Dean's Community Message

August 7, 2020

Dear College of Engineering Community,

I’m back! I want to thank Senior Associate Dean Anthony Atchley for stepping in for me on these emails for the past week. I want you all to know that these emails are the product of a number of great people in the college; I’m very fortunate to have such a strong team helping lead!

As you are certainly aware, there is a lot of information being shared in the lead up to the start of the fall semester. I know it can feel overwhelming at times, but I encourage you to stay engaged and stay informed. Bookmark the University’s FAQs, which are regularly being updated, as well as the Keep Learning and Keep Teaching websites. If you have lingering questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to our college response team at L-COE_CORONA_CRISIS_TEAM@engr.psu.edu.

I also need to remind everyone that we are focused on prioritizing health and safety above everything else, but this requires everyone’s help. If you have anything that could be viewed as a possible COVID-19 symptom (see below) — please use even more caution before going anywhere and in how you might interact with others! We all have an important role and must take individual responsibility seriously. We have had some members of our college community test positive, and it is on all of us to try to prevent the virus from spreading further.

Today’s quote, from undergraduate student Divisha Singh, highlights the importance of mindset in times of uncertainty. Please continue to submit your own quotes!

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”
—Marcus Aurelius

Here are today’s updates:

Reminder: Engineering Staff Town Hall

Joining me on Monday at 10:00 a.m. for a virtual town hall focused on engineering staff questions and concerns will be Anthony Atchley, Matt Zerphy, and Angela Pope. I encourage all staff in the college to join the discussion.

COVID-19: Know the Symptoms

To help limit the spread of COVID-19, it is critical to monitor your health and to know the signs. As of today in the Penn State Go mobile app, faculty and staff have access to a COVID-19 symptom checker, which is to be used prior to coming to campus. Details on the student symptom checker, which is to go live in the app on Aug. 10, will be made available soon. I encourage you to download the Penn State Go app now if you have not already done so. In the meantime, make sure you know the range of COVID-19 symptoms, which includes fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. Individuals with one of more of these symptoms should self-isolate immediately and contact their personal healthcare provider.

Teaching Tip #32 – Classroom Tours and Technology Orientation for Faculty

If you are teaching in a General Purpose Classroom (GPC) this fall, you can request an in-room technology orientation from a university technician by emailing your request to techclass@psu.edu. If you are not sure whether your classroom is a GPC, consult this list. Additional classroom technology training resources will be posted to the Office for Digital Learning Remote Teaching Website.

Have a great weekend!

Justin Schwartz
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering