Submit your issues and/or questions here and we will post them on this site.

Please note: issues/questions can be submitted anonymously.

If you have input/suggestions to help with an issue posted here, please email Beth Wallis (wallis@oakland.edu) and she will add it to the feedback posted on this page.

Question:

"This is not yet urgent, but: Has anyone heard about the bookstore's plans for classes that start in May? If the campus bookstore is not available--virtually or physically--any advice on summer books? Is it ok to assign books that students would have to get from Amazon or other sites (provided they continue to operate)? Some forms of financial aid don't usually reimburse students for anything bought from places other than the campus bookstore. OER are ok for some purposes but not ideal for all."

(March 24, 2020)

Answer, from Provost's Office Email Update of March 27:

• Thank you for getting your summer textbook orders in – 90% of orders have been placed to date. If you are among the 10% who have not placed an order, please do so very soon.
  

• We have met with Jessica Wojcik from the campus bookstore to clarify how students will be able to purchase their books. Students can place orders online. Barnes and Noble is shipping books without a shipping charge. They already ship books to students, so this is not a new process.
  

• Please note that Amazon orders are slower than normal – you may wish to warn students about this. They are reportedly prioritizing health related orders.
  

• Many publishers and vendors are providing free, temporary access to online teaching and learning resources, and a list of those options is available here. You might also want to check with Barnes and Noble.

Question, from Beth Wallis, AAUP VP:

Google announced last week that they are rolling out extended meeting capacity for all their GSuite users to 250 people, which is usually only available to their premium customers. We've been in touch with UTS, and they can't confirm whether OU has been included yet in the rollout because their admin dashboards won't show that change. Has anyone yet tried to use Google Meet for a high-capacity meeting or synchronous class session?

(March 16, 2020)

Question:

"I would like to have a supervised exam without passing additional costs onto the students. I know and like ProctorU, but when I use ProctorU the students are warned about it when the register for the class. With my in-person classes moved online, I’m not sure how eliminate cheating. I’m aware of the tips such as times questions, randomizing questions, etc., but I think these should be used with a proctor. Any suggestions that allow for supervised exams without passing the cost onto students?"

(March 13, 2020)

Answer, from Amy Pollard, AAUP President:

At this point, OU will not be taking on the cost of ProctorU or any similar exam-monitoring program as the costs across the University would be too high. OU also agrees that students should not be asked to take on any additional costs related to exam proctoring. The Administration is still urging two courses of action:

1. Use Moodle exam and the options within it as described in the question such as randomized questions and timing limits.

2. Use alternate means of assessment that do not require proctoring and simply eliminate the final exam in its entirety.

We continue to communication with the Administration and eLIS services to see if any other viable solutions can be brought to the table. Administration plans to gather a group, including faculty, to discuss final exam issues and we will report back to you any more information we gather through that.

(March 15, 2020)

Last updated March 31, 2020 at 1:45 pm