Dear BCLA Community:
The safety and well-being of our students, staff, faculty, and community members remains our highest priority and continues to guide our proactive planning and response to the COVID-19 outbreak. At this time, one community member has tested positive for COVID-19. The individual is currently self-isolating off-campus and other community members who have been in close contact with this individual have been informed and are self-quarantined. Our frequent updates and community advisories reflect our efforts to prevent an outbreak on our campuses. We appreciate your cooperation, patience, and understanding as we respond to quickly changing circumstances. Please check this website regularly for BCLA-specific updates, and visit our Coronavirus Website regularly for the latest information and guidance.
March 13, 2020 Update
BCLA Students:
While your faculty are working diligently to continue providing a high-quality educational experience through online modalities, our BCLA professional advisors are available to assist you with any questions you may have about your academic progress. To get more information or to schedule a 15-minute or 30-minute virtual advising appointment with one of our professional advisors, please visit our website. Your faculty advisor will also be available to answer any questions by phone, or during their virtual office hours (which will be posted to our website shortly).
As we move forward, there are key mantras we want you to keep in mind:
- We remain committed to delivering your education and to ensuring you continue to make progress towards your degree. However, at this time, all meetings with faculty and professional advisors should be conducted virtually (either via phone, email, or zoom). Your faculty will be in touch with you shortly about plans for each of your courses.
- In these times of general emergencies, we all need to be flexible and patient, as we deal with uncertainties and learn new modalities. If you need assistance with technology, please visit the website Keep Learning, which will be updated regularly for you. The Library is also offering support for you during this time.
- Maintain normalcy in terms of planning for the future, such as continuing your efforts in all of your current courses, thinking about your fall courses, and planning registration for the fall semester (starting in April). At some point, our campus will return to normal and you will be best off having used your time wisely during this time.
- Our LMU mission reminds us to remain focused on the Common Good; this includes the general welfare, consciousness of those at greater risk of experiencing hardship due to the virus and otherwise, and even consideration of LMU's institutional well-being. This is a time to challenge ourselves as learners and community members, to lift each other up, to carry on in new ways, remaining confident in LMU and drawing strength from its distinctive mission and extraordinary community.
- Finally, you must be responsible for your own safety and take responsibility for protecting others. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has indicated that anyone who has traveled to any Level 3 country in the last 14 days should remain home and self-isolate until 14 days from the date of your return. Please note that you may not self-isolate on campus at LMU.
If you are taking an engaged learning, community-based learning, or research/internship course, please note the following:
- Depending on the Department of Health recommendations in the area in question, you may be able to continue to go to the site (or conduct your research/internship) while following the COVID-19 policies of the organizations, including practicing good hygiene.
- If you cannot go to the site/areas to conduct research/intern, your faculty and community partners may identify activities that you can do offsite or virtually to benefit the organization/department (other research, social media, podcasts, etc.)
- If there is no viable project that would benefit the organization,
- You may be able to propose research on a different topic area, not directly benefitting the organization/department, and/or,
- You may engage in reflections or develop portfolios based on your current topic area and community engagements or research/internship experiences thus far.
- If organizations/departments cancel their programming, internships, or research plans, you will not be penalized for lack of hours.
If you were planning to study abroad in the summer or fall, please plan on co-enrolling in courses at LMU. We will have alternative options in place for summer courses that were planned to be offered abroad. We will also be offering additional seats in fall courses to accommodate your registration, in the event that fall study abroad programs are affected.
We appreciate your persistence despite the academic adjustments that are being made, which we hope will be temporary. We are committed to minimizing the impact on your education. Please know that we fully understand your concerns and we are closely monitoring public health recommendations and continue to take measures to protect each and every student, faculty, and staff.
March 12, 2020 Update
COVID-19 Update
Please visit the LMU Coronavirus website for the latest updates.
BCLA Events
All campus events through the end of the semester are canceled. Events may or may not be rescheduled for later dates, or converted to online platforms. Please check individual event websites and reach out to event hosts for additional information. No new events will be reserved at this time. Please note: Internal departmental meetings can continue noting that A/V and event support will not be available.
Introducing Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams, a chat-based collaboration workspace that integrates with other Office 365 apps and services, is available to LMU/LLS faculty and staff. Teams is a cross-platform app available for desktop and mobile, for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. Teams features instant message (chat), calling, and video calling. Visit its.lmu.edu/teams for download instructions, quick start guide, and video tutorials.
March 11, 2020 Update
LMU is moving all course instruction to online platforms through the end of the semester. The BCLA leadership team, department chairs, and faculty are working diligently over spring break to prepare to accommodate students' needs. We appreciate your patience during this unprecedented time as we gather all the information and tools necessary to implement an effective transition to online learning. There are several ways to move instruction online and our faculty are working now to determine the best format for their courses.
Students will receive specific directions from their professors on the continuing mode of learning, either synchronous (meeting online during normally scheduled class times) and/or asynchronous (instruction through Brightspace that can be accessed at students' convenience during a specific timeframe). Professors will let their students know what technology they will need to use.
Please know that BCLA is here to support students through this transition and provide them with all of the information they need before online classes begin on Monday. Any questions regarding technology concerns should be directed to the ITS Help Desk at 310-338-7777 or helpdesk@lmu.edu. ITS is providing extra staff hours and resources and actively maintaining a website for students called Keep Learning.
In the meantime, please continue to update yourself regarding LMU coronavirus-related activities and preparation at lmu.edu/coronavirus. More information about the impact and accommodations for student workers will be forthcoming.