Music Festivals!

• YMCA Health & Fitness Videos

• Netflix Parties!

• Learn Everything!

For more things to make you smile see here.

GRATITUDE

• UNC Press via Project Muse

• Audible: free audiobooks!

• NASA MAKES THEIR ENTIRE MEDIA LIBRARY PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE AND COPYRIGHT FREE

• Erykah Badu Announces Live Streamed Quarantine Concert Series

ACADEMICS

• Seniors! The May Degree Application is Open! -- Students can apply through the My Program tab of my.harvard.edu, deadline is April 1st!

• Drop a course, change in grading status

• All Academic Resource Center services are now available online via Zoom.

• Accessing The Internet

• Learning Remotely

• Frequently Asked Questions

An Important Message From the Office of Undergraduate Education:

1. How many courses can a student take P/F this semester? The Educational Policy Committee (a body of faculty, students, and staff) will be meeting this Tuesday (24 March) to determine the answer to this.

2. Can a student switch their Expos course to P/F, use a P/F course to fulfill their language requirement, or take more than one P/F Gen Ed? The EPC will also decide this on Tuesday 24 March.

3. When does a student need to choose to take P/F? They have until 13 April, and we strongly encourage them to use that time to settle into their new rhythm, see how remote learning is going, and only then make the choice that's right for them.

4. Will P/F courses count for concentration credit? That's a matter each department will decide for itself. Students should consult the DUS of the relevant department for more information.

5. Will Harvard follow other schools in mandating that all courses be SAT/ UNSAT (or follow the student proposal that they all be A/A-)? The EPC will decide that next Tuesday (31 March).

6. Are instructors permitted to change the time their course is meeting? Ordinarily, we wouldn't allow this. However, under these extraordinary circumstances, we're encouraging faculty to be flexible so that they can accommodate their students. And a change in time is often the best way to enable students around the globe to participate in a course. If a student has a conflict with the new time, they should let the instructor know so that alternate arrangements can be made for them to engage with the course. Otherwise, we'll rely on them to show a flexibility that will enable their classmates to learn.

RESOURCES (local and beyond)

• A Very Important Message from The Office of Sexual Assault and Prevention Response (OSAPR)

• Support during Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Boston Area Rape Crisis Center)

• COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Communities

• Chrome Extensions For Struggling Students And Special Needs (from Control Alt Achieve)

• Apply Today For The Scholly COVID-19 Student Relief Fund (SCHOLLY)

GOODREADS

• The Covid-19 crisis is a chance to do capitalism differently (The Guardian)

• How to Be Lonely: It’s not just a negative state to be vanquished. There’s magic in it too. (The New York Times, free-access on coronavirus topics)

• Welcome To Your Hastily Prepared Online College Course (Mcsweeney's)

• I'm a Senior at Howard University Leaving Campus Because of the Coronavirus. Here's What That Looks Like (The Root)

• ‘WRITE IT DOWN’: HISTORIAN SUGGESTS KEEPING A RECORD OF LIFE DURING PANDEMIC (UVA)

• A plea from an emergency physician on the front lines (KevinMD.com)

• Philadelphia didn't cancel a parade during a 1918 pandemic. The results were devastating (CNN)

You have been through and will continue to experience so much change right now. And that is more than okay. We are all learning and being reminded of the one thing we all share: the ability to adapt. That is not to be put or considered lightly. It's a lot, it is heavy. You will change from this. Let this be a part of your story.

Onward,

DC

p.s. our wonderful Faculty Deans and Resident Tutors are currently brainstorming and planning on some fantastic and fun e-programming for the House. Please stay tuned for news from Grant and Kirin about virtual meditation and yoga sessions!

p.p.s if you've made it this far, thank you. also, a helpful reminder: