The Slightly Unusual Semester #1 – A Senate in hybrid format
Universities are sites of social interaction, where different perspectives are discussed, opposing positions debated, and inter-faculty decisions negotiated. They are places where democracy is a living entity. But how can academic self-governance and their board meetings be successful if COVID protection measures are still imposed throughout university life?
On 6 May 2020, the Senate, one of the most important committee boards of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar met under very special conditions for the first time after a two-month break. Due to the distancing and hygiene regulations, the Presidium faced the challenge of arranging the meeting as an online event – a novelty experiment for everyone involved. The first matter to be addressed? Finding a suitable location; all the usual meeting rooms were simply too small for the 20 or so people registered. Thus, the decision was made in favour of Lecture Hall D at Marienstrasse 13, as it is also outfitted with the necessary equipment: projectors, screens, and enough room to have unoccupied seats and ensure sufficient distance between the senators.
So, on Wednesday, at the usual time of 1:30 pm, an unusual setting for all participants was created. Almost two-thirds of the Senate members met at the lecture hall in person and were able to discuss the items on the agenda directly with each other, as well as to follow the speeches of the Senate members who were connected to the on-screen video and presentations. A microphone had been installed in advance at each of the seats so that people could clearly hear one another.
The other Senate members were connected via the Moodle room and BigBlueButton video chat on their PCs and were also actively engaged in the discussion. They could speak directly or offer input and ask questions in the integrated chat, which was presented in the lecture hall by the President's speaker, Viola Baser. A camera panned on the presenter so that the face-to-face socialising feature was not completely lost. The meeting also aired in another lecture hall for others at the university. Although this format posed a real change and challenge, all attendees were very pleased that such an effort had been made to allow the Senate to meet constructively.
Digital summer semester determines the work of the Presidium
This Senate meeting was special, not only because of the pandemic and the way the meeting was organised, but also because at the very beginning, President Prof. Winfried Speitkamp bid farewell to the previous Vice-President of Academic Affairs, Prof. Nathalie Singer, and thanked her for her commitment to her work. He once again warmly welcomed Prof. Dr Christian Koch, Prof. Singer’s successor as Vice-President of Academic Affairs early in April, and Prof. Dr Jutta Emes, who has now taken over responsibility for international affairs, diversity, equality and transfer.
Needless to say, dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and organising the 2020 summer semester that has just started in a digital form were among the most important items on the agenda and were discussed particularly intensively. The Presidium first reported on the measures that it had taken to meet the challenges. The University Directorate was particularly happy and grateful that, so far, not a single case of the coronavirus had occurred among university staff. Nevertheless, they are planning to proceed with the utmost caution in dealing with the crisis.
Basic operation instead of complete lockdown
As one of the first measures, the Presidium established a crisis management team in March, which, under the direction of the President and acting on behalf of the Chancellor, discusses urgent safety and organisational issues and submits them to the Presidium for approval. A task force also meets as an ad hoc advisory body, representing the responsible central university facilities. The faculty management, student services management and a representative of the StuKo (Student Government) are also represented as an 'Extended Task Force'. At the same time, the management of Thuringia's universities regularly coordinates with the Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society on the current situation and further course of action.
The President reported the special measures that the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar had taken during the lockdown to the Senate: unlike other universities, the university was not completely closed but reduced its activities to basic operation. Although the buildings are closed to the public and much of the staff has moved to home office as much as possible, the university's guiding principle is 'low encounter operation'. However, the buildings are still accessible for mandatory work, a relief for many. And of course, all hygiene and social distancing regulations must be observed. The most important channel of communication is the coronavirus information website (www.uni-weimar.de/coronavirus) where the university provides up-to-the-minute information about the development, city regulations as well as university measures and regulations.
The semester timetable has been slightly shifting, and the summaery2020 is available 'remotely'
One of the main tasks of the committees is preparing the semester. The Senate has also devoted itself intensively and in many aspects to the organisation of the 2020 summer semester. During the preparatory phase, the university had already begun supplementing the digital infrastructure (hardware and software) with considerable investments totalling more than 400,000 euros. They also hired and trained about 40 students to work as eTutors and supervise digital teaching. Because the digital Project Auction and teaching had been properly prepared within a very short time, the semester managed to begin on 4 May without any major technical problems; this alone signalled a huge success.
The lecture period of the summer semester will end on 24 July, followed by the examination phase. The summaery2020 will begin digitally on 30 July as the highlight and conclusion to the semester. Those in charge are also already looking ahead to the winter semester: in order to ensure long-term planning, they have announced that they will create a suitable framework for the winter semester events to begin on 2 November.
Always in Focus: the Situation of the Students
Another matter that the Senate closely addressed was the current situation of students. On the one hand, this involved the issue of whether or not to hold a credited semester. President Prof. Speitkamp argued for starting the semester as a regular one. The university has a social mission, he said, to show that culture and education are important and deserve support, especially in times of crisis. Students should be supported in every way possible to minimise disadvantages. Vice President Prof. Koch outlined the possibilities, such as part-time studies, the option of taking a semester off, etc., which are already available as possible solutions.
Those in charge are currently also examining models from other universities, e.g. the optional rescheduling or retaking of examinations. The state also plans to pass a law to ensure that the summer semester 2020 does not influence the calculation of long-term study fees. In the Senate discussion, special attention was also paid to the situation of international students and the financial situation of students in general. Already at the beginning of April, the university had made funds available for emergency loans to students through student services; however, the university is also committed to generous, non-repayable support that goes beyond a mere emergency loan.
For the protection of all university members: classroom teaching only on a case-by-case basis
The Senate also intensively discussed the matter of where and when classroom teaching could be re-introduced. The semester is already taking place in a digital format. In many areas, however, attendance is indispensable in teaching, not least with regard to preparing final projects. For example, Faculty of Civil Engineering labs are absolutely essential as students have to conduct practical exercises in them, which are stipulated as obligatory at a certain point in the curriculum. The faculties will now tailor concepts for the respective workshops, studios and laboratories by the end of May, and coordinate them with the Service Centre for Security Management.
The plan is to reopen a few areas from the beginning of June onwards, on a selective basis and with the greatest safety precautions. However, this will only be definitely decided in the second half of May depending on the general situation in Thuringia, said President Speitkamp. The Senate agreed that classroom teaching will only be possible during this summer semester in essential, properly justified individual cases. Hygiene and social distancing concepts have been drawn up for examinations that must be conducted at the university itself; these are mainly written examinations for which suitable rooms with appropriate social distancing options will be used.
Despite all efforts to 'ramp up' university operations, the President also voiced his understanding that it is currently not reasonable to ask students to return to the university. The health and safety of all members of the university are the highest priority. In this context, the President appealed once again to everyone, especially the students, to go into the semester with courage, confidence and a high degree of personal responsibility. He also thanked the staff, teachers and students in particular for their commitment to overcoming the crisis and preparing for the new semester. This is particularly noteworthy in view of the particular strain on staff with regard to the home office and the childcare that has to be handled.
Coronavirus crisis cannot overshadow everything: introducing the important instruments for equality in search procedures
The Senate also addressed the "regular" matters of university operations. Various regulations were dealt with and committee positions filled. One item on the agenda was the extremely important question of how the university can significantly increase the number of women in professorships. In the coming years, up to one third of the professorships will be new appointments. Ms Meinhardt, the Equal Opportunities Officer, presented concepts and instruments that can help the university to make significant progress in gender equality. This is exactly why the coronavirus crisis should not be dictating all of our actions, said President Speitkamp. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has set ambitious goals to achieve between now and 2025, i.e. the term of the next framework agreement with the State of Thuringia.