I want to thank you for your commitment to our students today as we responded to the labor demonstration. I know our students earnestly value your efforts on their behalf. I understand it was a challenging day for some people in our campus community. Like today, we hope to provide guidance in the early morning hours.
As we approach tomorrow and the uncertainty it brings in being able to access our campus, I want to share again the options you have for ensuring instructional delivery.
Unit heads are authorized to reschedule or relocate a class in order to ensure effective delivery of the academic program. Rescheduling or relocation can be arranged in advance, but must follow established practice and accommodate the needs of the instructor and all students in the class, keeping in mind that students may have difficulty finding transportation to or from main campus. Please remember that it is policy that unit heads and instructors may not preemptively cancel classes. Instructors who are not able to teach a scheduled course during the strike should seek authorization from their unit head, who may make alternative arrangements for the course.
Information Technology Services (ITS) has provided a solution for our instructors and students to continue their scheduled learning when the possibility of physical presence is not available. The video communication software Zoom is used throughout UC Santa Cruz and, in some classes, may meet the needs for an immediate temporary solution. Instructors and students should reach out to the Disability Resource Center for support and assistance with accessibility needs.
In advance, it is recommended that instructors go through the attached quick set of self-help directions.
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The instructor will need to follow the directions in Sections A-E on the self-help directions to start a Zoom session for their class.
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If the instructor wants to delegate the management of the Zoom session to a TA, they will need to follow the last bullet of Section D Step 4 (where "TACruzID" is replaced with the TA's actual CruzID).
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Students can access the meeting through instructions provided in Section F
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Instructions for managing the Zoom session are in Section G.
Instructors should also review the information the ITS Faculty Instructional Technology Center (FITC) has provided to ensure the best possible outcome for their teaching scenarios.
I appreciate your efforts during this time, and I remain hopeful that the UC system and the labor union will soon come to a mutually agreeable resolution. Questions should be directed to your department chair, program chair, or college provost.
Additional information about the planned strike will be available online at ucsc.edu/advisory.
