APSU This Week: Students, employees find ways to lead during coronavirus crisis
(Posted March 30, 2020)
APSU’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center is leading a statewide effort to produce face shields for medical workers battling the spread of COVID-19 in Tennessee. This effort has included faculty and staff from across campus, but a student led the charge.
When Gov. Bill Lee asked colleges and universities how they might help make protective equipment for health care workers, President Alisa White asked if the GIS Center could answer the call.
“I’m not a medical professional, but I am a technology person, and if we can use technology to assist, we need to do that,” GIS Center Director Mike Wilson said. “I had a heart attack in November, and a doctor saved my life. If I can help them out and pay that back, I want to go ahead and do that.”
One of the center’s students, Michael Hunter, designed and built a 3D-printed prototype shield, and Brig. Gen. Scott Brower, APSU military adviser in residence, delivered it to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency the next day.
The state sent the design to several colleges and universities across Tennessee, and they joined Austin Peay in a 24/7 operation to produce the face shields.
Austin Peay has led this effort from its genesis, and the GIS Center delivered its first shipment of face shields to TEMA on Wednesday, March 25.
To read more about this story, click here.
Brig. Gen. Brower rises to governor’s challenge
When Governor Lee announced the COVID-19 Unified Command to help Tennessee fight the spread of the coronavirus, he asked Austin Peay’s military adviser in residence, Brig. Gen. Scott Brower, to serve as chief of staff to the leader of the command for the next few months.
Brower promptly accepted. Although the general will remain an APSU employee, he’ll be on loan to the governor’s effort.
“I’m proud of our colleague for being tapped for this responsibility, and I’m thankful that state leadership recognized his relevant skills,” White said. “I am very happy he’s going to help the State of Tennessee get through the COVID-19 crisis.”
To keep track of the COVID-19 Unified Command and Brower’s work, click here.
Arts & Letters launches ‘We Can’t Make It Without the Arts’ YouTube series’
Austin Peay’s College of Arts and Letters on Monday launched a new YouTube series in an effort to share solace through “the power, depth of reflection and context only available from the arts.”
The college’s dean, Barry Jones, hopes the series – called “We Can’t Make It Without the Arts” – will help viewers deal with “the isolation and uncertainty of the coronavirus and social distancing.”
A new video featuring a faculty or staff member will post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to the Arts and Letters YouTube channel, Jones said. The presenter will “share something from the arts that they turn to during times of anxiety, something that gives them hope and helps them navigate turbulent waters.”
Dr. Marisa Sikes, above, shared the work that inspires her in times of anxiety: Toni Morrison’s “Beloved.”
For more about this story, click here.
APSU alumni check-in: Khari Turner ‘creating as much as I can’ during outbreak
Emerging artist Khari Turner – who graduated from Austin Peay State University last spring – is in his first year of graduate school at Columbia University.
Like Austin Peay’s students, Turner is adjusting to online learning because of the coronavirus pandemic; Columbia’s virtual instruction began Thursday, March 26.
We checked in with Turner to ask him how he’s evolving and coping in New York City while pursuing a Master of Fine Art. We also asked him about his painting that graces the Zone 3 literary journal’s spring 2020 cover.
To read the interview, click here.
Resources for students shifting to online-centered learning
We wanted to provide you with some tools to help you succeed in Austin Peay’s new online format.
- Student information page – https://www.apsu.edu/coronavirus/students.php.
- Introduction to online learning – https://www.apsu.edu/online/current-students/index.php.
- FAQ for online learning – https://www.apsu.edu/online/introduction/online-faq.php.
- How to use D2L BrightSpace – https://www.apsu.edu/online/technology/d2l.php.
- How to use ZOOM – https://www.apsu.edu/online/technology/zoom.php.
- Do you have a laptop or know someone who needs one? – Laptop Loan Program https://govstech.apsu.edu/TDClient/2071/Portal/Requests/ServiceDet?ID=14868.
- Tutoring – https://www.apsu.edu/student-success/peer-tutoring.php
- Technical Support – https://www.apsu.edu/online/technology/tech-support.php.
- D2L Technical Support – https://www.apsu.edu/online/technology/tech-support.php.
APSU provides limited number of laptops to students to go online
The Austin Peay State University COVID-19 Task Force developed a new Laptop Loan Program to provide laptop computers to students without computer access on a first-come, first-served basis.
A limited number of computers are available. To request a laptop loan, visit https://govstech.apsu.edu/TDClient/2071/Portal/Requests/ServiceDet?ID=14868.
The University has gathered laptops from labs and departments all across campus to provide for students.
The APSU Advancement Office also developed the Govs Give Back Fund to provide urgent financial assistance for students, faculty and staff who have suffered severe economic, medical or similar hardships. To give to this fund, visit this link.
To request a laptop, students must have an APSU student ID, a valid driver’s license, a state-issued ID card or a passport. Students will be notified via email when their laptop is available for pickup at the APSU Woodward Library.
COVID-19 updates
We’ve also posted all the updates to www.apsu.edu/coronavirus.
Other news:
- Ed. Online Physical Geology and lab (GEOL 1040 & 1041) offered Summer 1 term. Physical Geology and lab (GEOL 1040 & 1041) will be offered completely online in the Summer 1 Term June 1-July 2. This course satisfies the general education lab science requirement. For more information visit the course website at: https://www.apsu.edu/geosciences/summer-physical-geology-online
- Student Organization Council 2020-2021 applications open. The applications to serve on the 2020-2021 Student Organization Council are now open on PeayLink. The Student Organization Council is the governance council that oversees the recognition process for student organizations and provides services and resources to those organizations. Full qualifications and job descriptions are available on PeayLink. The applications will close Friday, April 3. SOC president is selected by election. The three SOC vice presidents are selected by an interview process.
- Student Leader of the Month Nominations. The Office of Student Life & Engagement will continue with awarding Student Leader of the Month for March, April and May. Please use this form to submit your nomination: https://peaylink.campuslabs.com/engage/submitter/form/start/31082.
- and Madam Governor Application Deadline Extended. The application deadline for the Mr. and Madam Governor Award has been extended to 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 30, and all submissions should be sent electronically to Singletong@apsu.edu. Applications are online at http://www.apsu.edu/sga.
- Creative Writing CECA Scholarship Application Deadline Extended. The Creative Writing Scholarship deadline has been extended to April 14, 2020. Email creative writing applications to Amy Wright at wrighta@apsu.edu.
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