Dear Friends:
We are in extraordinary times. With each day, we are learning how resilient we are. Yes – we have a new day-to-day reality. But our constant mission continues: to bring an environment of stability and continuity to the students, faculty and staff who still need to finish the spring semester.
Over the past couple of weeks, the University, and the administration at the School of Engineering have instituted initiatives aimed at creating safe and healthy surroundings for everyone, while maintaining our daily operations. Those initiatives include, but are not limited to:
- Transferring all classes to an online-only format for the remainder of the semester, as well as giving students the option of transitioning their grade to pass/fail, where applicable.
- All staff are working remotely, adhering to the recent guidelines from the State and University.
- All lab work has ceased. All of our researchers have been instructed to switch to tasks that can be done from home (research writing, data analysis, proposal submissions).
- All Engineering student workers will receive their normal pay, regardless of the circumstances they now face.
- As of a few days ago, there has been an outpouring of medical equipment donations from our faculty members, which has been sent to UConn Health.
- Although all lab-based research has ceased, we are using this opportunity to double the volume of research proposals that are normally generated by faculty in the School of Engineering. We were inspired to do this based on the story of Isaac Newton, who in 1666, during the time of the Bubonic Plague, went into self-isolation, and produced some of his greatest discoveries.
This list is certainly not exhaustive and there will undoubtedly be more tough decisions to come. However, I pledge to you that the School of Engineering has been, and will continue to be, open and transparent with you during this process. Please let me know if you have any questions.
I wish you all good health over the next several weeks.
Kazem Kazerounian
Dean, UConn School of Engineering
