Maintaining academic continuity in the midst of COVID-19
Abstract
The delivery of high-quality academic programmes is central to the mission of any university. For this reason, maintaining academic continuity must be a key aspect of their response to a major disruptive event. A previously described model for ensuring academic continuity in universities presented four phases: pre-planning, approaching crisis, crisis and post-crisis. COVID-19, however, has created unique challenges thanks to its global reach, impact on all aspects of societal operations and continuously evolving nature. This article describes the implementation of a model for managing academic continuity in the initial stages of COVID-19, and the continued adaptation of the model as the crisis has continued and work towards recovery has occurred without a clear end in sight. Reflections are offered with respect to: using established policies and processes; grounding decisions in core values; implementing broad and frequent communication; acknowledging and addressing exhaustion; and taking the time mid-COVID-19 to consider lessons learned.
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Author's Biography
Cheryl Regehr is Vice-President and Provost of the University of Toronto. She is a professor in the Faculty of Social Work, with crossappointments to the Faculty of Law and the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto, and a Senior Fellow of Massey College. Her previous roles include Dean of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and Director of the Pearson International Airport Crisis Response Team. She also served on the mental health advisory committee for the Department of National Defence and Veteran’s Affairs Canada. She has written four books and over 120 scholarly articles on trauma and recovery; practice competency; and stress, trauma and decision-making in emergency service professions.
Susan Mccahan is the Vice Provost, Academic Programs and Innovations in Undergraduate Education at the University of Toronto, where she is also a professor in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the recipient of such major teaching awards as the 3M National Teaching Fellowship and the Medal of Distinction in Engineering Education from Engineers Canada. Her current research focuses on engineering education research and on the engineering learning environment as a designed system. In particular, she is currently working in the areas of assessment and educational technology.
Citation
Regehr, Cheryl and Mccahan, Susan (2020, December 1). Maintaining academic continuity in the midst of COVID-19. In the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, Volume 14, Issue 2. https://doi.org/10.69554/JGUN4658.
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