THE UCC REVIEWAPRIL 2020

MESSAGE FROM THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) is proud of the e�ciency with which our Information Technology Services and Online Departments collaborated with faculty members teaching traditional, face-to-face classes, which constitute ~65% of total classes, into online formats, using our learning management systems.

The success of this unprecedented action, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and the Government of Jamaica’s Disaster Emergency Declaration, may be measured in terms of positive student comments, and the limited number of complaints directed to the “Help Desks” established. UCC has also allowed many sta� members to work from home, in an accountable manner, and in the cases of those engaged in �exible commuting to their campus o�ces, has arranged for their temperature levels and breathing rates to be checked by medical personnel, upon arrival.

UCC is con�dent that if every Jamaican resident works together to combat this virus, we will eventually be successful. Meanwhile, given the economic uncertainties generated by the coronavirus crisis, and the probability of reduced student registration during the summer session 2020, the University has been working to reduce expenses in every way practicable. As a result, a request to each sta� member to help ensure the continuing viability of the University, by accepting a temporary reduction in compensation, has been unavoidable. The current crisis will end within the next several months, although it is yet unclear exactly when. As a result of the warmly appreciated contribution made by each UCC community member, our institution will be positioned for growth and development, once the business environment once again encourages substantial student recruitment and enrolment expansion.

Professor Dennis J. GayleUniversity President

In response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) has moved all classes online, as of March 12, 2020, with the assurance that there will be no interruption to their programme of studies, and all appropriate support, including help lines and desks, will be provided to ensure an excellent online learning, teaching and student evaluation experience.

The transition has been seamless for most sta� and students, with a number of lecturers opting to share their personal experience with the process. Mr Dameion Fagan, lecturer in the School of Business and Management, shared that his �rst reaction to the news that all UCC classes would be moved online was very positive. “I was very pleased to see that the administration had made such a move and it was in fact something I had also provided via email as a recommendation prior to its implementation.”

Fagan, who started lecturing at UCC in 2016, has prior experience in online teaching, which contributed to the seamless transition he experienced. Fagan adds, “[online teaching] requires a lot of initial planning but in my case this was easily facilitated by the lesson plans which I already had prepared and only needed tweaking for online delivery. Classroom participation and classroom assessments needed some tweaking also because some students attempt to be inconspicuous in online settings. The transition has forced me to seek ways of actively engaging such students.”

Fagan also highlights that one clear advantage has been less time spent in commuting to class. He also adds that all the work that is done via ZOOM can be saved and shared with students at a later time.Ms Shalieka Buriss, an English lecturer, expressed her own challenges with the transition. “I have tried my best to change the way of teaching to suit online. I have used methods such as screen sharing to allow for feedback of students' drafts, and I have provided virtual positive sticker rewards as I am used to doing face to face for students. Generally, teaching online requires more presence of the lecturer which I have provided for my students.”

Other lecturers have expressed a few challenges, speci�cally voiced by students, regarding connectivity issues. However, they have also mentioned the numerous advantages for both students and sta�. “It allows UCC to reduce its environmental footprint, reduce its contribution to congestion in the New Kingston area, improves student learning since students can have access to class recordings, encourages feedback from students since many do not feel as scared to express themselves as they would in a crowded classroom,” says Ms Kimone Brown, Tourism lecturer.

Another Lecturer, Mr Aubryn Smith, also expressed that his transition to online teaching has been “excellent”, so far. He also encourages other lecturers to acquire training in online teaching and learning, which has assisted him greatly. “Teaching online and teaching face to face requires di�erent skill sets in delivery. Lecturers need to get special training in online delivery. I have been trained in online teaching [and] that makes me comfortable. Online teaching has many bene�ts for both students and facilitators. I enjoy teaching Mathematics both face to face and online.”

The UCC community is just beginning to come to terms with the very sad and sudden news concerning the passing of Dr. Rickert Allen last week, on Good Friday, at his home in Mandeville. We cannot believe that he is really gone, and wish to tender our deepest condolences to his family.

Dr. Allen was deeply committed to his University of the Commonwealth Caribbean role, as �rst a Board member, from late 2017 to May 2019, then as Board Chairman, in helping the University to move forward, always seeking to bring his best competences to bear on the applied meaning of the term “e�ective governance,” in this context.

He was wont to comment, now and then, that “we are living in volatile, uncertain, confusing and ambiguous times,” and that it was essential for an organization seeking to position itself for success to be very agile & take a long, strategic view of the business environment, rising above the pressures and clamor of the moment.

As Senior General Manager for Group Human Resources at NCB, he was passionate about the need to combine a clear-eyed view of institutional objectives and goals, with the imperative of motivating the continuing commitment of any institution’s human resources, in the interests of truly excellent service to all target market segments. May he rest in peace.

The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean held a Scholarship Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, March 11th, 2020.

The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean's Operations and Facilities Management team, led by UCC's Director of Facilities and Security, Andre Wallace, has implemented immediate Sanitisation and Energy Management protocol in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.The Operations and Facilities Management department has taken guided steps to reduce the risk to UCC Sta� and Students."All ancillary sta� have become more thorough in how they clean, giving special attention to frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs and pulls, restroom faucets, closet �ush handles, dispenser handles and the stair rails; ideally we would like them to be cleaned every 10 – 15 minutes. The o�ce phones must also be cleaned frequently using a piece of hand towel/clean rag damped with alcohol. Lysol cleaning solution is also being used, paying careful attention to the dilution guidelines on the labels," says Wallace.The department has also communicated to the UCC community the importance of taking the necessary precautions to protect personal health and safety, by doing and encouraging others to do the following:

• Wash and sanitize your hands frequently.• Clean frequently touched surfaces in your home and motor vehicles with the appropriate solutions.• Ensure that when cleaning we pay careful attention to labels and the ventilation of the space being cleaned.• Ensure that when cleaning we pay careful attention to labels and the ventilation of the space being cleaned.• Using chemicals in closed spaces can cause respiratory ailments, this type of self-in�icted injuries are more common than the virus.• Sanitize your hand and that of other occupants on entering your vehicles using alcohol or alcohol-based solutions.

On entering your home leave shoes at the door. 1. Proceed to the bathroom and wash your hands as per WHO guidelines (20sec).2. Remove your clothes and immediately place them in a sealed laundry bag or bin.3. If clothes are to be worn again please spray with disinfectant aerosol and apply to direct heat using a steamer or blow dryer.4. Take a shower.5. Using a disinfecting aerosol spray clean all the surfaces touched including keys and doorknobs.6. Disinfect shoes.7. By enjoying the comfort and security of your home you reduce your exposure to the coronavirus.

Additionally, given the �exible commuting and work from home guidelines issued, the department has also reminded sta� that as o�ces are not as populated as in normal operations, the following guidelines must be followed to reduce the operational overheads/utility cost:

Lighting

• Only turn on the lights necessary for the station you are working from.• Turn o� the lights when leaving your work station for lunch or extended breaks• Turn o� restroom lights when not in use (especially smaller o�ce buildings)• Turn o� the lights at the end of the workday.

Air Conditioning

• If the o�ce is not at capacity please adjust the temperature upwards as this will have a positive impact on the utility reducing the demand. • Turn o� the unit when leaving for lunch or other extended breaks. • Turn o� the unit when leaving the o�ce at the end of the workday. • During the workday please ensure the windows and doors remain closed if the air conditioner is on (we have observed doors open with the air condition on as persons are avoiding to touch the door handles).

Computers

• Please ensure your PC monitor is o� and the PC locked to protect con�dential information and to restrict access to programs. • If radios or other personal appliances are used at your station please ensure they are turned o� and plugged out at the end of the workday.

Office MaintenanceSta� using the o�ces should consume their meals and breaks in the dining rooms, outside on the benches or in the provided eating areas - creating a habitat for roaches and rodents should also be systematically avoided or eliminated, as with COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in restrictions a�ecting our movement as citizens and residents. The safety of all our stakeholders must be of paramount importance. The UCC Board of Directors supports the Government of Jamaica’s decision to adopt an uncompromising response to this crisis. It is abundantly clear that whatever sacri�ces are made now, as a result of containment e�orts, should limit the impact of this virus upon our island nation. Many companies around the world are taking practical steps to manage their workforces so as to mitigate the virus’s impact upon the business environment.

The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean has taken similar steps in working with the students, faculty members and administrative sta� within our community, while benchmarking our continuing e�orts against best practices implemented at other institutions of higher education.

Our goal is to assure the health and welfare of community members, to the extent practicable, while also taking measured steps to manage the �nancial impact of the crisis. Given the restrictions announced by the Government of Jamaica, in response to COVID-19, on March 12, 2020, all UCC campuses moved our face-to-face classes online, using UCC’s learning management system, and subsequently arranged for non-essential sta� to work from home, or to engage in �exible commuting to work, if not on vacation or medical leave.

A Helpdesk Directory was set up, and all regular UCC lines were made available to students, just as before - UCC’s teams continue to receive calls seeking responses to questions from key personnel.

Students are urged to continue monitoring their emails and UCC’s website, along with their Aeorion and Moodle platforms, for additional information and updates, so as to optimize their educational experience, and to remain safe during this period. UCC has adopted a Safety Management Plan which seeks to ensure that the University’s Emergency Management Committee and UCC’s executive leaders, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness are actively monitoring coronavirus-related developments, and are coordinating Campus resources, responses and communications, in the interests of e�ective health and safety management.

The Human Resource Management and Development Department will continue to provide timely and important updates about the virus, and our response to this threat. Sta� members have been reminded of the University’s commitment to keeping them informed about future institutional decisions that may be required, and the best ways for them and for their families to remain healthy. The University will endeavour to support its sta�, by ensuring that if applicable, sta� with a need to self isolate or to be in quarantine, will be fully facilitated, in accordance with the UCC’s COVID-19 policy. We all pray that Jamaica will be spared the worst of this pandemic, while continuing with contingency planning.

Dr Rickert AllenChair of University Board

MESSAGE FROM THE UCC BOARD OF DIRECTORS' CHAIRMAN

Mr. Andre WallaceDirectorFacilities and Security Management

UCC lecturers and students share their experience with Face-to-Face to Online transition

Sanitization and Energy Management tips from UCC’s Director of Facilities and Security

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE UCC FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS CEREMONY HELD ON MARCH 11TH

Guest Speaker Ms. Sandra Samuels, CEO, Totally Male Spa.

Professor Bernadette Warner, UCC Executive Vice President of Academic A�airs, provides greetings and opening remarks.

Professor Dennis Gayle, UCC President and Chair of the UCC Foundation Board, welcomes patrons and scholarship recipients and speaks about the role of the UCC Foundation.

Ms. Nackeisha Francis speaks of her experience as a scholarship recipient.

Mr. Kevin Powell, Director of Student A�airs and Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon, leads the opening prayer.

Sta�, scholarship recipients, and others in attendance were entertained by musical selections.

Ms. Sandra Samuels, Guest speaker, assisted with presentations to students and scholarship recipients.

Scholarship awardees posing for a group photo - congrats to all recipients!

LIST OF AWARDEES

Founders’ Day Award

Ryan Blake $200,000

Krystan Hunter $200,000

First Generation Award

Shanique Davis $115,000

Omar Richardson $115,000

Nakeita-Jasmin Evans $115,000

Ashaya Brown $115,000

Bionca Johnson $115,000

Venisha Parnell $115,000

Trail Blazers Award

Simone Plummer $100,000

Shaneika Goode $100,000

Pathfinders Award

Keishma Pitter $100,000

Helping Hand Award

Christopher Godfrey $50,000

Olivia Copeland $50,000

Natanya Farrier-Woodley $50,000

Alecia Lindsay

Shernett Shaw $50,000

Kareem Campbell $50,000

Kadian Francis $30,000

Shaneka Samuda $50,000

Professor Gayle assisted with presentations to students and scholarship recipients.

Ms. Sandra Samuels, CEO of Totally Male Spa, captures the attention of a gracious audience as she shares her journey of the struggles and triumphs throughout her time in academia and business. Samuels encourages the scholarship recipients to run their own races and to cherish the opportunities presented as stepping stones for even greater success. Noting that she did not take the traditional route to academic achievement, Samuels reminds the audience that it is not about how you start but about how you �nish that will be the determinant for success.

Here are the highlights from the event:

Janet Davis Lindsay Award

Antonette Rashford $135,000

Roshan Martin $135,000

Charles Williams

Bernie & Ramona Benson Award

Tawayne Spence $254,000

Geraldine Adams Hope Award

Nackeisha Francis $150,000

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted the pedagogical routine of educational institutions across the globe causing some to postpone their services; while others seek innovative means to o�er continuation. The Online department, in conjunction with several other key departments, has responded to the pandemic in practical, e�ective manners that guarantee the safety of UCC students and faculty alike. Like other universities in the island, UCC had to retract all on-campus courses with immediate e�ect. However, students and faculty were quickly introduced to the safe convenience of video-conferencing; using Zoom. The Online team launched a series of training aimed to assist the then face-to-face instructors and students with manipulation of the Zoom software and the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Additional trainings are scheduled daily from Sunday, 5th April to Thursday, 9th April 2020 in preparation for the pursuit of �nal assessments on the platform and the summer 2020 semester. These sessions are being conducted to aid with the success of the remote work-study initiative. Therefore, the Online team continues to work closely with a variety of departments in an

e�ort to bring the current semester to a successful close and to ensure a pro�table start to the impending summer semester.

All programmes will be o�ered via the online modality for summer 2020; working with the Heads of Departments who have identi�ed and scheduled courses in high demand for the student population. The Online team is assisting with selection and registration for courses on the platform, to ensure that selections of scheduled courses are seamless and there are no possible clashes, especially for our �nal year students who are top priority.

Though the use of technology continues to prove quite bene�cial, there has been rising concern about the quality of end-users devices and failure of internet connectivity during classes or even more detrimental -during �nals. A series of protocols for handling issues have been generated and students have been allocated a forty-eight hour window for uploading �nal assessments. It is also important for students to report any technical issues experienced -with supporting evidence. The claims will be processed by the Assessment Helpdesk, which will be instituted by the Dean’s o�ce, to allow students to get immediate support. As with any institution, there are lecturers and students who are not technologically competent thus their inhibition to this e-learning substitute. We were able to successfully convert some of these students and sta� to users of the technology – albeit no avid lover, at the moment. Amidst this, numerous students have been exposed to the ease, convenience and cost-e�ciency of online studies which, we hope will increase the number of students choosing to study with UCC Online.

The intrigue of the �rst collaborative e�ort is anticipated to be a success as we continue to work together to make this historical venture. We may have been plunged into disaster but as we continue with contingency plans, we will be better prepared and equipped to handle the challenges. The VLE now has the storage capacity to accommodate as much as ten thousand students and, coupled with the training, we look forward to successive semesters with con�dence.

Multimedia Interactive Courses Online (MICON) Project

The MICON platform was created to facilitate global participation in eLearning with UCC Online. The courses are created by world-class international instructors. The lessons are video-based self-paced and instructor-led with discussion and quizzes. MICON also currently partners with Velsoft, a leading provider of customizable training materials. The Velsoft platform enables Universities and Corporate entities to deliver high quality, engaging content to their sta� or students, using proven materials that can be edited to suit any training situation or audience.

The MICON courses on Udemy platform have seen over 50 students pursuing UCC courses since the advent of COVID- 19. This attests to the quality of the materials created under the project, since many eLearning platforms have been o�ering free courses during the COVID 19 crisis, yet participants opt to take MICON courses at the reduced cost o�ered by Udemy.

A series of training has been ongoing with Velsoft for the online team, heads of departments and program coordinators. These trainings were designed to empower UCC sta� to use online technology seamlessly. The Online department will be o�ering sta� an online certi�cation course that will help faculty with online class management and e�ective use of the online tools.

The objective is for UCC to become a leading provider of eLearning/online resources for any level of education or training needs. In order to accomplish this, partnerships are being created with international accredited schools to widen UCCs online o�erings. Despite the COVID19 pandemic, UCC MICON project progresses with course development.

Ms Sandra Bloom�eldDirectorOnline Programmes

Online Department's Response to the COVID19 Crisis

President Appointed to National Youth Parliament of Jamaica

The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean’s Academic Council would like to formally congratulate Mr. Oneil Dowe, President, UCC Students’ Council 2019 – 2020, on his o�cial appointment to the National Youth Parliament of Jamaica being spearheaded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information e�ective January 2020.

Student Council COVID-19 Action Plan

In March 2020, as the Jamaican education sector continues to transition to online studies because of the COVID-19 crisis, Mr. Dowe in partnership with the Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students (JUTS) continued the advocacy on the behalf of students who are being met with internet challenges. Following discussions with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology, in partnership with Digicel Jamaica, students now have access to the internet through the provision of a subsidized data plan and zero-rated data access to frequently used learning platforms and websites. Digicel will launch the “14 Days Education Plan” which will provide 500MB of data at a cost of $500.00 for 14 days for students up to the tertiary level.

The Students’ Council continues its e�orts to support our students’ academic progress during this crisis and beyond in pursuit of our endeavours.

Mr. Oneil DoweStudent Council President

Official Notice: Student Council 2019 – 2020 President Appointment to National Youth Parliament of Jamaica & Student Data Plan Initiative

$50,000

$135,000

Statement from the UCC Group of CompaniesUntimely Passing of Dr Rickert Allen