With Boston University’s new webpage, Back2BU, students can learn about the school’s plans to reopen campus this Fall.
The website, which launched Tuesday, allows visitors to explore current plans for the Fall semester and see new updates as they’re added.
BU Spokesperson Colin Riley said BU created the site to answer common questions faculty and students may have.
“It’s the next step,” Riley said. “We had the COVID-19 website which had a number of different pages addressed to specific areas: students, teaching, housing, etc. This will have similar pages for people to find the answers to the questions that relate to them.”
Most new information will be sent out to students before appearing on the site, Riley said.
All information on the site is available in English and Mandarin. The site uses a frequently-asked-questions format, but not all questions have responses or answers yet.
Five working groups — focused on remote learning technology, undergraduate programs, graduate programs, research and student residential life — are currently developing plans to reopen campus.
Chris Dellarocas, chair of the Remote and Online Working Group, wrote in an email that faculty training on how to use technology for Learn from Anywhere will begin June 23.
“Our group developed a plan for training faculty and teaching fellows who will be teaching in the Fall,” Dellarocas wrote. “The Center for Teaching and Learning is developing a training program for faculty to help them adapt their courses to the LfA model.”
Instructors will use cameras and microphones to interact with students learning remotely, Dellarocas wrote.
“Our working group has developed a plan to outfit all BU classrooms with special hardware and software to enable the LfA modality,” Dellarocas wrote. “Basically: cameras and microphones that allow remote students to see and hear faculty and their white/blackboards via zoom.”
Dellarocas wrote that some lecture materials will be recorded so students can watch them later, while live class sessions will be dedicated to discussions and other active learning activities.
Gloria Waters, chair of the Research Working Group, wrote in an email that research labs are being inspected to ensure adherence to health and safety protocols.
“To date,” Waters wrote, “27 buildings with research labs have been inspected by Facilities and also Environmental Health and Safety to ensure they have the appropriate signage, etc.”
BU will continue to increase research over the next several months, Waters said, in accordance with public health guidance and with a reduced number of lab personnel. More than 300 researchers have received approval to return to their work.
Daniel Kleinman, chair of the Graduate Professional Programs Working Group, said his group aims to make sure all students can continue their education, even if they cannot be on campus.
“The primary goal of the group,” Kleinman said, “is to ensure that our students are able to learn in whatever the situation is.”
All plans created by the working groups, Kleinman said, must be approved by the Augmented Budget Committee before implementation.
