encourage students to make use of them without stigma. You can also use this message to
connect students with campus support (see below).
Example of a message to support students.
Implement exibility surrounding nal assessment in your courses. The effects of trauma and
stress impede learning. Young people are also at the forefront of many of the protest actions;
students may currently be devoting considerable time and effort, and potentially risking personal
safety, to support critical efforts to advance justice. Some ideas for implementing exible policies
include:
Modify your grading policy so that nal exams and/or projects can raise grades, but will not
lower them. Go here to view a guide to setting up “no-fault” nals in Canvas.
Make exam timing exible by moving to a take-home exam, or extending the window for
taking an exam.
Example of a message integrating a non-punitive nal exam.
Please viewAcademic Senate recommendations surrounding exibility in nal assessments for
this quarter. If you would like to discuss your ideas with an Education Specialist from Engaged
Teaching Hub, we are here for you. Please request a consultation here and we will get back to you
promptly.
Create a space for students to talk with you, or with each other, about their experiences. Simply
listening goes a long way.
Consider offering extra Zoom drop-in hours for students who would like to connect with you
or others. Focus on listening and arming students’ feelings (see a one-page resource on
empathic listening). Zoom breakout rooms and the waiting room feature can allow you to talk
to students privately, or in small groups, as appropriate.
If you are comfortable creating space for students to discuss traumatic events in class, here
are some ideas for ensuring that those discussions are safe and productive spaces,
especially for students of color. The National Museum of African-American History also has
specic resources for “Talking about Race” for educators, parents, and self-education.
Example of announcements to create space for challenging conversations.
Share campus and other support resources for students.
CAPS is available to support students with tele-health counseling. Their crisis number (24
hrs) is: 858-534-3755. CAPS also has group workshops and open forums that students can
join to share experiences and access support.
Campus Community Centers, including the Black Resource Center and the Cross-Cultural
Center, provide spaces for community, support, and dialogue.
Blackline, focused on support for Black, Black LGBTQI, Brown, Native and Muslim
communities, provides call and text support for those in crisis and for reporting anti-Black
encounters with police and vigilantes.