During the week of October 16, faculty were asked by the Office of the Provost to hold teach-in opportunities with their students. These are spaces for faculty to have a dialogue with students, to make them aware of our safety protocols and tools, and to hear their questions, concerns, and suggestions.
Preparation for a campus emergency is key. If an emergency were to occur, faculty may find themselves in the position to communicate information to students as quickly as possible and direct them to a safe location.
UNCG Police and/or Emergency Management will send a “Spartan Alert” via email, desktop computers, text messages, the UNCG Mobile app, and the Spartan Safe app. All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to have the Spartan Safe app downloaded, which is available on Apple and Android devices.
During teach-ins, faculty should share information about the University’s emergency planning efforts and encourage all members of the UNCG community to gain awareness of and comfort in using the tools we’ve made available to all.
UNCG’s emergency planning extends not only to violent threats. During the teach-in, faculty will also help students understand what to do in the case of a fire, severe weather, or a medical emergency, as well as what to do if an armed assailant is reported on campus.
Please take time during all classes during the week of October 16 to do the following:
- Read aloud the script attached to your email received on October 4.
- Post the message on your classroom screen to accommodate students who may have hearing loss or other auditory processing needs.
- After reading the script to your class, complete the brief feedback form found in the email to let us know any comments you have about the script, questions that you or your students have, and additional steps we can take to improve these instructions. If you’d like a response to a question or issue, let us know so we can respond before your next class session.
Additional campus safety resources and information are available on our Spartan Safe website. You may send any questions about the teach-in to Debbie Storrs, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor; Chief of Police Eric Boyce; Dr. Connie Jones, Provost Fellow for Heath and Wellness; or Drs. Joyce Clapp and Amy Vetter, Provost Fellows for Faculty Development.
We will continue to provide other ways you can convey safety planning measures to your students throughout the academic year.
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications
Photography by David Lee Row and Sean Norona, University Communications
