CARE Team Reporting

If someone files a CARE report on your behalf, you may hear from the CARE Team Coordinator, an SVC counselor, or another person on our CARE team. The goal of this outreach is to provide you with resources and connection to supports.

If someone has told you they filed a CARE report, please feel free to reach out to the CARE Team Coordinator, Sandy Jordan, at [email protected]. This will help you connect with someone right away.

If you are struggling and want support, and you are not sure if a staff or faculty member has already reached out, please reach out to the CARE Team Coordinator, Sandy Jordan, at [email protected].

Once a CARE Team member reaches out, the goal is to set up a time to meet or a phone call to help provide support moving forward.

With classes changing to remote learning, staying organized will look differently for online versus face to face classes. Here are some things you might want to keep track of for each class:

How are parts of the class being offered or delivered?

• What are the in-person (synchronous) parts of this course?
• Do you have to be online and in your class at a specific time or can you watch a recording at a later time?
• Where can you find and enter your class and see your online materials? (Zoom, recorded lectures, CANVAS, etc.)

How is coursework being assigned and how are you supposed to submit it?

• What kind of assignments is the instructor expecting you to complete?
• Do you have the tools (computer program, webcam, etc) to complete your assignments?
• Where do you find due dates for assignments, quizzes, etc.?

Chances are your instructor has created a plan for how classes will be taught online. Do not hesitate to reach out to them if you have questions about the process, and review your course syllabus regularly. What should you do if you need help?

• Is your instructor offering virtual office hours? When and how?
• Is there another place for asking questions?
• Are you able to connect with a classmate and support one another?
• Are you comfortable reaching out to a staff member that has helped you in the past?

The downsides of multitasking:

• Each time you come back to an assignment (from Instagram for example), you have to get familiar with it, find your spot, remember what you were going to do next.
• You are more likely to make mistakes. Distractions and switching between tasks tires one out and when you are tired it is easier to make mistakes.
• You’ll remember less. When your brain is divided, you are less able to commit what you are learning to long-term memory (because it does not get encoded properly into your brain).

What to do instead. When you need to study something important, consider these tips:

• Focus on one thing at a time.
• Take breaks between.
• Consider focusing on a task for 25 or 50 minutes at a time, then reward yourself with a 5 or 10 minute break (this is also called the “pomodoro method”).

• Stick to your instructor’s schedule as much as you can. Staying on a schedule will help prevent you from falling way behind.
• Find out how to ask questions. Is there a chat feature? Is there a discussion forum?
• Close distracting tabs and apps. Humans are not as good at multitasking as they think! (See #2)
• Continue to take notes as you would if you were there in class.

As the situation unfolds, you may have fewer social commitments, group meetings, or work hours. Instead you may find that you have other priorities such as taking care of your family or children or a loved one. Setting a schedule for yourself can help provide structure and keep you motivated. If you don’t already keep a weekly or daily calendar, try something like the example link below (you will want to download and save to your computer or Google Drive) to organize your time. Include time for exercise and self-care.

Download Schedule Template

Your routines may have to adjust during this time. Look for ways to adapt usual habits or form new ones. For example:

• If you usually study in a coffee shop or library, ask yourself what kind of environment helps you See if you can recreate that at home. Maybe it’s studying in a chair, rather than on your bed or couch, or moving to a new spot when you change tasks. If you feel you need background noise, consider a white noise app.
• If you always study in groups, try a virtual or even phone-based study study session with your classmates.
• If you thrive on tight timelines, but now have a more open schedule, think about how working with others or setting up a schedule can recreate that for yourself.

Remote collaboration will look a little different but it is definitely possible.

• Try not to procrastinate. That group project may be out-of-sight, out-of-mind if you aren’t seeing each other Resist the urge to put it off. Make small progress and stay in touch.
• Meet regularly, especially if you usually touch base during class or lab. Consider a quick text on your group chat about progress every couple of days. Ideally, have real conversations over video any week you’re working together.
• Set goals for meetings and use a shared notes doc. Meetings might feel different when using video, even if your team was really good at working informally in the past. Try to set the goals of your meeting in advance. Take notes in a shared doc so you can all contribute and follow.
• Keep videos open when you can. As long as you can see whatever you need to collaborate, aim to keep the video visible on your computer screen. It’ll help you see the expressions of your teammates and stay connected to each Identify how your group will do it’s work, if that is everyone in the same shared doc, or shared another way.
• Schedule check-ins and identify how your group will check in (emails, text, chat).
• Check on each other and ask for backup: If someone has been absent from your group meetings or chat, ask them directly if they’re still able to participate in the project. If you aren’t getting responses within a day or two, let your instructor Know it isn’t being petty, it’s your team’s responsibility.

• Follow the same rules online as you would in person. Be polite and kind to one another.
• Be aware of your “surroundings” and consider what items are in your background.
• Use how you are in-person during face to face classes, and bring that to your online sessions.
• If you’re in a live session, consider muting your microphone if you are not talking in case there is sound around you that could come through and distract others.
• Try using full sentences when communicating online. Avoid using abbreviations or “text”.
• Be mindful of your writing. For example, don’t WRITE IN ALL CAPITAL It comes across as shouting. Use written annotations in your text to express mood.
• You can use different emoticon smiley faces or surround words in asterisks, such as *smile* before posting a comment.
• Read through your message to see how it will sound to the group.
• Don’t assume negative intent. Give others the benefit of the doubt and ask questions to clarify their meaning before you respond and assume their comment is offensive.
  • Ex. Can you help me understand?
  • Ex. I am not sure I am following?