COVID-19 Weekly Digest

A Word of Thanks on National Doctors’ Day
As COVID-19 has reshaped the world around us in so many ways, the essential role that one group of people play in our communities has grown more important each and every day — doctors.

Bound by an oath to treat the ill to the best of their ability, doctors across the globe are as committed as ever to helping our society combat this pandemic by putting the needs of others above their own. And that’s no different right here in our backyard. The University of Mississippi provides a culture of care that is built around some of the brightest and most compassionate doctors available offering the best possible care for members of our community.

From everyone at University Health Services and the entire campus community, we wish to thank Dr. Jean Gispen, Dr. Susan Gunn, Dr. John Black, Dr. Marshall Crowther, Dr. Hubert Spears and Dr. Travis Yates for their contributions to our society and our community. Your dedication and service help make this university so very special and, for that, we thank you.
If you get the chance, please thank these heroes. As our situation changes continually, know that their dedication to you is unwavering.

Alex Langhart, Director of University Health Services
V. B. Harrison Health Center

University News

The Medical Center is responding to the COVID-19 crisis with an army of employees dedicated to protecting the health of Mississippians. But there’s another army with the same mission, marching on a strictly volunteer basis: UMMC students. Read more.

Students

Faculty and Staff

Other Things to Know

A Message from Provost Noel Wilkin

As we close out our first week of online and alternative course delivery, I’m heartened by the hard work, dedication and positive spirit of so many across our institution. We need to support each other now more than ever, and I am finding examples of this caring support throughout our institution.

This is a time for each of us to be compassionate with one another as many of the things we took for granted are no longer the norm. This week, I was reminded of this by ceramics professor, Matt Long, who talked with me about the thirst we all have for human contact and interaction. Of course, his discipline is grounded in touch, contact with the clay and the importance of feeling. He observed that while we can talk with each other through technology, it is difficult to satisfy the need for more meaningful human connection during this time.

I believe we can reach each other and support each other through compassion. It doesn’t replace the need for face-to-face human interaction, though it does connect us in meaningful ways. I have found that compassion starts with the recognition that each of us is facing new struggles, new challenges, uncertainty and fear. At the same time, the things we did or had to lean on may no longer be there to comfort us in the same way. However, we can be there for each other in new ways, and I encourage you to look for and take those opportunities. I’m confident that we will get through this. We will come to develop a greater appreciation for those things that seemed so simple, and we will emerge a stronger community of scholars. Thank you.

University News

Academic Updates
Today Provost Wilkin shared important academic updates with faculty, staff and students about the current term and future terms including Summer 2020 and Fall 2020. He also shared information about the grading policy for graduate students and options for standardized test scores for the Graduate School.

Update from the Office of Community Engagement
The Office of Community Engagement in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement shared an update about its office operations and remote community engagement activities, including how to provide support to the organizations and agencies who continue to serve the day-to-day needs of people in the Lafayette/Oxford/University (LOU) community.

A note from the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement
The unavoidable disruptions from the coronavirus have heightened stresses for UM students, instructors, and families. Creating an inclusive, mutually supportive, uplifting and respectful learning community is more critical now than ever before. With the shift to online learning, we need all of us to commit to fostering learning environments that value diversity, inclusion and equity.

During this time of heightened anxiety and swift transition for our community, we must reject online behavior that vilifies, demeans or disrespects others. COVID-19 is not specific to any ethnicity, race or community – this infection does not discriminate. It is important that all members of our community feel included and supported. Students, faculty, and staff who experience harassment or discrimination are encouraged to visit the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement’s website for resources.

Spread the Love
Do you have friends or coworkers who have made comments in the last few weeks that lifted your spirits and strengthened your resolve? Do you feel the need to spread your own positive vibes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic? University Marketing & Communications invites you to share a shout-out about a colleague or friend for a story compiling words of inspiration from UM employees. Our hope is to provide encouragement through a list of uplifting quotes from faculty, staff, students and administrators. Please take a brief second from your busy day to respond to this Google survey and help spread the love!

Faculty and Staff

Join UM’s Folding@Home Team
Stephen Perry, research and development engineer for the National Center for Physical Acoustics, has created a Folding@Home team for the university. Folding@Home is a program that utilizes your computer’s idle processing power to help researchers around the world understand diseases better, including COVID-19, and develop treatments. You can learn more at https://foldingathome.org/.

It is pretty simple. Just install the software, and it will run in the background while you surf the web, check emails, do homework or play games. Feel free to join the University of Mississippi team and score some points for bragging rights.

Other Things to Know

The University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has launched a state-by-state projection of the effects of COVID-19 on hospital resources and the human toll of the pandemic, including when both are projected to peak. Read more about the project.

Ad Age is keeping a regularly updated list tracking how brands are responding to COVID-19. Read More.

Starbucks is serving free coffee through May 3 for first responders and healthcare workers dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. The offer is open to police officers, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, hospital and medical staff and medical researchers. Read More.

On the lighter side: Museums closed due to coronavirus crisis are sending each other virtual flowers to spread joy on social media. Read More.

Mobile COVID-19 Testing Sites, Testing FREE OF CHARGE, MARCH 27 ONLY
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) will open two mobile COVID-19 testing sites in Coahoma and DeSoto counties for one day only on Friday, March 27. Testing is free of charge. The sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following locations:

Coahoma Expo Center
1150 Wildcat Drive
Clarksdale, Mississippi

Lewisburg High School
1755 Craft Road
Olive Branch, Mississippi

Anyone experiencing symptoms related to the novel coronavirus who feel they should be tested must undergo a screening first from a UMMC clinician by calling 601-496-7200, or through the C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage telehealth smartphone app. During the screening, a medical provider will determine the patient’s level of risk for having COVID-19, based on their symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat. Anyone found to be high-risk will be given an appointment for testing at the collection site closest to them.

Appointments for testing will be given only to people who are symptomatic for COVID-19 and are determined to need testing. Anyone not experiencing symptoms is asked not to use the app or call. See full details at https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/23,21908,341.html.

Quote of the Day
“You don’t make the timeline. The virus makes the timeline.”
— Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert (Source: MarketWatch)

Featured FAQ
Q: Can I get into my room in my residence hall?
A: Given the requirements of the City of Oxford’s “Stay-At-Home” order and the larger public health need to practice social distancing, we cannot accommodate any requests to access residence hall rooms at this time. We are operating with a dramatically reduced staff presence on-campus as the overwhelming majority of Student Housing staff are working remotely. Our residence halls are locked, and your belongings are safe and secure in your room and can remain there.

University News

Case Notifications
While no new confirmed cases among university students and employees have been reported officially to the university, we have established a case notification page on the COVID-19 update website.

• For confirmed cases statewide, visit Mississippi COVID-19 Cases (Mississippi State Department of Health).
• For confirmed cases in Lafayette County, visit https://lafayettems.com.

What’s happening on campus?
Be sure to check out “This Week in Photos” where our outstanding university photographers have captured how the past week reshaped life on campus and around Oxford in so many ways. Also, spring has sprung in Oxford, and you can enjoy the handiwork of our award-winning Landscape Services team that keeps America’s most beautiful campus looking so amazing.

Students

Correct Link for Rental Returns and Book Buyback
For updated information on rental returns and book buybacks from the Ole Miss Bookstore, visit https://ole-miss.bncollege.com/shop/ole-miss/home.

Faculty and Staff

Avoiding “Zoombombing”
Faculty are reporting instances of “Zoombombing,” or un-invited attendees showing up in Zoom classes to be disruptive with offensive video and audio. The easiest fix? Stop participants from screen-sharing during your Zoom class when you set up the Zoom meeting by using the host controls at the bottom of your screen within Zoom. See this and other tips at the end of today’s newsletter.

Alternative Assessment Strategies
With the shift to remote teaching, our first thoughts are how to teach effectively and assess the learning. Many default methods for assessment used in face-to-face classrooms do not translate readily to online teaching. “Keep Teaching” has a list of resources to help you think through the best choices for your course. Also, if you are interested in Proctorio, live sessions will be offered Friday, March 27 at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The 9 a.m. session is an introduction to Proctorio, while the 3 p.m. session is dedicated to helping you set up Proctorio.

Zoom Drop-in Sessions – Daily on March 26-27

• 9 a.m. – Proctorio Intro: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/755066059
• 10 a.m. – General Teaching Support: https://zoom.us/j/688917651
• 12 p.m. – Accommodations & Accessibility for Educators: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/241701930 (Meeting ID:  241 701 930)
• 1 p.m. – Blackboard Office Hours: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/995909765
• 2 p.m. – Assignment Design: https://zoom.us/j/557359975
• 3 p.m. – Proctorio Setup Help: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/556634913

Other Things to Know

The United Way of Oxford-Lafayette County (UWOLC) established a COVID-19 fund to help provide short-term relief to individuals and families living in Lafayette County who have been affected by a loss of wages due to COVID-19.
https://twitter.com/UWOxfordMS/status/1242534969848877062

Doors of Hope Transition Ministries in Oxford established an online application for COVID-19 assistance.
https://doorsofhopeoxford.org/412-2/

The Association of Public and Land-grant University’s Office of Governmental Affairs has developed a detailed analysis of a third emergency supplemental funding measure in response to COVID-19.

On the lighter side: The New York Times started At Home to share recommendations on what to read, play, cook and more.

Preventing Zoombombing
“Zoombombing” occurs when hackers infiltrate a non-secure Zoom meeting. Before hosting a Zoom meeting, please read the following tips to protect yourself and your attendees.

1. Change your settings so that only you can share your screen. Most Zoombombing occurs when others take control of the screenshare function. Before hosting a meeting, log into your Zoom settings, scroll to “Screen sharing” and mark “Host only” under “Who can share?”
2. Use an automatically generated meeting ID instead of your personal meeting ID. When scheduling a meeting, go to “Meeting ID” and choose “Generate automatically.”
3. Do not share your meeting ID publicly, and ask that all meeting attendees keep your meeting ID private. When meeting IDs are public, anyone can join your meeting.
4. Add a password to your meeting. This ensures that only invited attendees can join, even if the meeting ID is public. When scheduling a meeting, check the “Require meeting password” box to automatically assign a password to your meetings, which will be included in the Zoom invite.
5. Enable the “Waiting room” feature, which allows the host to decide whether any user, even an invited attendee, can join the meeting at any time. Visit your Zoom settings and scroll to “Waiting Room” to enable.
6. Enable “Identify guest participants in the meeting/webinar” in Settings. This adds an identifying orange banner to usernames of attendees who were not invited by the host.

Additional quick tips:

• Lock an in-progress Zoom meeting to prevent new participants from joining, even with a meeting ID and password. Click the “More” dropdown menu and then “Lock Meeting.”
• Remove users by hovering your cursor over their name, then click the “More” dropdown menu and “Remove.”
• Turn off file transfer to prevent attendees from uploading anything to the in-meeting text-based chat function. Visit your Zoom settings and scroll to “File Transfer” to disable.

For more tips and how-tos, visit Zoom’s blog post about meeting security, or read more pointers on the Keep Teaching website.

Questions? Call or email the UM IT Help Desk for support: 662-915-5222 or helpdesk@olemiss.edu.

Students

Faculty and Staff

• 9 a.m. – Proctorio Intro: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/755066059
• 10 a.m. – General Teaching Support: https://zoom.us/j/688917651
• 12 p.m. – Accommodations & Accessibility for Educators: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/241701930 (Meeting ID:  241 701 930)
• 1 p.m. – Blackboard Office Hours: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/995909765
• 2 p.m. – Assignment Design: https://zoom.us/j/557359975
• 3 p.m. – Proctorio Setup Help: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/556634913 

Other Things to Know

1. The mute button is your friend. If your environment is noisy, or if you just need to eat a snack without bothering anyone, mute yourself with the microphone icon in the lower left corner of the Zoom screen. Just be sure to click it on again when you need to speak. Meeting hosts can also politely request that meeting attendees use this function.
   1. Bonus tip 1: When muted, holding down the space bar to speak will temporarily unmute you.
   2. Bonus tip 2: If you want to always join meetings on mute, check that option under Preferences > Audio.
2. Same goes for video. Although seeing each other in regular meetings can be a comforting way to connect, if you need to turn your video off, click the “Stop Video” button on the bottom of the Zoom window. For larger groups, keeping your video feed off can free up bandwidth.
3. Screen share with care! Be sure to carefully review your entire screen before you share it with your group.
4. Trying to hide a messy room? Want to add a little levity? Try a virtual background! Check your Zoom preferences for default options, or upload your own. (Optional addition: Check this article for some virtual background inspiration.)
5. You can also record messages or lectures with Zoom using the “Record” button at the bottom of your Zoom screen. This can be helpful for anyone who has to miss an important meeting.
6. Secure your meeting by only sharing your meeting link and personal meeting ID with participants. You can also use the “waiting room” feature to control who enters the meeting. Read more about Zoom’s security guidelines here.
7. Lastly, please be sensitive to everyone’s individual situations. Internet connection, home environment and personal concerns will vary greatly. If someone seems to be struggling with Zoom, reach out to them outside of the meeting to see if they need anything.

• Zoom 101: Breakout Rooms
• Zoom 101: Polling (In-meeting)
• Zoom 101: Manage Participants (In-depth) 
• How to use Breakout Rooms
• Screen Share & Annotation for EDU
• Comprehensive Guide to EducatingThrough Zoom
• How to use Waiting Rooms to Manage Office Hours & Drop-In Visitor Times
• Comprehensive Guide to Educating Through Zoom

University News

• No more than 10 riders for large buses (30-40 feet), and
• No more than five riders for smaller buses.

Students

• Success in an Online Course
• Overview of Study Skills 
• CETL and Academic Success Videos 

Faculty and Staff

• Zoom session: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/241701930
  Meeting ID:  241 701 930

• 9 a.m.: Proctorio Intro: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/755066059
• 10 a.m.: General Teaching Support: https://zoom.us/j/688917651
• 1 p.m.: Blackboard Office Hours: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/995909765
• 2 p.m.: Assignment Design: https://zoom.us/j/557359975
• 3 p.m.: Proctorio Setup Help: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/556634913

Other Things to Know