Westfield State is adjusting to new routines and challenges as the community embarks on the path of remote learning for the remainder of spring semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the coming weeks, departments and faculty will host virtual office and coffee hours to support student needs and concerns during this challenging and unprecedented time.
Professor Emily Todd, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, hosts “Donuts with the Dean” virtually via the communication platform Zoom. The first event was held March 24, from 10 a.m. to noon.
“Students dropped in, and many of them stayed on to talk about how things are going and shared tips about taking online classes,” said Dean Todd. “We had as many as five or six of us on Zoom at a time. “We all agreed that I should keep doing ‘Donuts with the Dean’ throughout the rest of the semester, offering one drop-in session a week from now until the last week of classes.”
As more students get comfortable using virtual communication platforms such as Zoom and Skype, more virtual events on campus are beginning to unfold. Vanessa Diana, Ph.D., director of Westfield State’s Honors Program, holds a weekly Honors Program virtual coffee hour/pet therapy event every Thursday via Zoom.
“We had a few students virtually drop in last week and are hoping to get more as students get more comfortable using Zoom, or if they begin to get lonely from prolonged social isolation,” said Professor Diana. “There is no agenda to the coffee hours; just say ‘hi,’ let us know how you’re doing, and show off your pets if you’ve got them.”
The University’s Spring 2020 Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA) will also be held virtually. On May 1, CURCA will hold its first virtual celebration where the format and access will be entirely online. Students will also have the opportunity to attend a virtual workshop on March 31, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., hosted by Robert Chatt, Ph.D., assistant professor of finance. The workshop is intended for students, faculty, and staff.
Students are encouraged to participate in virtual coffee and office hours to maintain contact during this period of social isolation. The efforts are intended to connect, support, and engage members of the community without in-person contact.