Dean's Community Message

October 9, 2020

Dear College of Engineering Community,

I hope you are doing well. As we head into another weekend, I thought this quote submitted by undergraduate student Muthu Nagesh was perfect.

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”
—Winnie-the-Pooh creator A.A. Milne

This weekend, I hope you find some space to recharge and do nothing, too. Here are a few updates to close out the week.

Walk-Up Testing Site Change

Beginning today, Penn State’s walk-up COVID-19 testing location at University Park is moving from the HUB Parking Deck to the main concourse of Pegula Ice Arena. Asymptomatic students may access the testing site seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Penn State also is offering asymptomatic on-demand COVID-19 testing for University Park employees who are listed in the University’s Return to Work database. The Pegula testing center is open for employees only from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Employees in the Return to Work database may also walk up at any time during the center’s normal operating hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Learn more via yesterday’s Penn State News story.

Reminder: Keep Engaging Fall Webinar Series

The University has launched a webinar series intended for staff and instructors who support the ongoing empowerment, engagement and well-being of Penn State students. The “Keep Engaging” Fall Webinar Series will be delivered via Zoom, from noon to 1:00 p.m. every Monday through Monday, Nov. 16. Access is available at this link. Monday’s webinar theme is Supporting Students in Building their Spring 2021 Schedules.

Teaching Tip #48 - Mid-semester Feedback on Teaching Effectiveness

Given the current COVID-19 environment and the fact that many are teaching in a different format than typical, collecting mid-semester feedback can be especially important. The College of Engineering provides a questionnaire called the Engineering Feedback on Teaching Evaluation (EFTE) for faculty to collect mid-semester feedback. To access the EFTE, email the Leonhard Center (leonhardcenter@engr.psu.edu). If you would like to discuss the results from the EFTE, please contact Stephanie Cutler (slc5822@psu.edu). Remember, if you choose to collect mid-semester feedback, we recommend discussing the results with your students as it is important to let your students know that you value their feedback.

Take care!

Justin Schwartz
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering