Teaching During Times of Disruption

Consult the information below to identify the correct support office for your needs as an instructor.

Immediate Support for Instructors

For questions that don't obviously match up to an area of expertise below, contact the ECM Help Desk (open 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.), which will triage and direct questions.

ECM Help Desk

Immediate Support for Students

The IT Center Help Desk is open by phone and ready to help you use the tools referred to on this web page. You can find our hours of operation on the .

For immediate assistance call us at (585) 275-2000, option 1. Assistance is also available through our or by sending email to univithelp@rochester.edu.

Dean’s Office

Contact Elaine Sia policy questions about curricular issues (major, minors, etc.), course grading, and other academic administrative matters. Guiding documents and resources from the College are included in assessment strategies during times of COVID-19.

Contact the Academic Honesty Liaison at honestyliaison@ur.rochester.edu with questions about the academic honesty policy, including how to carry out instruction and assessment in ways that support honest, independent completion of work.

Guiding documents and resources can be found on instructors' overview and resources pages of the honesty website, and contact information for the Board on Academic Honesty can be found there as well. Zoom proctoring guidelines approved by the Deans’ Office as of fall 2020 remain in effect.

Teaching Center

The Teaching Center can help instructors with any pedagogy (teaching best practices) questions. Email teachingcenter@rochester.edu for assistance.

The Teaching Center website also offers extensive information about how to teach in times of disruption with online, hybrid, and flexible face-to-face teaching information and training resources.

Learning Center

Faculty looking to provide additional academic support for students during times of disruption can refer students to the Learning Center. The center offers helpful advice for students during times of disruption, as well as some support services that students can access remotely.

Please contact us for the status of the Learning Center's student academic support services (study skills, tutoring, Study Zone, study groups) by emailing learning@rochester.edu. 

Office of Educational Effectiveness

Contact the Office of Educational Effectiveness via email (josephine.seddon@rochester.edu) for support with assessment strategies (e.g. mapping to learning outcomes, grading criteria, rubrics, etc.) and for program assessment initiatives and needs. Resources also available at "Assessment Strategies".

Event and Classroom Management

Contact rochesterhelp@freshdesk.com for routine requests or (585) 275-9014 for urgent support requests. Open 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

  • Lecture Capture Panopto classrooms
  • On-campus classroom technology support
  • Loaner equipment requests

Instructional Technology Services

Contact InstructionalTechSvcs@ur.rochester.edu for support and best practice consultation for teaching and learning with technology tools such as Panopto, Zoom, Blackboard, Gradescope, and more.

Our team supports the intersection of Pedagogy and technology including recommendations of technology tools for successful teaching and learning. Coaching and support provided by Eric Likness and Jason Wagner.

IT

Contact univithelp@rochester.edu for technical support for supported software products, including Blackboard and for software licensing questions.

Library

Identify, obtain, and access electronic course materials. Library staff will order electronic items when available and will ensure licenses meet class needs. Requests for course reserves may be submitted via our . With the recent change to online courses, requests for course reserves materials may not be completed in time for the first day of classes. We thank you for your patience as library staff work to deliver these materials as quickly as possible.

Request digitization of course materials in a print format. Subject to limitations for copyright compliance. To make a digitization request, be sure you are logged into your , find the necessary item within our discovery system, go to the full record, and look for the "Get It" options, which should include digitization.

Digitization of films for use as course materials. Due to copyright limitations and technical constraints, digitization of films is offered only on a very limited basis and can take a while to complete. Please contact tclifford@library.rochester.edu or p.schwartzman@rochester.edu to request a consultation on this service. For help identifying films already available in a streaming format through the River Campus Libraries, consult the resources on our .

Identify and access alternative course resources. When course materials are not available in an electronic format and digitization is not possible, talk with to discuss and options.

Request instruction and research support for faculty and students. is ready to shift to online teaching as well. Please reach out so that we can make the necessary arrangements. Librarians can:

  • Develop virtual activities and assignments to facilitate online interactions and engagement
  • Discover and use software for audio, video, and collaborative needs
  • Serve as a second pair of eyes or a sounding board for materials you are creating for remote instruction

Contact the Library Staff and make appointments. Click the CHAT LIVE button from the library’s home page from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. See which librarian is online at our . You may directly with questions and requests or email rclconsult@library.rochester.edu. You are invited to with a librarian. General library questions (e.g., hours of operation) can be sent to ask@library.rochester.edu.

Office of Disability Resources

Contact disability@rochester.edu for assistance with:

  • Required accommodations for specific students in online/remote coursework, including test accommodations.
  • Required accessibility standards for all online/remote coursework.
  • Best practices for types of student needs, such as those who are blind or low vision, Deaf or hard of hearing, and those who need to limit screen time or video time.

Writing, Speaking and Argument Program

The Writing and Speaking Center is available for virtual support. Our resources are free and open to all members of the College—staff, faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. Visit our website to .

Contact wsap@ur.rochester.edu for pedagogy (teaching best practices) for writing and speaking or with questions about the Writing and Speaking Center.