(from 29 July 2020 email)

Dear Everyone:

This is the “more” regarding fall 20 promised in my brief note yesterday.

First, three admin items of note, please:

1. Karl Steel has graciously agreed to chair the Curriculum Committee for us for the coming AY.  (I’d previously and mistakenly identified John Brenkman in that capacity; the error is entirely mine!  with thanks to Karl and John both for being gracious about my gaffe.)

2. I’ve bcc’d faculty and students to this message. If you’ve not yet subscribed to the English listserv, please do so, as for general sorts of things, I’ll post only to the listserv.  (You can opt to get digests of messages so as to reduce email volume, fyi.)

3. Friday Forums!  If you’d like to propose an event for the fall schedule, with apologies for the short window, please complete this form by 1 September 2020: https://forms.gle/3khuFk1HbqjSkAas8

Three things to bear in mind in proposing something: a) all our programming will be online; 2) there is no money to pay honoraria; and 3) the proposed events need not be for a Friday despite the title of this series.  (Friday Forum Committee, separate message to follow.)

Okay, so, with regard to more, some further information:

regarding enrollment in consortium courses/of consortium students:  I learned from our registrar, Vin DeLuca, that we should have more information next week regarding the pause on processing of consortium enrollment, so, students, please hang in there a bit longer, and faculty, likewise for those who’ve written to you about taking your class.  Until all of the consortium schools had decided on fall modalities, it wasn’t possible for consortium registration to happen.  I gather that we’re now all getting to a more definitive state of things for fall…more, of course, as/when I know more.

regarding international students: International students continuing in the program are, as noted before, good to go.  Incoming international students, however, will have some decisions to make.  Interim Provost Julia Wrigley wrote to that cohort to explain that “On July 24, 2020,  ICE released updated SEVP policy guidance and updated SEVP FAQ’s for the fall 2020 semester.  According to the current ICE SEVP Policy Guidance, newly admitted international students are not eligible to enter the US in F-1 status to enroll in a program of study that will be offered entirely online.”  Incoming international students will be able to start their programs fully on line, with tuition remission but without stipends or health insurance; or, they may postpone their start dates.  In both cases, they will retain 10 semesters of fellowship support, for whenever they are able to secure the requisite visa (which would allow for the issuance of a ssn, necessary for payment and health insurance).  (Incoming international students were also offered the option of reapplying for a future year.)

We will of course work with our incoming students to figure things out as makes best sense for each of them. We’ll also fold this circumstance into our course designing conversations such that, e.g., we can be attentive to such matters as different time zones as need be.

regarding budget: The GC is presently working on a month-to-month budget allocation model.  I understand that CUNY does not yet have a budget allocation from the state, and obviously until it does, the GC can’t either. 

regarding course design: Separately, I’ll be writing to the faculty soon to set up a time to talk course design. We’re making the turn into August this week, and especially because of access and availability matters, how that we know we’re fully on line, we’ll dive more fully in.  Please fold into your broad thinking/planning about your courses the ongoing difficulties both students and faculty will face regarding availability of and access to texts.  The GC library remains closed for in person visits and for borrowing materials, but is very much open in working with us in creating course reserves and the like.

regarding building access: I’ve posted the message/information from Human Resources regarding the protocols for accessing the GC right now here, for convenience sake:

https://fwiw.commons.gc.cuny.edu/gc-building-access-fyi/.  Please bear in mind the exposure and vulnerability of building operations and security staff as you’re thinking about whether you need to enter the building, as well as transit system workers, sanitation workers, and so on.  No moralizing intended, truly — I went in early summer to retrieve books and files and know that others have gone, too — genuinely just a reminder to myself as much as anyone else about how thoroughly entangled our seemingly individual decisions are.  If nothing else, pandemic surely teaches us that….

That’s all for now.  Another Just One Thing will follow soon, and more on all sorts of things as we approach the new year.  In the meantime and as always, abundant well wishes!

Kandice