Questions tagged [covid-19]
Specifically for questions relating to the current situation of the planetary Covid-19 Pandemic and how academic institutions and staff may be affected.
98
questions
8
votes
1answer
126 views
How to welcome new PhD students/postdocs to the group during lockdown?
These days several countries (including Germany, where I am situated) are heading towards some kind of lockdown due to the Corona pandemic. Nonetheless, new group members arrive and I have the feeling ...
-2
votes
0answers
35 views
offline education or online education [closed]
I am in the final year of my high school. as we know the covid-19 pandemic has shift education online. I am taking part in a interschool debate competion ovr topic is online education vs pffline ...
-1
votes
0answers
86 views
Would a single F in masters prevent me from getting in a good PhD Program? [duplicate]
So, long story, here's my situation: I have an undergraduate degree from mathematics with barely a 3.0GPA. After I graduated, I worked in insurance for a little bit and then decided to pursue a ...
5
votes
2answers
275 views
How can faculty best telegraph work-life balance challenges under COVID to our administration?
Work-life balance is more challenging for faculty than ever under COVID-19. What are equitable, privacy sensitive ways to telegraph needs at the individual level? What are acceptable accommodations ...
19
votes
2answers
2k views
Should remote teaching sessions be shorter than classroom sessions?
In normal years, when I teach in a physical classroom, I teach in sessions of ~90 minutes, with ~30 minutes break.
This year, all teaching is done via Zoom (in real-time), and I wonder whether I ...
-1
votes
1answer
115 views
What can I do if I am penalized in online exam due to no fault of mine? [closed]
My college is conducting exams online on their own portal that they built specifically for this purpose. Last week I gave a classtest and am shocked to see that I have been awarded 6/10 despite all my ...
3
votes
4answers
247 views
Are letterhead and signatures necessary in the LOR?
My manager (one of the recommenders) said that he is working from home for several months due to coronavirus. It will not be possible for him to give the recommendation letter on the letterhead.
...
6
votes
1answer
177 views
Postponing faculty start date due to covid and Pregnancy?
Any advice? I’m just a few weeks pregnant, due in June. I’m supposed to start a faculty position (tt - great fit) at a research intensive R1 school. Our plan had been to move back to the US in ...
3
votes
3answers
191 views
How can I join a university class conducted online as a non-matriculating student during COVID-19?
I'd like to join a class at a university, as a non-matriculated student, that I can participate in online, due to COVID-19. I already have a PhD (in a technical field), and am looking to take a class ...
5
votes
1answer
293 views
Are we focusing too much on cheating with online courses?
Recently, the online calculus class I TA for took their first test of the semester and the grades were horrific. Granted, this is my first semester as a TA so my expectations might have been high. ...
2
votes
1answer
39 views
How to properly describe experience in exchange program in Statement of Purpose in Master Application?
I went to the international exchange program in a top CS university in Hong Kong, during 2020 spring, when the world was suffering from the pandemic. The Covid-19 affected the exchange program and ...
7
votes
1answer
247 views
How to gracefully step back from academic administration duties during the pandemic?
I am a tenured professor who holds some administrative positions (e.g., graduate director) in exchange for teaching reduction. I had previously asked about the administrative tasks consuming all my ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
Am I allowed to give a gift to a fellow student for helping me in a very direct way?
Due to the COVID situation our lab course only allows one of two students in a partnership to run an experiment during a session while the other observes via Zoom. I can't make it to the next session ...
3
votes
3answers
310 views
Should Professors use COVID as Discussion Board Material?
I am not a professor, but I work at a Community College. I work with students directly (basically a tutor) and someone asked me a question that I didn't know how to respond: Is it appropriate for ...
5
votes
1answer
309 views
Alternative ways to use lecture time when only one quarter of the students can attend?
In the upcoming semester, we are going to organise and hold a beginner’s lecture with some peculiar restrictions (due to the COVID-19 crisis):
We can use a lecture hall at two 90-minute slots per ...
1
vote
1answer
160 views
Chances of getting admitted to USA universities for Fall 2021 [closed]
As I see, a lot of students have already deferred their Fall 2020 applications to Fall 2021 next year due to Covid 19.
In this scenario, does this mean that, the fresh applicants for Fall 2021 will ...
46
votes
8answers
10k views
How can I deal with being pressured by my department to pass students who failed?
Due to COVID-19, I have found myself teaching a course online. I worked with the university teaching center to transition the course online, prepared an online classroom, and updated the requirements ...
3
votes
2answers
275 views
Do instructors have the right to know how many students test positive for COVID-19?
My university tests every student.
So they have the data.
I can understand that for privacy,
the names of the students who tested positive are not released to the public or the instructors.
But do ...
12
votes
2answers
1k views
Advice for first time mathematics TA during the COVID-19 pandemic [closed]
I'm set to start my first year as a TA at a large R1 institution. My teaching assignment consists of being a TA for an honors calculus I section. This includes holding a weekly problem solving session ...
2
votes
1answer
326 views
When to leave a postdoc as foreigner that doesn't have enough courage because of current global situation? [closed]
so i joined a postdoc in US six months back. Had to move from India. Even after six months have no clue what im working on how to proceed with work. I make suggestions to the PI but he shoots them ...
10
votes
3answers
3k views
What is the academic job market going to be like in September-November 2020? [closed]
Is there any good reason to be optimistic? I have the impression that this may be the worst job market year in the past ten years.
Edit to be more specific: I am referring to hiring grad students, ...
39
votes
6answers
8k views
How to deal with hostility from administrators when starting a new postdoc position?
I applied for a postdoc at a lab in the US as I really liked
the work of that lab.
I had the initial interview with the professor and then with the lab members.
All went well and the professor ...
1
vote
1answer
136 views
Should I apply for a second masters degree (PSI master's program) after already having done a dual degree in physics?
I am a master's student in India, supposed to apply for PhD applications this year. However, I am still unsure of what I want to pursue in my PhD program. Meanwhile, I came across PSI's one-year ...
-1
votes
3answers
381 views
How to report a misconduct in methods in an article published by a top journal anonymously?
I found a potential wrong application of machine learning validation methods in one paper recently published in Nature Energy, which is the best energy journal (>50 impact factors). The authors ...
13
votes
3answers
3k views
Will taking unpaid leave hurt tenure process?
I am in the last year of my tenure clock and will be submitting my tenure package this Fall. However, I will not be able to teach on campus this Fall partly due to COVID-19 disruption (school closing ...
1
vote
3answers
225 views
How does the lockdown affect the application and admission processes in the Western Europe, Scandinavia, and the US?
I am about to submit my PhD thesis and thus my studentship will terminate. Along with my studentship, naturally, my scholarship and my stipend also will be gone.
I have some savings, but I doubt I can ...
-3
votes
1answer
106 views
Choosing between institutes amid a pandemic [closed]
I have been offered an admit at a institute closer to my house. I also have the option to upgrade to a slightly better institute which is more than 1000 miles away from my home. Although classes will ...
6
votes
0answers
190 views
May F1 students with a US PhD receive their stipend if they leave the country? [closed]
I am considering returning to my home country since my PhD classes are being offered optionally online (which means we can take them both in person or online) for the fall semester, and the US state I ...
1
vote
1answer
142 views
With GRE not being accepted or being considered optional due to Covid, which other aspects of application will be given heavier weightage? [closed]
Due to COVID-19 many universities (at least many Physics departments) are not accepting or are considering the GRE as optional. So, which other aspects of my application might be given heavier ...
28
votes
2answers
2k views
Best practices to teach while wearing a mask
The title of the question pretty much says it all: starting Fall 2020, my university should resume face-to-face classes, requiring that
all faculty, staff, students, and visitors […] wear an ...
6
votes
2answers
181 views
Posting commentary papers to preprint repositories
Short version:
We noticed a problematic but influential preprint, wrote a commentary paper to criticize and rebut it, but were not able to post the comment to any public preprint repository. In this ...
5
votes
0answers
215 views
What are best practices for reducing cheating in online tests? [closed]
I would like to know how can universities conduct exams of mathematical subjects during coronavirus.
My university is not willing to let us be tested from afar because of the claim that in this case, ...
1
vote
1answer
301 views
What is the fair way to grade in this pandemic?
I am a second-year student at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research.
There's been a lot of discussions among students and faculty in my institute regarding the grading system to be ...
1
vote
1answer
132 views
Outreach activities in the COVID era
All the outreach activities planned this year for my project have been cancelled due to COVID-19 disruptions.
These include Summer math camp for high school students and seminar in local high schools.
...
3
votes
1answer
142 views
Missed registration deadline that was not announced for second exam of a course, how should I proceed?
I am an undergraduate student in Germany.
Due to scheduling problems I couldn't attend an exam last semester. Subsequently, because of COVID-19, the date for the second exam was unknown. To register ...
2
votes
1answer
217 views
Should I choose a “Pass” grade instead of a letter grade due to the study disruption during the Covid-19? [closed]
I understand this question has been asked in this forum. But I still want to have some advice on my case.
I am current a research master student in one of the top universities in Canada. In the last ...
3
votes
0answers
73 views
Is there a repository for copyrighted academic video lectures?
As the Covid-19 pandemic spread out everybody’s moving to teach online. Would it be possible to post online my video lectures, without sacrificing copyrights, i.e. posting them with a warranty that (...
1
vote
2answers
202 views
What will replace math exams in 2020/21 given covid-19? [closed]
A lot of universities are expecting not to be able to run in-person exams for at least part of the 2020/21 academic year. I believe, for example, that no UK universities is currently planning to hold ...
3
votes
3answers
132 views
How to proceed if email asking for a recommendation letter hasn't gotten a response after 3 weeks (during COVID-19 pandemic)?
I know this question has been asked before but here is the Covid-19 Pandemic Edition:
I emailed my professor asking if they would consider writing me a LOR almost a month ago and haven't gotten a ...
2
votes
0answers
149 views
Should I contact professors in Europe to enquire about PhD positions given the ongoing pandemic?
I am a 2nd year masters student in Mathematics in an Asian University and my masters will be completed this month.
I wrote to professors in December and January asking about open positions in their ...
8
votes
1answer
482 views
How can I tactfully decline my supervisor's suggestion and set boundaries?
New here. So I just started my postdoc about a month ago (great time to start a postdoc during a pandemic I know). Learning the ropes and trying to kinda set my own path in the lab has been ...
2
votes
2answers
220 views
Covid gap year and grad school admissions
I'm a sophomore at a public university in the U.S. I'm thinking of taking a year off before my junior year, but I'm worried I'll have to explain the gap in my transcript when I apply to math grad ...
1
vote
1answer
162 views
Should I take an S/NS grade during COVID19 if I want to go to grad school?
I am currently a graduating senior. The course in question is within my department, but will count as an elective (since I have already met the requirements, I just took this class for the experience)....
1
vote
0answers
44 views
Best cheap printer for printing papers? [closed]
What's the best cheap printer (hopefully under $100) for printing papers? Need one because of the COVID situation.
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Retroactively Awarding Extra Exam Time
Since the beginning of the Corona Virus pandemic and the adaptation to distance learning, I have had to adapt my classes to hold exams via video calls. In previous semesters when I've had students ...
3
votes
1answer
175 views
When will the GRE Subject Test resume after COVID-19? [closed]
A far as my research can find, ETS has waived rescheduling fees for taking the GRE and has canceled all test dates for all tests through September 2020. They also have an at home option for the ...
3
votes
1answer
192 views
What are the benefits and drawbacks of timed online exams? [closed]
I have seen several ideas for online exams but one thing that is not fully discussed is what are the advantages and disadvantages of timed exams? This will be helpful to many, especially during these ...
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Is it appropriate to express concerns to a professor about a new exam format?
I'm taking a math class at community college. The class has three regular exams (25% of grade) and a final (25%). Normally, the professor generously grades the fifteen-question exams with partial ...
5
votes
3answers
602 views
PhD dissertation burnout duing pandemic (COVID-19)
I am in the process of writing my PhD thesis and it happens to be during the global pandemic crisis. My submission date was supposed to be June 2020 (we are in April 2020), but my supervisor has been ...
61
votes
13answers
24k views
Other students can easily cheat on a test and the grading system is relative - should I cheat, and what else can I do?
Amid the pandemic, a test that has traditionally been in-class is now planned to be held as follows:
The examiner starts a Zoom conference.
The students join the conference from their homes, turning ...
