Communiqué No. 13 from the Rector's Office on the reflection period and budget adjustment

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La Serena, June 03, 2020.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE RECTORY N°13

Dear ULS Community:

One month has passed since the beginning of the First Academic Semester 2020, a period in which teaching activities have been carried out one hundred percent remotely, as scheduled to protect the health of our university community due to the Coronavirus health crisis that affects the country, the Academic Council of the University of La Serena met today, Wednesday, June 03, in its Ordinary Session No. 3 of 2020.

Among the main topics of the day were the analysis of the planning and progress that the development of teaching activity has had in this semester, as well as the budget adjustment that is required to face the economic impact of this crisis at the institutional level.

This Council was attended by the Vice-Chancellors, Deans, Counsellors, Directors, the President of the Association of Academics of the University of La Serena AF, the President of the Association of Officials of the University of La Serena AF , the Interim President of the Federation of Students (FEULS) and its Vice President.

In this context, the Academic Vice-Rector Dr. Alejandra Torrejón Vergara, recounted the functioning of the First Semester 2020 and the progress made to date, in different areas, such as those that have allowed the University to be strengthened and provided with the technology that makes the development of classes via platforms.

Likewise, the Academic Vice-Rector highlighted the institutional effort deployed to support students with connection difficulties and have the devices and internet services to complete their academic semester.

At the same time, the academic authority highlighted the commitment and effort that ULS academics have shown to carry out the development of their subjects, a process that has not been without difficulties.

Within this framework, the Council addressed the need to analyze and reflect on what has been done so far on the issue of remote teaching, in order to continue improving teaching and learning processes. Jointly, some factors that would be influencing and affecting students in this process were addressed.

After a broad discussion, and with the objective of evaluating the progress of teaching activity and generating spaces for analysis, the Academic Council in its Ordinary Session No. 3, considered it necessary to begin a reflection process from tomorrow, Thursday the 4th to Saturday the 13th. June 2020. This measure aims to review the teaching work that has been carried out, with the aim of strengthening the process in the current context and for the students of the University of La Serena to have a period of reflection on remote teaching in the previously specified period of time and are strengthened in this period of difficulties due to the pandemic that our country is experiencing.

In this same period, academics, as part of their functions, may, for example, carry out work on analyzing the contents covered, preparing new teaching materials, reviewing baseline and central learning objectives for achieving first-year learning results. semester and attention to possible queries by students, among others, which must be determined by the Department Directors.

Also in the case of academics, the Directors of Departments, due to their powers and responsibilities, conferred by Decree No. 137/1987, will be in charge of supervising and recording the curricular tasks that they carry out during said period. . Function that I strongly request to fulfill, taking into account the regulations and inspections that the Superintendence of Higher Education and the Comptroller General of the Republic have announced to execute in the context of the pandemic.

On the other hand, at the point of budget adjustment, the Director of Finance reported and quantified the lower income, higher expenses and specifically the investments in chips and tablets for all students who will require them in the remote teaching process; The latter being the main objective for which the budget adjustment was approved by majority, with two abstentions.

It should be noted that this budget adjustment aims to maintain the salaries of ULS staff, respond to institutional commitments with third parties and support students in connectivity.

Before concluding, express that we hope that, with the measure of the week of reflection, a space will be generated that is part of the development of the semester, which allows ordering and recovering new energies for its continuity.

Remember that in the midst of this complex and unprecedented pandemic situation that we are going through, our greatest efforts and extensive collaboration are required to move forward without putting at risk the well-being of our community, the support of our students and the stability of our Institution.

Sincerely,

Dr. Nibaldo Aviles Pizarro

Rector