Follow this page for all the messaging sent to members of the Longhorn community from the Vick Center.
A Message from Dean Iverson
March 22
“They did not know that they were about to enter…the Twilight Zone.” That was a famous line voiced by narrator Rod Serling in the introduction to each episode of a sci-fi TV show from my childhood. Well, now the entire world can relate to that line! At the risk of rubbing it in, I also know this is supposed to be your Spring Break. Instead, you are most likely hunkered down like the rest of the world, waiting for this wave of infections to pass through. My heart goes out to each of you who had to give up on some great plans.
You may have heard, last week I was one of the earliest to test positive for COVID-19 in the Austin area. My wife tested positive as well. I had not been traveling out of state and I have no idea where we were exposed. Fortunately, out of an abundance of caution, we were already in a proactive self-isolation prior to two days before symptoms appeared, so we are hopeful that we did not spread it any further. We have been in our house ever since and will remain here until we get the all-clear. We are both doing fine, although this has not been a fun time. I am glad the world is taking this seriously, our human immune systems have never seen this thing before, so it will hit many people very hard. We need to do all we can to avoid spreading it to people at risk because of age or underlying conditions. Trust me, you do not want to join the COVID-19 positive club! Many of you know that my wife and I work hard to stay healthy and fit, and I am convinced that is why we are faring pretty well through this.
On March 30th, the semester will resume as “Spring 2020, the Online Edition.” Many of us are working right now to change academic policies at UT to help students cope with this new situation. You will be hearing about those changes in the coming days. But we still have a week before classes begin again. I know that many of you are worried about how you will be able to learn exclusively online, are confused about how to best avoid illness, are anxious about the unexpected loss of your jobs or the jobs of family members, are simply bored right now, or all of those things and more. Who wouldn’t be? No one could have seen this coming and there was no way to truly prepare. Here is my recommendation for the next few days: Find a way to help someone around you in an unexpected way. If you are at home, that just might be your parents or neighbors. Are there projects that they have been putting off until they had the time and/or help? Now is the time to offer your help! You could even help with home-schooling of little brothers and sisters or neighborhood kids. You can help make sure that all of your fellow students keep a positive attitude by checking in on them. With all there is to worry about right now, I find that pitching in to help others is a great way to cope with your own concerns.
I am especially worried about those of you who will have difficulties going online or learning online from home, or are dealing with the unexpected loss of jobs and/or income in your family. If you need help yourself for these or any other reasons, PLEASE reach out to your Vick Center or DSP advising team member, or the wonderful people at the Office of the Dean of Students. There are many people who can help you in a variety of ways, even in these unreal times. And, if you think I can help, I would love to hear from you. (iversonb@austin.utexas.edu)
Your college experience will no doubt be remembered in terms of the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, but we cannot let it define us in a negative way. We will all get through the coming weeks working together to slow the spread of the infection. Until then, please stay healthy and strong. In UGS we are going to do all we can so that each of you, and everyone in your families, will make it safely and productively through this 2020 version of “The Twilight Zone.”
Registration Advising and Academic Support
March 20
We realize this is a challenging and confusing time. Like always, the academic advisors and career counselors in the Vick Center and the coaches in the Discovery Scholars Program are here to support you. As we approach the time in the semester when you would normally meet in-person for registration advising, we wanted to make you aware of our plan for offering appointments in light of modified university operations due to COVID-19.
Effective immediately, all UGS advising, career counseling, and DSP coaching appointments will occur online through Zoom. Once you schedule your appointment online, you will receive an email with specific instructions about how to join your advisor through Zoom. Like every other semester, all UGS students MUST make an appointment with their assigned advisor to discuss course options for fall and summer 2020.
If you cannot participate in a Zoom meeting for any reason (e.g. you do not have access to the internet), please state that in the note section when scheduling your appointment and send a follow-up email to your advisor to discuss alternative options, such as a phone appointment.
Please note that Student Emergency Services is offering support to students who do not have off-campus access to a computer and/or Wi-Fi. Please reach out to them if you anticipate needing that support as courses transition to remote delivery through Zoom, Canvas, and other methods.
We also recognize that even with the necessary technologies in place, this transition to distance learning will be a challenge for many students. Do not hesitate to reach out to your advisor to express concerns. We will do everything we can to help you navigate the rest of this semester.
Registration Advising Expectations and Reminders
- The fall and summer registration period is April 20-May 1. Starting April 8, you can check your Registration Information Sheet (RIS) to find your specific registration access time and check for any additional bars. Students with priority registration (i.e. student-athletes or students with accommodations through SSD) will register on April 20. We recommend scheduling your appointment as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks prior to your first access time.
- Be sure to set up your appointment at a time you know you will be able to sit in a quiet space with limited distraction. It will be important that both parties are able to hear each other during the Zoom/phone appointment.
- During your appointment, you are expected to take notes on course options, action items, and other important information. If you do not join the Zoom or phone call within ten minutes of your scheduled appointment time, you will be marked as a no-show and will need to reschedule.
- Review the Course Schedule. Fall 2020 course schedule will be live on April 8, the Interactive Degree Audit, and internal transfer requirements to get ideas for course options. Prepare to discuss your majors of interest. Use Wayfinder to explore majors, minors, and certificates.
- Read more tips and resources for registration.
A Message to UGS Students Prior to Spring Break
March 12
This message is intended to address the question ‘So now what?’ We want you to know we are aware that many of your questions about your classes and other campus activities have not been answered. Most of those specific answers must come from your professors in your different classes. However, we are here for you to help problem solve, offer advice, or just listen to what is going on.
Many of your classroom courses may be going online after they resume on March 30, but we know that not every student will have equal access to the online material. Please contact your advisor if you have any concerns about your ability to access course material, participate online, or anything else that might hinder your learning when classes resume.
The Sanger Learning Center will continue to provide support such as tutoring and academic coaching via online meeting software. Please check MyUGS and the learning center website for ongoing updates.
In addition to your assigned academic advisor, you can reach the Directors of the Vick Center, the Discovery Scholars Program, the Sanger Learning Center, and the Dean of UGS below:
Dean Brent Iverson
iversonb@austin.utexas.edu
Jeff Handy
Vick Center for Strategic Advising and Career Counseling
Jeffrey.handy@austin.utexas.edu
Phaedra White Abbott
Discovery Scholars Program
phaedra@austin.utexas.edu
Paige Schilt
Sanger Learning Center
paige.schilt@austin.utexas.edu