Please note that all questions about taking CHEN classes S/U and accreditation should be directed to the CHEN department advisors who will go through each situation on a case-by-case basis. USAC and Dr. Ugaz can help give input, but ultimately the authority on how S/U affects each degree plan is up to the advisors.
Contact the CHEN undergraduate advisors here.
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After listening to input from the undergraduate body, the department has purchased benches and installed them in the JEB lobby. Thank you to all the students who provided their input on the Fall survey to help make this upgrade possible! We all look forward to using them once classes resume in-person in the Fall.
usac_faq__03_21_2020.pdf Classes
JEB/Misc.
usac_faq__03_17_2020.pdf Exams: 1. Will tests be proctored by third party testing centers? Each instructor will decide how to administer exams in their classes. But third-party services will be used when proctored exams are conducted. Note that the University has not yet made a determination about whether final exams will be able take place in person. 2. Do I need to download additional software for online courses? Is there a cost to these additional resources? All students will need access to eCampus and Zoom videoconferencing software. If they have not done so already, students should familiarize themselves with Zoom by navigating to https://tamu.zoom.us/. Although Zoom can function in a web browser, it performs optimally when downloaded and installed as a stand-alone application. Zoom can be used on all major desktop and mobile device platforms. There is no additional cost to access these resources. Beyond this, students will need access to an app that will allow them to photograph/scan assignments and upload them to eCampus for online submission. 3. Will exams be take-home tests? Decisions regarding administration of exams are up to individual instructors. If proctored exams are given, however, they will be administered using a service as described in question #1. 4. Will there be practice runs on testing any new software so students can become familiar with the new format? We agree that orientation sessions would benefit both instructors and students. We are awaiting guidance from the University about guidelines for these sessions and will provide more information as soon as we can. 5. How will students submit free response exams? Instructors are considering a variety of options to implement exams in their courses. More details will be forthcoming. Classes 6. Will students be allowed to go to in person office hours with professors or TAs, or will online office hours be an option? Instructors will not be able to hold in person office hours for two important reasons. First, the current health risk to both students and instructors cannot be ignored. Second, it would be unfair to students who are not able to be on-campus during this time if they are not able to meet with instructors in-person while others are. Therefore, to be consistent and fair to all students, all office hours will be online only. 7. Will lab classes (ex. Unit Ops 1, 2) be cancelled? If so, will we still receive credit for the course? CHEN lab classes are not cancelled. Operation of all laboratory equipment will be video recorded and datasets will be provided to lab groups. Therefore, reports and deliverables will be minimally impacted. 8. Are online classes mandatory, or will we have the option to attend in-person lectures if the class size present is under 50 people? As stated by the Provost, no in-person classes, office hours, review sessions, or class-related meetings can be held for the rest of the semester. 9. What will be done about classes/projects that utilize Aspen? Students will be able to connect and access the software remotely. This mode of access was already piloted successfully during Fall 2019. JEB facilities/Misc. 10. Will JEB (buildings and resources) be open to the students with swipe access as before? Access to JEB will be restricted during at least the coming week (March 16 – 22). Future access is being considered and we will followup with an update as soon as we can. Please understand that among the factors that need to be considered are access hours, ability to provide social distancing accommodations, ability to deliver regular sanitizing and cleaning, etc. 11. What is the department’s plan to deal with any server crashes that occur due to increased internet traffic? College and University IT are working on this. With significantly fewer students on campus, it is likely that internet traffic levels may actually be much lower than normal. Also, we are hearing that many other universities have begun online-only classes via Zoom during the past two weeks and have experienced no degradation of service. 12. I am concerned about effectively performing group work. Will we be given the option to meet on campus? For now, meetings in JEB are suspended. We will reevaluate when there is a plan to enforce social distancing and ensure sanitation of meeting and classroom spaces. 13. How do you suggest working on group projects seeing as team members may not be in college station? Zoom is a very effective collaboration tool. In fact, in prior discussions with practitioners in our field, it has actually been suggested that we provide more opportunities for students to gain experience with virtual collaboration. Many organizations, particularly those with a global footprint, routinely meet and collaborate in this manner. Therefore, the ability to communicate effectively using tools like Zoom is becoming an essential skill. 14. What will be done to ensure that students that choose to stay in their hometown are not disadvantaged? Zoom and eCampus can be accessed through virtually any desktop or mobile device. I have participated in video conferences using Zoom on my mobile phone without being on a Wi-Fi network, and did not experience any degradation in audio or video quality. Office hours will be held via Zoom only, regardless of whether students are located in College Station or elsewhere. 15. What if I get sick or quarantined and am unable/do not want to go to the doctor? How will extensions be handled in this case? Standard policies for excused absences apply. If you are sick, send documentation to your instructor as instructed in your course syllabus. If you are self-quarantining, send your instructor a statement to that effect with signed Aggie Honor Code statement.
In light of Texas A&M's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, most chemical engineering courses are transitioning to an online format. More information about measures taken can be found on the official Texas A&M website.
Please send any and all questions (really, there are no stupid questions because it's new for everyone) to [email protected] or use the feedback form on this website. Everyday, USAC members will compile the list of questions and send them to Ugaz, and he/department will answer them. All Q/As will be posted on the USAC website tamuchen-usac.weebly.com as soon as they're answered. USAC wants to make sure everyone is calm and confident that their education/mastery of a subject is not in jeopardy because of this transition. Many professors are working diligently to create and implement plans of action, and USAC is here to support the department, faculty, and students in this time of crisis. |