Spring Break Monday

[Bill Maurer]

Dear all,

I hope everyone managed to find a little time for some rest this
weekend. And here we are, in what is probably the strangest spring
"break" we'll ever have.  A few items as we start the week:

1) From here on out, all teaching-related messages will be sent to the
"TeachingNow" email list instead of this email list. Andy Hill and his
team have created it just for those faculty and lecturers who are teaching
in the spring, along with faculty instructional coaches, and our special
advisor Janet DiVincenzo. When there are teaching messages that are also
relevant to grad student TAs, we'll include all grad students, too.

2) Associate Dean McBride has issued a survey for those faculty members
who wish to request a "Critical Research Exemption Request" related
to the Vice Chancellor for Research's directive on Friday that all
research activities in campus facilities be suspended. Please understand
that given the definition of "critical" it is likely that most such
exemption requests from the social and behavioral sciences will not
be approved unless they involve clinical trials, biological samples,
or animal research.

3) Now that our computing staff is wrapping up a heroic effort to
get all of our staff and faculty set up to telecommute effectively,
per the interim Provost’s directive they will no longer be on campus
for in-person advice.  Please continue to reach them at sscs@uci.edu or
(949) 824-5476. Faculty members can make appointments to record lectures
in room SSPB 1222 and computing staff will be available by phone or Zoom
to assist them.

We have been asked to again stress to all faculty and staff: please only
make visits to campus to pick up essential items from your office or to
record a lecture for teaching.  No one should be working in their office
or making daily visits unless you are on the essential personnel list
with Campus Security.

All Social Science buildings will now be “closed,” which means they
will be locked just as they are on weekends.  If you need access and
you don’t have a key please contact Becky Avila or Gregory Gallardo
to make arrangements to get into your building.

4) There is an All Staff Meeting tomorrow at 10:30am. I'll see the staff
there! The Zoom info has been distributed already.

5) I will once again hold open Office Hours this Thursday, from 3-4pm. It
was really nice to see people last week during the office hours, and
to have a wide ranging conversation on a number of topics. But also:
it was just nice to see people. It seems worthwhile to continue to do
this, at least for the time being, for the sake of social connection in
this time of social distancing. Gianna will send the Zoom link again,
with a reminder, on Thursday. Zoom: https://uci.zoom.us/j/987424509

In honor of spring break I will not be wearing neckties to Zoom meetings
this week. That's my concession to the spring break spirit. But NEXT
week-- watch out for videoconference-ready neck wear!

Good luck with everything this week and for those of you actually on
"break," do try to find some actual break time.

Warmly,
Bill