Dear Computer Science Students -
JMU has recently published its Reopening Plan and Student Expectations for the fall. While you will continue to receive emails from the University outlining protocols and expectations for the fall semester, we wanted to take a moment to speak about our hopes for our department.
We hope you all know that we strive to create a supportive and collaborative environment in our department: our faculty’s open doors, our TAs’ assistance, our commitment to regularly providing stacks of pizza and opportunities to connect you with research, internships, and professional development. We know that you are in a very challenging and rewarding major, and we champion your hard work and success.
At our core, Computer Scientists are problem solvers. We know that elegant solutions are the product of great creativity and hard work. We know that our discipline values sharing and collaboration because it is only through working together that we can forge new ground and solve new problems. We know that one error can break the whole program and that it takes diligence and commitment to see projects through to completion.
So we believe that your training in CS has particularly prepared you for the challenge we are facing in the fall, and that when we ask for your help, you will not only answer the call, but be a model to other students. We’re looking to you to make the choices each day that keep our community safe:
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Always Wear a Mask. Unless you’re eating or sleeping, you should be wearing a mask. Masks must be properly secured to cover your nose and mouth. See the CDC’s Guidelines on appropriate face coverings.
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Maintain Distance. Keep six feet whenever possible, even when wearing a mask.
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Socialize Safely. The parties will have to wait. Do not attend gatherings of more than 10 people.
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Support each Other. Encourage those making the right choices. Call out dangerous behaviors you see. Be a role model. Be generous with your kindness and check in on your classmates.
We’re learning now that getting through this virus will not be a sprint but a marathon. And we can’t begin to describe how sad we are that the Coronavirus is robbing you of the experience we wanted you to have during one of your few years at JMU. But we can’t return to the life we had in February -- not yet. We will need to adapt, we will need to be diligent, and we will need to do what’s right for our community.
We know that our faculty, staff, and immunocompromised members on campus are most vulnerable. For them, our students’ actions on and off campus are truly a matter of life and death. So we are turning to you to ask that you bring the same tenacity and adaptability you bring to your studies to playing your part during this pandemic.
We strongly suggest you have the following to be prepared for all forms of education to keep yourself and others safe:
- A webcam so you can be seen on zoom or other video platforms
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Internet access that supports video. JMU Library has suggestions for acquiring Internet access if you are concerned about your connectivity
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A supply of face masks so you have plenty of backups
Routines that can help you each day on campus:
- Fully charge your laptop and/or other devices.
- Bring an extra mask and a travel hand sanitizer. Face masks are required in the building at all times. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout campus but a personal supply may be needed at times.
- Allow more time to arrive at your classes. There will be signage throughout the ISAT/CS Building regarding traffic flow and capacity of rooms. Some areas will be closed because of lack of space for safe social distancing. The CS classrooms and labs will have signage detailing when the rooms are available for use.
We will be looking for new and unique ways to connect and continue our community and student programs - we already have a few things in the works. And while we know that life will be different, we are excited to explore innovative approaches to support our community.
