My offering as the faculty advisor for ASSETT is simply acknowledgement and gratitude for all that you are doing to survive and thrive through the challenges wrought by COVID.
If you are a student, thanks for your patience with your instructors as they get all the features of Canvas in working order, figure out how to use breakout rooms, and adjust their material to an online modality for teaching.
If you are a staff person, gratitude to you for all the new responsibilities you are shouldering in addition to your usual workload, your ingenuity, forethought, and support of education.
If you are an instructor, thank you for quickly transitioning to all online teaching with grace and agility.
To all, remember to take good care of yourself in regard to this increased amount of interface with technology. To maintain my well-being, I have walked the neighborhood around my house more than ever just get out and refresh myself between Zoom meetings. I can report from my walk this morning that the turkey vultures who reside in a tree near 7th and College have departed for warmer digs for the winter. The college women who live across from me have a new puppy. A Steller's jay seems to have come down from the mountains for the fall and is eating the sunflower seeds my neighbor sprinkled near her yard this morning.
Just as you thrive in all you offer through your use of technology, also be sure to refresh yourself away from it as well. Personally, I offer up the slow walk and observation of the natural world as a regenerative respite. As a part of ASSETT, I extend my warmest wishes for your continued support of education through technology and the maintenance of your well-being.
