COVID-19 Communications

Read messages from the LUMS senior leadership about the developing situation of the Coronavirus pandemic.

March 12, 2020: Update on COVID-19

Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020
Subject: Update on COVID-19

Dear Faculty, Students, Staff, Alumni and members of the LUMS community

As you learn more about the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to assure you that LUMS is doing its utmost to safeguard your well-being and the interests of the community at large.

The LUMS Medical Center is open 24/7 and is your first point of contact if you feel unwell; the number to call is 2543 from within LUMS. Over the next few days, a direct hotline will be available as we add more medical staff at the Center. You are encouraged to contact them for advice on whether you need medical attention.

We are exploring online and other alternatives for both learning and assessment. To give ourselves time to plan this carefully and diligently, we will be extending the mid-semester break which will start as planned on March 16th and classes (either online or on campus) will resume on Monday, April 7th.

Meantime, we ask you to double your efforts to postpone travel, improve hygiene by using sanitizers (and extended use of soap) and do your best to increase social distancing. A new website link will be provided on preventative measures, links, university updates, and other relevant information.

I also want to clarify that 21 LUMS students recently returned from Turkey after attending a Model UN Conference. As a precaution all of these students have been tested for COVID-19. All results received so far are negative.

As we move through unprecedented challenges together, official communication and dialog with you will continue to evolve. We want to encourage each of you to do your part in raising evidence-based awareness, support your loved ones, friends and those in need as we will pull through these testing times with the best possible outcomes.

Wishing everyone health and safety!

Thank you,
Arshad

Dr. Arshad Ahmad
Vice Chancellor

Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali
Interim Provost
Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Dr. Sabieh Anwar
Dean, School of Science & Engineering

Dr. Tahir Andrabi
Dean, School of Education

Dr. Alnoor Bhimani
Dean, Business School

Dr. Adnan Khan
Dean, Student Affairs

March 13, 2020: Urgent: University Closure

Date: March 13, 2020
Subject: Urgent: University Closure

Dear LUMS Community,

Earlier this evening we received an announcement from HEC which has determined that academic operations of all public and private institutions of higher education must remain closed until April 5, 2020.

However, faculty and essential staff - as designated by their HoDs - will continue their work.

Hostels must be vacated, except by international students. Students are advised to leave the hostels as soon as practically possible, but no later than March 18, as we need to fully comply with the nationwide government directive.
All core information systems will be remotely accessible if needed (helpdesk@lums.edu.pk).

The university will continue to maintain its dedicated hotline for any medical related queries 042-35608500
Any HR questions can be addressed to HR at hrd@lums.edu.pk

We will continue to monitor any new developments and provide periodic updates.

We also deeply regret the inconvenience and look forward to seeing you again soon. Thanks very much for your understanding.

Regards,

Arshad and Kamran

Dr. Arshad Ahmad
Vice Chancellor

Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali
Interim Provost
Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

March 29, 2020: HEC Guidelines for Academic Operations in Universities

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2020
Subject: HEC Guidelines for Academic Operations in Universities

Dear all,

As we get closer to April 6th, it is inspiring to hear of students and faculty initiatives that put the well-being of others first. The many faces of exemplary service are a reminder why this aspect of our work is as important as teaching and research. There is a unity of purpose strengthening LUMS values of caring, inclusiveness and generosity. Please join me to thank and congratulate our colleagues and students for their seen and unseen acts of selflessness and initiative.

I want to also acknowledge the anxiety and fear that we are all coming to terms with. One question we face collectively is the role each of us can play to complete this semester.

Together we face the challenge of teaching and working online. The Ped-Tech Committee has done excellent work to collect data, make really sound, process decisions. You will soon receive relevant links, visual media, short videos, etc. The challenge to adopt “best practice” for online instruction implies “changing practice”. Here, allow me to share a few lessons I’ve learned and continue to learn in my role as a teacher.

There is no shortage of best practices out there including 8 succinct and excellent articles offered by one of the most respectable and widely read magazine – The Chronical of Higher Education on “Coping With Coronavirus”.

Despite the great suggestions, it isn’t clear to me how instructors will use these ideas to answer questions they are probably thinking about. For example, how do I redesign my remaining assessments? How do I truly demonstrate flexibility? How am I to conduct a zoom session that will result in meaningful discussions? How do I exercise extra care, empathy and compassion to students who are now more vulnerable than ever before? Who is going to support me to navigate through the hundreds of micro-decisions that come to mind?

The good news is that we are not alone. There is great power in learning from our peers. Just as we advocate peer learning for students who have clearly defined tasks, the same applies to colleagues who share similar goals to plan, organize and evaluate student learning. We aren’t starting with new students but already know them.

We also know that change is accelerated in small groups within a network that becomes interdependent. In other words, don’t tackle your challenge alone. Find someone who is keen to problem solve or work with you. Also, positive change is synonymous with building trust. In short, change happens when we work with small peer-groups who trust each other.

I encourage you to take advantage of the new resources that have been developed under the guidance of the Ped-Tech team. We are excited to announce that several faculty have signed up to share effective techniques, practices, and approaches they use in their own courses that apply to online instruction across disciplines. A series of online assessment and teaching sessions will be offered via webinars and/or Zoom during the week of March 30th. (Schedule to follow soon).

Thank you for reading this long note. I am extremely proud that colleagues are coming together and have been so generous with their time, support and care to help each other move forward.

Thank you,

Arshad

Regards

Dr. Arshad Ahmad
Vice Chancellor

LUMS, A Not-For-Profit University
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan

April 10, 2020: LUMS COVID-19 Campaign

Date: Friday, April 10, 2020
Subject: LUMS COVID-19 Campaign

Dear All,

Inspired by many selfless acts of our community, LUMS is launching its own COVID-19 Campaign to support students in need, staff facing medical emergencies and financial hardships, and the broader community from low-income households struggling to make ends meet.

The campaign begins at right here at LUMS and our collective participation matters. It is the LUMS way to come together as a community and ensure that no one is left behind, and we are confident that with your participation we can make a difference to those who need our help and support the most.

Our goal is to raise PKR 50 million. Senior administrators have started the fund by committing Rs 2,608,000. Each donation, no matter the size, will go a long way. I urge you to participate. Your contributions can be designated to one or more groups. A campaign committee consisting of faculty, staff, students and alumni will guide the campaign and ensure transparency.

Next week we will be reaching out to our broader networks and asking corporate organizations, philanthropists, parents and the wider diaspora to join our efforts. We will also look for matching funds and continue our efforts as long as our support is required.

Please donate now by clicking here.

Thank you for your continuing support, wishing you all of you health and safety.

Sincerely,

Dr. Arshad Ahmad
Vice Chancellor
LUMS, A Not-For-Profit University
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan

September 18, 2020: Welcome back and thank you!

Date: Friday, September 18, 2020
Subject: Welcome back and thank you!

Dear faculty, staff and students,

As the first official week of classes comes to an end, we welcome you back with a deep sense of appreciation for so many remarkable achievements during this unforgettable summer. You have redesigned courses, kept your scholarship alive, and likely worked double-time with no days off. You have shared your expertise in forums such as LUMS Live, which reached thousands of people each week putting a spotlight on topics and concerns that have been at the forefront in our society. Pedagogical training sessions have enhanced learning and teaching, university-wide committees have produced recommendations and protocols that have kept us healthy and safe and critical working groups have prepared us for the fall semester. Thank you for contributing to the COVID-19 campaign to support the disadvantaged during the height of the pandemic. We are also congratulate all students, faculty and staff who made the virtual convocation and O-week a runaway success.

The pandemic however, will continue to test us to go beyond the call of duty. During these extraordinary times our actions will set new standards to re-envision and integrate research and teaching for a more holistic understanding of scholarship that will strengthen LUMS long into the future. We congratulate all of our Department Heads, Directors and Deans – many of who were recently appointed – for their determination and clarity of purpose to meet unforeseen challenges as caretakers and problem solvers.

Our recent experience has also revealed critical issues that have lied dormant for too long such as sexual harassment, inequities in access to education and financial sustainability. We have asked difficult questions and openly discussed ways forward with the unified purpose of strengthening LUMS. We have cut budgets significantly but continued to implement strategic priorities including two summer semesters and centres of Academic Advising, Accessibility and Inclusion, the Learning Institute, Continuing Education, and more. We have also managed to keep our salaries budget for all faculty and staff, as well as our financial aid program intact.

The summer has been like no other – just as the fall portends to be – for everyone. There is no doubt that together we can navigate through challenging situations. Let’s start this semester by taking the time to thank the teachers that go out of their way to mentor colleagues and care for their students; staff members who work quietly behind the scenes; and students who give strength to their friends in need. Our values of hard work, integrity and empathy are on full display. We are proud of all that you have been able to do and overcome together and we wish you a successful term ahead.

Tariq Jadoon, Vice-Provost
Farhat Haq, Provost
Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor

September 11, 2020: LUMS Health & Safety

Date: Friday, September 11, 2020
Subject: LUMS Health & Safety

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Please find attached the latest versions of following important guiding documents prepared by the Health and Safety Committee:

- LUMS Covid Strategy
- SOPs

Regards,

Farhat Haq
Tariq Jadoon

June 30, 2020: Fall semester

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Subject: Fall semester

Dear Faculty, Students and Staff,

In a recent University Council meeting which includes elected representatives of faculty, students and staff, it was unanimously decided to learn and teach online for the Fall, 2020 semester. This decision was reached after extensive discussion and deliberation within each of the Schools. Health and safety concerns led to the consensus that the University must opt for online instruction during the fall, although there is no decision yet about Spring, 2021. We will continuously monitor the situation as it unfolds over the Fall semester as we learn more about the spread of COVID-19 and how health and safety issues can be mitigated by slowly and partially opening the campus.

As almost all instruction will be online, the University will not be applying the 13% increase in the tuition fee for Fall of 2020. In other words there will be a 0% increase in tuition for the fall semester. A more detailed note on the fee structure and tuition will follow.

We are also looking carefully at student feedback received from course evaluations conducted this spring. Not surprisingly, overall student satisfaction scores have somewhat decreased compared to pre-COVID conditions. For example, average instructor ratings decreased from 4.31 to 4.07 and students have given good suggestions on how instruction can be improved to better support their learning. It is encouraging that already faculty have enrolled in 3-day online skills training which are being offered several times during the summer. These skills focus on using Zoom more effectively, reworking assessments to reduce student workload without sacrificing quality, and engaging students more actively in their learning.

The Interim Provost is overseeing the preparations for the Fall semester by working with two committees that include members from Faculty, Staff and Students as well as outside experts where necessary. The two working groups are:

Teaching and Class Scheduling. Chaired by Dr. M. Faryad (HOD, Physics), the working group is the continuation of the Pedagogical-Technology Committee formed in the Spring semester. This Group will receive input from the Learning Institute, the Registrar’s Office, Office of Program Enhancement, and Information Systems Technology. The working group will oversee synchronous/asynchronous course recommendations, and the scheduling of classes, labs, assessments and evaluations. Exact dates of orientation week, when classes will start, etc. will be recommended by the committee. The committee will also work with IST to address connectivity issues for students (especially incoming first year students), faculty and staff.

Health and Safety. Continuation of the current university health and safety committee, the new working group is headed by Dr. Ali Khan (Dean MGSHSS). It consists of faculty members, senior administrative colleagues, students and health experts. The working group will provide guidance on a layered health strategy for the upcoming Fall semester and will aim to provide support and care to limit the spread of the virus in our community. The strategy will include recommendations regarding working on campus and phased openings, creating safety protocols such as general hygiene standards, wearing masks, social distancing, handwashing, etc.

In summary, LUMS is committed to improve the online experience and we are learning important lessons from student feedback received to date. All faculty and staff are committed to improve access and the quality of online learning and teaching experiences this fall. The existence of quality online courses will provide more flexible alternatives when students return to campus as they will be able to experience the best of both worlds.

We will continue to provide updates and thank you for your patience and understanding.

Regards and best wishes,
Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor
Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali, Interim Provost

April 24, 2020: Health and Safety SOP during COVID-19

Date: Friday, April 24, 2020
Subject: Health and Safety SOP during COVID-19

Dear Colleagues,

Please have a quick read through the attached health and safety SOP, which lists the minimum steps to be followed across all areas.

If you are a department head or supervisor, you are required to appoint someone in your department to implement these measures in your respective areas, in ways that are practical for your area.

All others should please strive to maintain these practices and remind their peers to also do so.

Regards,

Faisal Kheiri | Head of Department
Information Systems &Technology and Human Resources

March 27, 2020: Message to the Students, Kamran Asdar Ali, Interim Provost

Date: Friday, March 27, 2020
Subject: Message to the Students, Kamran Asdar Ali, Interim Provost

Dear Students,

I hope all of you are doing well under the current circumstances. At LUMS, the health and safety of our entire community is paramount and hence we had decided to close the University initially until April 5th. In accordance with the recent Federal Government’s guidelines, this closure has been extended to May 31st, 2020. No decision has been made yet about opening the campus after May 31st and as this will depend on how best to protect the health and safety of all members of the LUMS community (and beyond) and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please note, all classes will be conducted online from April 6th for the remainder of the semester. This is going to be our new reality, at least for the time being. We had not anticipated completing the Spring semester in this manner, but everyone is participating in this effort and together we are finding common solutions to move forward.

Your faculty is working very hard to provide you with continuity in your academic goals. Below we have listed broad outlines in order to complete the semester. Your own instructors will communicate to you (during the week of March 30th) how your remaining work for each class will be structured and the system they will use to facilitate your learning. The majority of you have responded to surveys regarding connectivity and we are sensitive to those who have problems in terms of low or no connectivity. We are continuing to contact students who did not respond to the survey so that no one is left behind.

The decision to go online is global and may create many challenges for you and for our faculty. This is especially true for the completion of courses for graduating seniors. However, our commitment is that all students complete the courses they are registered for during the spring 2020 semester. When applicable, faculty members will use the existing student class times for their online sessions and do their best to maintain regular online office hours. They have been encouraged to revise both the type and weights of the remaining assessments as these will be conducted remotely. Assessments are encouraged to be given sooner than later. In some cases, reduced accessibility and low bandwidth may mean reducing content where appropriate and choosing low tech solutions. As mentioned above, faculty will continue to closely communicate with their students and give the benefit of doubt to students who seek accommodations.

1. Timelines
a. No return to campus until May 31st as per HEC directives and more importantly for your own safety and in the interest of public health.
b. Online classes start April 6th.
c. May 8th is the last day of classes.
d. ALL grading instruments (eg. assignments, tests, etc) as determined by faculty to be submitted on or before May 21.

2. Grading, Withdrawals
a. Grades will be announced to students by June 8. The current letter grading scheme will remain in effect.
b. Students will have until June 14, following the grade announcement to exercise the option for a Pass or No Credit (the latter means repeating the course). If you choose No Credit, NC will appear on your transcript and does not impact your CGPA. Existing conditions for Incomplete grades will continue as before.
c. Students can withdraw from courses until April 20 but must maintain a minimum of 12 credit hours (for undergraduate students) during the semester.

3. Internet Access
On request, internet access can be provided to students on 100% financial aid for the remainder of this semester. You can contact IT helpdesk@lums.edu.pk Phone: 042 3560-8000 X 4149/4150

4. Learning, Teaching and Accommodation
a. Students are encouraged to use the existing class times to go to online sessions, office hours, etc. depending on what the instructor has determined.
b. Pay attention to the remaining work and how that is being assessed and invest your time accordingly. As you well know, generally each course requires more time than class instruction (online or offline).
c. Getting help and support, please stay in close communication with the following:

Re. RO Services: Portal link https://roservice.lums.edu.pk/

Academic advising: students should continue to work over email or other modes of remote-communication with their school advisers in their respective schools and departments, i.e. faculty advisers, staff advisers in advising units, program coordinators, etc. (If you have any issues connecting with school advisers, you can email the university’s Office of Academic Advising at bilal.malik@lums.edu.pk and Dr. Malik can facilitate the connection with your school advisers.)

Re. Mental Health and other related concerns: As a result of the current circumstances which are unprecedented the Counselling and Psychological Services in LUMS have changed their mode of care to providing online therapy via zoom which commenced on the 16th March. To see a counsellor the same procedure as before is in place which requires emailing student.counselling@lums.edu.pk after which you will be contacted by the Practice Supervisor who will walk you through the steps on how to connect with the student counsellor online. The Counselling and Psychological Services Centre is committed to providing continual support and care to our student community and a standard of care in which confidentiality will be maintained via the online platform.

If you have any questions please contact student.counselling@lums.edu.pk.
Re. Accessibility and Inclusivity: oai@lums.edu.pk
Re. The Learning Management System (LMS) IST helpdesk@lums.edu.pk Phone: 042 3560-8000 X 4149/4150

5. Graduating Seniors
a. We assure you that the commencement is not cancelled, but postponed. We will be providing an opportunity to return to campus when conditions normalize.
b. After the grades have been posted, if you have one remaining course to graduate you may be eligible for a directed study course in summer term (please contact the RO)

We all know that the top priority for all of us is the health and safety of our community, and those beyond our community who are impacted by what we do. We also understand that graduating seniors will not have the desired closure of their university experience at LUMS. We are sensitive to the fact that saying goodbyes to friends, faculty and to the campus itself is an importantritual that marks the transition from your family at LUMS to your journeys ahead. We promise that we will try to accommodate your wishes to return to campus as the time permits in the future. However, we also want all of you to take good care of yourselves, your family and the communities that you live in. As is evident, we are sharing a moment in history that will shape us for years to come. As young people with the kind of understanding and knowledge you possess, we also hope that you are thinking beyond yourselves and are taking extra care for elders, the more vulnerable amongst us and those suffering from financial and economic problems. I am certain many amongst you have already volunteered to serve those who are more in need or are helping people within your own families and communities. Your compassion represents the very best of what LUMS can offer the world; it makes all of us (your teachers) proud of you during these uncertain times.

Finally, you should know that we too are trying to navigate our way forward as best as we can. We will make mistakes and there will be bumps along the road. But all of us, your faculty specially, are committed to ensuring that your learning continues stronger than ever as we support one another in this endeavor.
We will continue to update you with information as best we can. Please be safe and take care of yourselves.

Regards

Kamran Asdar Ali
Interim Provost, LUMS
Dr. Arshad Ahmad (VC, LUMS)
Dr. Sabieh Anwar (Dean, SBASSE)
Dr. Tahir Andrabi (Dean, SOE)
Dr. Alnoor Bhimani (Dean, SDSB)
Dr. Adnan Khan (Dean, OSA)

March 23, 2020: Quick update: March 24-April 5

Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2020
Subject: Quick update: March 24-April 5

We hope you and your families are safe and healthy. We also hope you are finding positive ways to keep your spirits high and staying virtually connected with each other. I am writing this note to provide a quick update on what is going on here at LUMS.

As you may know, the Government of Punjab has announced earlier this evening a partial lockdown, which goes into effect from tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24 until Sunday, April 5.

During this period of partial lockdown, LUMS will maintain a minimal presence of essential faculty and staff on-campus. These faculty and staff members have been deemed critical to meet high priority university commitments, such as maintaining security, energy and power operation, payroll, admissions and RO processes, etc. All other faculty and staff are continuing to work online.

As before, teaching and learning activities will continue to be suspended on campus. However, you should know that faculty are busy planning a smooth transition to help you to complete your remaining work. They are also engaged in designing effective ways to teach you online.

We have formed a high-level “Pedagogy-Technology” Committee led by Dean Sabieh Anwar and several experts in learning and teaching. The committee along with the LUMS Learning Institute is helping to support faculty complete this important work. Please continue to be patient with us and communicate with faculty through email or any other modality for course specific and other questions you may have. Meanwhile, please make sure you have completed the LUMS Online Instruction Survey (click here).

To stay connected with the LUMS family, I and others from LUMS will be available every other day during a live webcast where you can ask me/us your questions that we can help you with. More on this soon. In addition, you may also send your questions to ask@lums.edu.pk and we will endeavour to respond immediately if not within 24 hours.

Our prayers for your health and for your loved ones.

Regards,
Arshad

March 17, 2020: A Note to Students

Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Subject: A Note to Students

Dear Students,

As you head out of LUMS to reflect ore deeply on health, safety and social distancing, we ask you to prepare for what will likely become a new normal. We are sharing a few thoughts topmost on our minds today, but it’s likely that our thinking and actions will evolve as circumstances change around us. We will be in regular communication with you and encourage you to share your concerns.

Who has symptoms?

Please read the guidelines on the LUMS website. If you feel the slightest bit ill, call a medical expert. This is not the time to persevere and downplay your symptoms because adverse health effects can multiply exponentially. When you return, trained personnel will assess and direct you to medical assistance through our dedicated Hotline (042-3560 8500 or 2543/8500). The pandemic must be taken seriously, and you definitely have a role to play.

Does the 4-Feet rule apply at LUMS?

Yes! the virus travels in tiny droplets, saliva and mucus, which typically spread 3 to 5 feet. At LUMS (and outside) please be mindful of this common-sense rule. Some students have unfairly ostracized their peers who tested negative after returning from Turkey, but thought it was fine to join parties and raves. Others are congregating at restaurants and hanging out with friends. It is not OK to join any event, meeting, outing, or visit – This is a time to self-isolate as much as possible.

What am I to do until April 6?

This is an extended spring break to prepare and successfully complete the term. Finish your readings, review your notes and get ready to be assessed! The only thing we recommend you do in excess is to learn! In addition, you will likely have more time to access some of the world’s best courses which have become free (see for e.g. Coursera). What about that novel you’ve been meaning to read? Or earning a digital badge (for e.g. at edX)? Meanwhile, we are currently planning effective assessments so you can complete your courses.

Until you return on April 6, LUMS is open for staff and faculty with stringent measures in place to protect the health and safety of all.

We will continue to provide periodic updates. Let us remind ourselves that we are a privileged few in Pakistan. How we respond to this pandemic through acts of leadership, fellowship and generosity will mark our way forward. This is the LUMS way. It is how we will continue to excel.

COVID

Thank you!

Regards,

Arshad and Kamran
Dr. Arshad Ahmad
Vice Chancellor

Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali
Interim Provost
Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

June 1, 2020: Entry and Exit- School Closure

Date: Monday, June 1, 2020
Subject: Entry and Exit- School Closure

Dear Colleagues,

As all of you are aware that there has unfortunately been a surge in COVID 19 related infections and even higher fatality numbers in the past week or so. Indications are that things may get worse before they get better.

The long drawn closure I am sure is difficult and people may be eager to get back to work and to the university. But under the current circumstances, we need to be ever more vigilant and continue to strictly observe the protocols we have been adhering to. What we have noticed is an increase in requests for entry by staff, RAs and others in the past week, causing a strain on the health and safety guidelines that we are supposed to follow.

The university is closed until July 15th, or until further orders. We are only allowing essential staff to come to campus. In offices that needs staff presence (for essential work), we would encourage that the entire team does not come and people can be scheduled on a rotation basis. The university will help in solving connectivity related issues if staff has to work from home.

We are also sensitive to the requests, for example, by colleagues who want to move forward with their Lab based research. These are serious concerns, and supporting research is a core aspect of what we do in the university. Restarting research is of course a priority, however, for now the safety and health of our community must remain our top priority. We may be moving slowly in opening the campus and perhaps we will do it in phases. But we need to be patient for a few more weeks, so that we can guarantee a more sustainable and stable future. It may be clear to all of us that if we move too fast without proper safeguards in place, we could experience an adverse atmosphere that forces us to again close all labs and the entire university, something we would like to avoid at all costs.

As a fellow faculty member, I do understand how painful it is for faculty and graduate students alike (in any discipline) to lose research time, and how an open campus running at full capacity would be most desirable. But we have to pay attention to the situation we are in, as we all know that it is extremely serious, and hence we need to limit the number of people who can be on site, either in the labs, offices or the campus in general. It may be feel unfair, but I request you to understand that it is a difficult but absolutely necessary choice that we need to collectively make.

All offices, faculty members and colleagues, kindly only send requests for entry for people who are highly essential. Those offices that are inviting staff for work that needs to be performed in the next week or two (continuing education, admissions, finance, IST), should also (we suggest) consider creating schedules that bring a group of staff colleagues in on alternate days (or once in three days), so that everyone is not on campus at the same time. People can still work full time from home.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we try to keep the campus safe. This too shall pass, but we have to work together to retain the health and safety of the entire community.

Regards

Kamran

April 14, 2020: Financial considerations

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Subject: Financial considerations

Dear faculty and staff,

Inspired by selfless acts of many amongst us, LUMS has recently launched its own https://lums.edu.pk/lums-covid-19-campaign to raise Rs. 50 million. This campaign aims to support many amongst us who are experiencing sudden and severe financial distress. The campaign encourages you to give generously to students in need, staff facing medical emergencies and financial hardships, and the broader community from low-income households struggling to make ends meet. A disbursements committee has been formed to consider efficient ways to begin the distribution of over Rs. 3m that has been raised to date.

As we cope with the the pandemic’s financial burden on students, faculty, staff and the University itself, this note summarizes various aspects of the financial picture.

Budgets

The Finance Committee continues to work with the CFO, Deans, Provost and the Vice Chancellor’s Offices to consider various scenarios in the budgeting process with the goal of conserving resources and support existing employees. It is too early to make any across the board decisions but we can expect difficult choices ahead should the lockdown continue into the fall and spring.

Health Benefits

Access

LUMS has committed to provide free of charge internet access to all students fully dependant on financial aid. The health and safety of our students during this crisis is our foremost responsibility. Moving students off campus for public safety reasons has caused significant disruptions in people’s lives. Some are depending on LUMS for connectivity to complete LUMS courses while others face unanticipated financial burdens at home due to loss of wages and employment in the family.

Hostels

Students who have been living in the LUMS hostels will be reimbursed for six weeks of housing costs pro-rated in accordance with expenses associated with residential facilities, staffing and maintenance. In the coming weeks, students will receive a voucher indicating the following options: (1) Maintain the hostel refund on their accounts to offset next year’s charges; (2) Request refund payment; (3) Allocate the refund to reduce student loans or (4) Donate your refund to the COVID-19 LUMS campaign.

Student Fees

The Spring semester has resumed and our mission reaffirms our commitment to world class, student-centered education. LUMS is a not-for-profit university that relies on tuition and also offers financial assistance to one out of three students. We are providing individualized support within our resources to alleviate financial hardship on a case-by-case basis. However, we will continue to need resources to complete our promised mission. Our tuition fees for the coming year will reflect the University’s costs. The University will monitor the situation this summer and communicate any fee-related information.

Tools

Faculty members are investing a lot of effort in the transition to online learning, assessment and teaching. Generally, after one week, students are getting accustomed to the variety of tools that are being used. These include Sakai, Moodle, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Facebook Videos, Tablets and Digital Boards. The list is long as it is impressive. During the University Council meeting last Friday, preliminary data suggests an increase in attendance and participation. By April 24th, the Ped-Tech team, The Learning Institute and Office of Program Enhancement will have collected a lot of rich data on these efforts. This type of feedback will be shared for continuous improvement.

Exemplary Courses

The Provost Office has formed a committee to oversee the design, production and delivery of a dozen exemplary, world-class online courses and will be announcing a call for applications to faculty. These efforts and the ones mentioned earlier are not only compliant with HEC requirements to be “online ready” but aim to set new standards for universities across Pakistan.

We want to thank and acknowledge our faculty and staff who are accommodating students and others in need during these stressful times. Our students and staff deserve all the caring and compassion, as all of us do. We can continue to be proud of the way our university has come together, made major adjustments to the ways we do our work, and remained committed to our learning and teaching mission.

Sincerely,
Arshad Ahmad, VC
Kamran Asdar Ali, Provost,
Sabieh Anwar, Dean
Adnan Khan, Dean
Tahir Andrabi, Dean
Alnoor Bhimani, Dean

April 8, 2020: New Beginnings

Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Subject: New Beginnings

Dear Colleagues,

A quick note of appreciation for your extraordinary efforts to transition to online teaching and demonstrating the extra care you are taking for your students.

For many students, it is becoming clear that workload appears to have significantly increased at home alongside chores and responsibilities with family, which was anticipated. Similarly, we are continuing to sort out connectivity issues.

The Deans have encouraged you to collect information including attendance, accessibility as well examples of other challenges and successes. In a few weeks, a short questionnaire will be sent to collect this information.

This will be enormously helpful not only to satisfy HEC’s intention to audit institutional abilities to teach online, but to also achieve our own learning outcomes. We are confident that collectively LUMS will not only exceed compliance requirements, but will set national standards for others to follow.

It’s been two days that mark a new beginning for LUMS. You are making each day count and your actions set the bar for the rest of the summer and the fall where many of your interventions will endure. We wish you the best during the remainder of this semester.

Take extra care

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Arshad Ahmad
Vice Chancellor

Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali
Interim Provost
Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

March 29, 2020: Thank you

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2020
Subject: Thank you

Dear all,

As we get closer to April 6th, it is inspiring to hear of students and faculty initiatives that put the well-being of others first. The many faces of exemplary service are a reminder why this aspect of our work is as important as teaching and research. There is a unity of purpose strengthening LUMS values of caring, inclusiveness and generosity. Please join me to thank and congratulate our colleagues and students for their seen and unseen acts of selflessness and initiative.

I want to also acknowledge the anxiety and fear that we are all coming to terms with. One question we face collectively is the role each of us can play to complete this semester.

Together we face the challenge of teaching and working online. The Ped-Tech Committee has done excellent work to collect data, make really sound, process decisions. You will soon receive relevant links, visual media, short videos, etc. The challenge to adopt “best practice” for online instruction implies “changing practice”. Here, allow me to share a few lessons I’ve learned and continue to learn in my role as a teacher.
There is no shortage of best practices out there including 8 succinct and excellent articles offered by one of the most respectable and widely read magazine – The Chronical of Higher Education on “Coping With Coronavirus” (attached).

Despite the great suggestions, it isn’t clear to me how instructors will use these ideas to answer questions they are probably thinking about. For example, how do I redesign my remaining assessments? How do I truly demonstrate flexibility? How am I to conduct a zoom session that will result in meaningful discussions? How do I exercise extra care, empathy and compassion to students who are now more vulnerable than ever before? Who is going to support me to navigate through the hundreds of micro-decisions that come to mind?

The good news is that we are not alone. There is great power in learning from our peers. Just as we advocate peer learning for students who have clearly defined tasks, the same applies to colleagues who share similar goals to plan, organize and evaluate student learning. We aren’t starting with new students but already know them.
We also know that change is accelerated in small groups within a network that becomes interdependent. In other words, don’t tackle your challenge alone. Find someone who is keen to problem solve or work with you. Also, positive change is synonymous with building trust. In short, change happens when we work with small peer-groups who trust each other.

I encourage you to take advantage of the new resources that have been developed under the guidance of the Ped-Tech team. We are excited to announce that several faculty have signed up to share effective techniques, practices, and approaches they use in their own courses that apply to online instruction across disciplines. A series of online assessment and teaching sessions will be offered via webinars and/or Zoom during the week of March 30th. (Schedule to follow soon).

Thank you for reading this long note. I am extremely proud that colleagues are coming together and have been so generous with their time, support and care to help each other move forward.

Thank you,
Arshad

March 29, 2020: HEC Guidelines for Academic Operations in Universities

Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2020
Subject: HEC Guidelines for Academic Operations in Universities

Dear Colleagues,

We have received some extra clarity from HEC regarding our upcoming online instruction to complete the Spring Semester. The attached HEC document states that those Universities that have a well instituted and operational LMS and have commenced or are prepared to begin online classes, may do so. They, however, have cautioned that quality of learning should not be compromised. To assure quality, HEC has requested that Universities submit data on syllabi, lesson plans, exams etc. We have and will continue to collect this data with the ongoing efforts of the Ped-Tech Committee. We also have an initial assessment with information on each class from our faculty members. We would request extra vigilance for each program by inviting Chairs, Heads, ADs and Directors to send relevant data for each course within the programs so that we can create a repository at the Office of Program Enhancement.
The HEC document mentions that the well being of all stakeholders should be supported and that we should ensure that students do not lose a semester.

At LUMS we have prioritized the health and safety of our entire community from the outset. We have also committed ourselves to ensure that we complete the Spring Semester online. In this process, while learning outcomes for each course need to be achieved, we should carefully consider revising both the type and weights of the remaining assessments that will be conducted remotely. We have encouraged flexibility and asked faculty to continue communicating with their students as best as they can and give the benefit of doubt for those who seek accommodation.

In sum, our plan to transition to learning and teaching online is well underway and in compliance with the HEC directives. We are committed to deliver a high-quality program while being extra sensitive and compassionate to the needs of students in these trying times.

Thank you and wishing all of you the very best.

Regards

Kamran and Arshad

March 18, 2020: The Ped-Tech Committee

Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Subject: The Ped-Tech Committee

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for everything that you are doing and working beyond the call of duty. These are anxious times for everyone as we navigate the public health crisis and do our best to keep our families, friends, our communities and ourselves safe. On health and safety issues, as you know, we have formed a high-level committee that is being led by the Provost and the Dean of Students. Much is already underway and we will continue to improve our efforts.

Similarly, the teaching and learning issues in front of us pose considerable time-sensitive challenges. They also provide an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen the way we assess learning and improve our teaching. Accordingly, we have created a high level Ped-Tech Committee, with several members chaired by Dean Sabieh. This committee will be sharing its terms of reference and a framework that allows LUMS to make thoughtful and considered decisions for the systematic coordination of a broad learning and teaching implementation framework.

The committee will, among other tasks first take stock by rapidly procuring data from all Schools and the RO regarding approximately 340 classes that are currently being offered this semester. This data will include average class sizes for graduate and undergraduate programs, the types of assessments underway, graduating students, and more.

Following a discussion on assessment, the committee is also thinking about how teaching can continue in hybrid and online modalities. To ensure system-wide solutions, the Committee will recommend how the majority of assessments can be carried out and how teaching can be conducted for the remainder of the semester through robust, time-tested and relatively easy to implement set of alternatives.

The committee feels, and we fully agree, that we must coordinate our response to ensure quality across the board. As mentioned, our choices should therefore seek to improve learning outcomes and the student experience. We know that one out of two students worldwide have already taken online courses. Nobody wishes to reinvent the wheel but as we consider hybrid and online-solutions, the good news is that quality instruction can be accomplished with low-tech approaches.

Adoption and diffusion of technology interventions is also a function of coordinated solutions (for example, using one LMS which affords a range of available tools students become familiar with). As we already have Sakai, which is as good as any LMS one can find in the marketplace, the committee will be advocating for its widespread use. Similarly, low resolution, light band-with solutions including, email, slides, voice, etc., will be some of the alternatives that will become part of the standard toolbox. While the committee encourages unique and out of the box tech solutions, for the moment, we ask you to refrain from implementing novel approaches until you hear about system-wide alternatives that the Committee will recommend.

To emphasize, given the short timeframe, the Committee will help in providing centralized guidelines that are robust, low tech and relatively easy to implement. We cannot have 340 individualized solutions. As the Committee provides categories of a handful of alternatives for assessment and for teaching, they will also prioritize categories of class size, graduating students, etc. In addition, the Learning Institute and IT will play a critical support role and provide several offerings including webinars, workshops and training. Stay tuned for their offerings.

You can be sure that the Ped-Tech committee will be looking for your ideas and your full participation. Meanwhile, we want to thank Dean Sabieh for leading this effort and for all committee members who have stepped up at for now. We are confident that leadership for this committee will not only improve our offerings at LUMS but also showcase a way forward for other Universities in Pakistan.

Thank you for your patience as we will continue to provide updates and regroup to meet again soon.

Best wishes

Regards,
Arshad and Kamran

March 14, 2020: Update for Administrative Staff

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Subject: Update for Administrative Staff

Dear Colleagues,

During the three week emergency closure period that is before us, and possibly beyond, LUMS administrative staff members will play an important role to continue our core operations. The likelihood of longer closures is high and changes in faculty support can be expected. We must therefore start thinking about how we can creatively anticipate and prepare ourselves for rapidly changing demands on our work.

During this emergency situation, in order to safeguard your health while also ensuring that University operations continue smoothly, your HoD will direct you on whether you will work on campus, in rotation and through other modalities.

If you are advised to work from home, there may be additional responsibilities you will need to assume in order to balance the work demands in your department. The discretion will remain with your HoD, who will inform you tomorrow on what is expected from you from Monday onwards.

Kind Regards,
Faisal Kheiri | Head of Department

Information Systems and Technology and Human Resources

March 14, 2020: Kamran- Instructional Issues- Important

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2020
Subject: Kamran- Instructional Issues- Important

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

As you know the classes have been suspended until April 5, 2020. LUMS had already announced that the University would be closed until April 6th (and now the HEC directive is also there). There were many reasons for our decision, but partially it was made to prepare for new social distancing measures and to implement agreed upon general health guidelines to keep the entire University community safe. The extended break will also allow us to prepare how we can best continue our instructional and research activities. Given the extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in, faculty and administrative staff will need to be continuously available throughout the break (three weeks) to work within their respective programs, departments and groups in order to respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead.

While universities in Sind have been closed for the semester, at this stage, we will resume classes on April 6th and no decision about extension of the semester has been made yet.

I am calling a meeting of all the Deans, HODs, Associate Deans, Registrar, Director IST and senior administrative staff on Monday, March 16th to chart out the initial process in order to share it with all of you. Subsequently we will work with all faculty members to determine how to proceed.

We should not underestimate the challenges ahead for all of us – faculty, staff and our students (undergraduate or graduate).

Kindly start thinking seriously about the following matters as this will comprise a major collective focus in the coming weeks.

1. Once we have our meeting on Monday, I propose we begin on what we know and do well offline and work with all faculty members to determine how we should implement social distancing measures. We should certainly explore by perhaps requiring some (or more) classes to be shifted to alternative modalities through teleconferencing, Zoom, online and other technologies??? We know that this is easier said than done. Do we have the capacity and resources to go the online route as many in-person instructional activities do not translate well to on line format (e.g. labs)? Many issues related to how to re-arrange teaching will need to discussed before classes resume.

2. Even if we have some online capabilities that we can put in use, especially for large sized classes, for many colleagues this will likely be a first-time experience and they may need help in determining how to use the alternate online format. We cannot underestimate that technology demands significant resources which will be required for support.

3.Once we have developed a plan about instructional continuity, we will need a clear communication strategy for the students to know and understand what to expect. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT

4. As I had mentioned in an earlier note, Faculty will need to edit and adjust their syllabi, as long it is done with equity in mind and in the interest of all students. We may also have to relax our attendance policies, as appropriate and adjust CP. Our priority is health and safety of our community. We want to encourage any student (for that matter faculty or staff) with potential infection to not attend class (especially those who have underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk).

5. Faculty (and Staff) members may also need accommodation due to their underlying health concerns, or they may be living with someone who is either in self-isolation (this could be a possibility as this health risk evolves) or in a vulnerable health condition. We will have to determine how classes will be offered in such situations (on-line or off-line).

6. On Research: Principal Investigators (PIs) can consider whether or not it is appropriate to close their labs. If your lab remains open, faculty members may not be permitted to penalize students who choose to stay home (we have to be sensitive to individual concerns in this situation). Labs should implement appropriate health and safety protocols, like washing hands regularly, no physical contact between students and common use equipment (keyboards, etc.) must be disinfected regularly. Graduate students and post-docs should work with their faculty supervisors to develop appropriate planning regarding their work. Further, have a communication and continuity plan for your group, so that you can reach all members off and on campus and be able to maintain continuity even if some members of the research team are absent. Finally, we will have to work on how to make resources available remotely in many situations (data sets and other such things). Also anticipate that there may be additional restrictions in the future. Anticipate such possibilities and prepare accordingly.

The above points are some of the very general ways our thinking is evolving. Best practices elsewhere can help, but even top Universities around the globe are challenged and no one is adequately prepared. At LUMS we will need the help, support and input from everyone to be able to address what is a major disruption to traditional teaching and learning. The responsibility of teaching our students and evaluating them for the rest of the semester is the most important task in front of us. We will try our best within our resources (always keeping in mind the safety and well-being of all within the LUMS community) to move forward with sensitivity and care toward all members of our community (Faculty, Staff and Students).

As mentioned above, I will be meeting with the Deans and academic leadership of all the Schools to ensure that we have a template ready before each Dean or HOD/AD shares it with you so that we can collectively work during the coming three weeks to develop a program for our students. I thank you in advance for your support and understanding as we try to plan and prepare to address some of the instructional challenges while navigating the public health challenge in front of us.

Thank you and wishing the very best.

Regards,

Kamran

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