October 15, 2021

Dear USV Community,

Thank you to everyone for your assistance and cooperation with our policies designed to keep our community safe. As a reminder, masks that cover both the mouth and nose are still required to be worn in the building. I’m happy to report that nearly all of our campus community has been fully vaccinated. Those who are not vaccinated are required to submit weekly negative test results.

 

Free COVID-19 Testing Available

USV is providing—at no cost—rapid COVID-19 testing for all students, faculty, and staff. Anyone who is required to be tested, or who feels they may have been exposed to COVID-19, can get tested on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 12:00-2:00 in Room 179 (the first door on the right at the back of the main lobby).

 

Eating on Campus

You are now welcome to eat in the Dragon’s Den. Please maintain a 6-foot spacing between each other and keep your mask on when you are not actively eating or drinking. Faculty and staff with office or cubicles may eat in their spaces, but eating is not allowed in any other rooms, including classrooms, the staff lounge, and the Dragon’s Perch.

 

We continue to monitor all health and safety requirements related to the Pandemic and will make modifications to our policies as warranted. In the meantime, please continue to wear your masks, maintain social-distancing, and get vaccinated if you haven’t done so yet. Thank you all for helping us keep everyone safe!

 

Entering Campus

Individuals who have not complied with either the vaccination or testing requirements will have their USV access badge disabled, preventing them from coming on campus. We need everyone to enter the building at the front door and to badge in individually, even if you arrive as a group. This allows the receptionist or security guard to confirm that each person is following our COVID-19 policy by confirming that their badge works. Please do not open doors to allow someone to enter the building. I realize it can feel strange to not hold a door open for someone while you are going in or out, but it is important for everyone’s safety that each person use their badge to enter the building.

 

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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October 5, 2021

Dear USV Community,

I hope the fall trimester is off to a great start. The safety of our community continues to be a primary focus of the University. With that in mind, I want to make sure you are all aware of our building access policy as well as remind you of our evacuation procedure in the event of an emergency. Please take note of the following.

 

BUILDING ACCESS

• All entrances to the building—including the main, front entrance—will remain locked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Current students, faculty, and staff must use their ID badge to gain access to the building at all times.
• Everyone must badge-in individually. Do not enter under someone else’s badge or allow others to enter under your badge.
• You must wear your badge in a manner that is easily visible while on campus.
• Students, faculty, and staff who do not have a badge will need to check in at the front desk and be issued a temporary name tag. This name tag will be effective for 24 hours. If you need a new badge, you may request one from Andrey Fedin in room 187. Note: there is a $10 badge replacement fee.
• All USV guests will be required to register at the front desk. They will be issued a name badge to be worn while visiting the campus.

These security measures will only work if we are all vigilant. Safety is everyone’s business. While on campus, please be observant of those around you. If you see someone in the building without a visible USV ID or a visitor badge, please notify a member of the faculty or staff.

 

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

Even with these safety measures in place, we recognize that emergency situations may arise. In the event that an emergency requires us to evacuate the building, please:

• Follow the instructions of staff and emergency personnel
• Evacuate as quickly and safely as possible via the nearest emergency exit
• Meet at our designated meeting place, located down Baypointe Pkwy, towards Zanker Road. It looks like a driveway just past the field that is currently under construction (see gold star in the image below). Staff members will also direct you to this location. It is important that we all meet at this location so that we can ascertain everyone’s safety and wellbeing.

Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation.

 

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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September 6, 2021

Dear USV Community,

Welcome Back!

We are thrilled to have people back on campus! It’s hard to believe it has been a year-and-a-half since our lives were interrupted and we made the immediate switch to online teaching and learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I know we are all both excited and perhaps a little nervous about returning to campus in large numbers. While the development of safe and effective vaccines has made a huge difference in our ability to start opening back up, the emergence of the so-called “Delta” variant continues to remind us that we are not out of the woods yet.

As we return, please help us keep you and the rest of our community safe. Remember, while you might feel perfectly fine, you could still be a silent carrier of the virus spreading it to others if you do not take precautions. We are currently under a mask requirement from the County of Santa Clara and everyone inside the building must wear a mask that covers both mouth and nose regardless of vaccination status. While masks provide a great deal of protection from the transmission of the virus, getting vaccinated continues to be the safest and most effective method for preventing and controlling the virus, and we urge all members of the USV community to get vaccinated against COVID-19. To that end, we have asked all students, faculty, and staff to confirm their vaccination status or request an exemption if unvaccinated. We have made multiple attempts to reach everyone in the USV community, but still have some people who have not responded. For more information on the vaccination policy, please see the attached document here that we also sent to everyone on August 26^th.

If you have not presented proof of your vaccination or been granted a vaccination exemption, you will not be allowed on campus.

Note: while we encourage everyone to get vaccinated, if you are fully online and do not come to campus, you do not need to confirm your status with us. However, should you decide to come to campus for some reason, you will need to comply with the reporting requirements.

We will be checking and confirming vaccination or exemption status for everyone coming to campus. Consequently, only the main front doors will be available for entrance to the campus. Please allow extra arrival time before your class for the COVID status screening. Also, note the following campus open hours.

• Monday – Friday: 7:00am – 11:00pm
• Saturday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
• Sunday: Campus Closed

We are excited to have everyone back on campus and want to do everything within our power to prevent another disruption. Please help us help you to stay safe by complying with these policies. Hopefully, we can break the transmission cycle of this horrible virus and put it behind us soon. We are all anxious to return to normalcy. Until that time, though, we need everyone’s cooperation. Thank you for your assistance.

I hope you all have a wonderful trimester. I can’t wait to at least see the upper halves of your faces!

 

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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August 26, 2021

Dear USV Community,

We are excited to be back on campus for the fall term and look forward to seeing you all in a little more than a week! As we have said all along, our intent is to provide both a welcoming and safe environment for all students, faculty, and staff. In a message to the USV community a few weeks ago, we announced that everyone coming to campus needs to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have a specifically granted exemption. The rise of the recent “Delta” variant of COVID has only reinforced the importance of this policy. We are aware that there is a substantial amount of misinformation circulating around the COVID vaccines, but as an educational institution feel it is part of our duty to reinforce factual information. The current COVID vaccines remain the best and safest preventative to this terrible pandemic and we urge everyone to be vaccinated. Please see the attached document here for details of our vaccination policy and testing requirements for those unable or unwilling to be vaccinated. As always, we will continue to monitor the latest developments and act accordingly with state and county health department guidelines and requirements.

Thank you all for your understanding and compliance as we move into the fall trimester. We can’t wait to have you back on campus!

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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May 27, 2021

Dear USV Students,

As COVID transmission rates continue to decline and vaccination rates increase, the state of California is beginning to relax many of the social-distancing requirements that have kept us off campus for more than a year. With the anticipation that these improvements will continue, I’m delighted to announce that USV will be fully back on campus beginning with the fall term! Classes will be held on campus and housing will be available for those who need it. Of course, we will continue to abide by any health requirements in place at that time, but we will be back! Like most colleges and universities in the state, we will require students to be vaccinated in order to return to campus, so if you haven’t received your vaccination yet, please do so as soon as possible. Information on vaccine availability can be found at https://myturn.ca.gov/. More information about our return to campus will be coming soon as details come into clearer focus. You can also monitor any updates on our website at https://usv.edu/news.

I truly believe, that when the history is written, this pandemic will be seen as one of those gigantic events that shapes and influences the world for years to come. It has certainly affected all of us in many profound and long-lasting ways. As we begin to come back together, I wish you all the very best. I can’t wait to see you on campus and hear your voices echoing down the hallways. Have a wonderful summer, we’ll see you in the fall!

 

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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April 7, 2021

Dear USV Students,

Several of you have inquired about the status of Commencement for our recent and upcoming graduates. The COVID shutdown continues to prevent us from gathering to celebrate this tremendous milestone in our students’ lives. As we have done following the last few terms, we will mail out the diplomas to our graduates along with a mortarboard and tassel. We are also producing a video congratulatory message that will accompany the diplomas. We anticipate finally being able to hold a full, in-person commencement ceremony next year at the end of the spring 2022 trimester. All recent graduates who have not been able to participate in an in-person ceremony will be invited to attend. As we get closer to that date, we will send information about the details of that ceremony. Thank you all for your patience as we contend with this unprecedented crisis.

Best wishes, and hopes for being back together soon,

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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March 23, 2021

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

After serving the needs of Northern California students for 134 years, we are thrilled to announce that beginning April 1, 2021, Cogswell University of Silicon Valley will be known as the University of Silicon Valley™ (USV™). This new name symbolizes both the recognition that our academic programs now include graduate degrees and the fact that we are taking the entrepreneurial spirit of our Silicon Valley location to students across the nation and around the world through distance education.

As the University of Silicon Valley, we will continue to provide the excellent educational programs and opportunities for which we have been known for more than a century. Not only are we expanding our geographic reach, we are increasing our offerings beyond Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees to include imaginative certificate programs designed to bring our creative technology curriculum to a diverse student body.

For everyone who has shared this journey over the years, thank you for your support. We look forward to our next 134 years of inspiring students at the intersection of creativity and innovation!

Charles Restivo

Chief Executive Officer

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February 23, 2021

Dear CUSV Students, Faculty, and Staff

We’ve missed you! It’s hard to believe that it has been almost a year since we were last on campus! The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us in numerous unfortunate—and even tragic—ways this year. The good news is that more and more people are receiving vaccinations, and in the coming months we should begin to see some return to normal, every-day activities. With that in mind, I would like to announce our plans for classes in the coming months.

Most Summer and Mid-Summer classes will be held online as we are currently doing. Anticipating a return to campus in the fall (see the paragraph below) we will begin to bring some of our operations and activities back to campus as circumstances and safety protocols allow. As we did this spring, we will offer a few classes on campus under strictly-enforced health department mandates and guidelines, and will announce those classes shortly once final details are confirmed. Most of our online classes will continue to meet in regular, face-to-face sessions via videoconference. Faculty and staff are working hard to expand and improve our online delivery capabilities and offerings to provide the best learning experience we can.

We plan to return to campus for the Fall and Mid-Fall terms. We know there are still many questions to be answered and conditions to be met in order for that to happen, but it is our great hope that the majority of our students, faculty, and staff will be able to return to campus in September. Of course, this is still dependent on how progress is being made in controlling the virus, but we are hopeful. At this point, it is too early to predict exactly what the return will look like in terms of class scheduling, but our goal is to have as many classes back on campus as is both practical AND safe. In the coming weeks and months, we will report more details as pieces of the puzzle come together but wanted to let you all know as soon as possible that we plan to return to campus in the fall.

We’re excited by the prospect of seeing you all in the hallways and classrooms again!

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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October 23, 2020

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear CUSV Community,

I hope this message finds you all doing well and remaining healthy. On behalf of the leadership of CUSV, I would like to share some important information regarding our plans for the spring 2021 trimester.

CUSV will continue primarily online for the spring

After considering all the data and various options, the leadership of the University, as at many other colleges and universities in California, has made the decision to continue with a primarily online modality for the spring trimester. While this may not be the news that some of you were hoping for, our first responsibility is to the health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff. We hope that things will progress in a way that allows us to continue adding more on campus classes and activities in a safe way.

Given the current health and safety standards required by the county health department and the CDC, the size and nature of our facilities make it impractical to return to campus while protecting everyone. It is also worth noting that in our recent poll of students, faculty, and staff, a substantially large number said that even if we were following all the guidelines, they would not feel comfortable coming to campus in the spring.

As we did this trimester, we will offer a small number of classes that require use of physical equipment and assets in the building. The classes we intend to offer this spring are:

• DAT220 Studio Production 1
• DAT320 Studio Production 2 (lab only, class presentations will still be online)
• DAT 326 Digital Sound Design (lab only, class presentations will still be online)
• ART230 Introduction to Sculpture

The audio classes will be held in the audio studio and the sculpture class will be held in the Dragon’s Den so that we can ensure adequate spacing between students. All students enrolled in these classes will be required to abide by strict health and safety practices as mandated by state and county health agencies.

Spring Trimester Schedule

Beginning with this coming spring term, we will have fully transitioned to the normal trimester mode with either a two- or three-week break between terms. There will no longer be a spring break. As a result of this shift, the spring 2021 trimester will begin on Monday, January 11, instead of the previously scheduled January 4, giving everyone a much-welcomed 3-week holiday break. The spring term will end on Sunday, April 25. The full schedule of all 2021 terms including breaks and holidays may be found on the Academic Calendar page of the CUSV website.

We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous issues for everyone. We are doing everything within our capabilities to ensure an uninterrupted educational program for students. We are also working to provide better online resources and distance learning training for our faculty. Please know that we all look forward to the day we can be back on campus. In the meantime, we will continue to do everything we can to make the online delivery of classes as robust and vital as possible.

Thank you all for your continued patience and support as we work to help every student achieve their goals and dreams of a college diploma.

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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September 9, 2020

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

I hope the first day of the trimester was a smashing success and that the remainder of the term continues to be equally productive and fruitful.

I’m writing this morning to ask you all to keep a close eye on attendance—especially in this first week or two. Missing class is one of the strongest indicators of a student who might be struggling, especially if they don’t attend during the first week of class. Please send a direct message to the absent student through Canvas asking if they need any assistance. They may be having technological or personal issues and don’t feel comfortable reaching out for help. If it’s something you can easily assist with, please do, but also feel free to pass the student along to appropriate resources. If they need technical assistance, have them contact helpdesk@cogswell.edu. For assistance with personal issues, reach out to Student Services at studentlife@cogswell.edu. Finally, please make an entry in the Dropout Detective in Canvas for students who are absent this week. Provide as much information as you can regarding the student and any information or contacts you have had with them. As the front line with our students, you are often the first to spot issues with a student. Please help us help them by letting us know as early as possible about any potential problems.

I ask that you also keep in mind that all of us, faculty/staff/students, are dealing with fires, smoke, power outages, and a continuing pandemic. When needed, please make allowances for those affected by these things. If you are being affected, let your department director know immediately. Do not cancel class without talking to your director. Unexpected class cancellations affect student morale and create undesirable repercussions with their attendance records. We need to do everything we can to cover the class, even if it’s simply having someone engage long enough to take attendance. I know these are difficult times and we are all working under an actual cloud right now. Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge and expertise with our students and for all that you do every day!

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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September 7, 2020

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Students,

Welcome to the fall 2020 trimester! Whether you are returning to CUSV or are brand new, we’re delighted you are here. While we continue to operate in an online modality for now, we want to ensure that you are able to fully participate in all of your activities and classes. Remember, all classes occur through Canvas. If you encounter any problems accessing your class or its materials, please contact your instructor immediately. Check out the CUSV Virtual Center page of our website for access to CUSV information, resources, and people. In addition, here are a few direct email contacts for people and offices you may need.

• Admissions: Admission@cogswell.edu
• Financial Aid: FinAid@cogswell.edu
• Student Services/Advising/Housing: StudentLife@cogswell.edu
• Registrar: RegistrarsOffice@cogswell.edu
• Business Office: BusinessOffice@cogswell.edu
• IT Support: HelpDesk@cogswell.edu
• Academic Departments
  • Department of Audio and Music Technology (AMT)
    • Professor Xo Nguyen, xnguyen@cogswell.edu
  • Department of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation (BEI)
    • Dr. Bobbi Makani, bmakani@cogswell.edu
  • Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)
    • Professor Bineet Sharma, bsharma@cogswell.edu
  • Department of Digital Art and Animation (DAA)
    • Professor Mirjana (Mira) Nikolic, mnikolic@cogswell.edu
  • Department of Game Design and Development (GDD)
    • Professor Ricardo Kayanan, rkayanan@cogswell.edu

 

Thank you for choosing Cogswell University of Silicon Valley. We are thrilled that you have chosen to pursue your education with us, and we are committed to helping you achieve those goals and dreams in every way we can!

Best wishes for all of your classes and activities. Have a fantastic trimester!

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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July 23, 2020

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear CUSV Community,

I hope you are all well and staying safe. As promised, we have continued to monitor the ongoing and evolving status of the Coronavirus pandemic and have now reached the difficult conclusion that we need to continue in a fully-online format for the fall trimester to help ensure the safety of all our students, employees, and their families. With the exception of DAT220 and DAT324, which require the use of the audio studio, all fall trimester classes will be held online. Students in these two audio courses will receive specific instructions regarding access and use of the studio in a future communication. Other than for the very limited use of the audio studio, the building will remain closed and all CUSV offices will continue to function remotely.

The faculty and staff of CUSV are embracing this new reality and are working hard to not only create robust and engaging online classes, but multiple opportunities for extra-curricular activities and social engagement. We know a college experience is about more than just attending classes, so watch for numerous virtual activities like Resume and Interview Skills workshops, Chat with a Pro sessions, Open Houses, Club Meetings and Activities, Games, Coffee with the Provost, and many more.

With this decision has also come a modification to the list of class offerings. In nearly every case, classes that were scheduled previously will continue to be offered although a few will be at a different time or day of the week. In a very small number of cases, classes were cancelled due to low enrollment, but a number of new classes and new class sections have been added to accommodate the shifts and the needs of students’ degree programs. If you have already registered for fall classes, it is important that you check with your academic advisor right away to look for any changes and to confirm your schedule.

For students who need housing, it will still be available as before. Please contact Dean of Students, Carolus Brown (cbrown@cogswell.edu) for more information and to complete a housing application.

A message like this almost always generates more questions than it answers, and we will provide more information in the days to come via communiques and on the News page of our website. In the meantime, you may find the following resources particularly helpful for questions about specific topics.

Admissions: Admission@cogswell.edu

Financial Aid: FinAid@cogswell.edu

Student Services/Advising/Housing: StudentLife@cogswell.edu

Registrar: RegistrarsOffice@cogswell.edu

Business Office: BusinessOffice@cogswell.edu

IT Support: HelpDesk@cogswell.edu

As always, thank you for your continued trust in CUSV. We can’t wait to get on the other side of this and see you all back on campus.

Sincerely,

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

Provost and Chief Academic Officer

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July 15, 2020

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear CUSV Students,

A number of you have inquired about the status of Commencement for our recent graduates. The COVID shutdown hit right at the time we would typically mail out the diplomas for the FA19 graduates. Last month we sent all FA19 and SP20 graduates their diplomas. This past Monday, we mailed packages to all students who graduated in SU19, FA19, and SP20 that included a Mortar Board and Tassel as well as the following congratulatory letter. Students who had paid the $100 graduation fee also got a check for a refund of that amount. We know this has been a particularly difficult time for our graduates and hope they will return next April to “walk.” We will have more information soon for our upcoming graduates, but hope that you will also join us in April for Commencement.

Dear student:

I want to begin by congratulating you on your recent graduation from Cogswell Polytechnical College. Such a momentous occasion certainly merits an appropriate celebratory event. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented us from hosting our annual Commencement Ceremony for you and your fellow graduates.

As you may recall, when we postponed the May ceremony, we rescheduled it for August and hoped to have you all back at that time. Sadly, we have now been informed that we cannot hold such a large indoor event, even in August. Therefore, our next Commencement Ceremony has been scheduled to occur on April 25, 2021. Please know that you are welcome to participate in that ceremony if you wish.

Although nothing can replace the joy and excitement of walking across the stage in front of your family and friends to receive your diploma, we hope the items included with this letter will bring some sense of joy and an understanding of how much we appreciate you and celebrate your accomplishment. We have purchased a Mortar Board and Tassel for you to wear and display. While we cannot take a group photo, we do hope that we can create a photo collage of our graduating classes on our website. Therefore, we would love it if you would take a picture of yourself in your cap while holding your diploma and email it to us at marketing@cogswell.edu so that we can include you in the collection. Please note that if you wish to participate in the 2021 Commencement Ceremony, you will need to pay for rental of your Cap and Gown.

As a new Cogswell Alum, we hope you will keep in touch with us and even consider giving back a little of your time and expertise to current students through our alumni network: Cogswell.alumnifire.com. Many of you have heard me say that one of my greatest joys in life is sharing that stage with you and handing you your diploma to mark this major milestone in life’s journey. Like all of us here, I am truly disappointed that we will not get to do that this year. Please know that we are incredibly proud of you and wish you and your loved ones the very best in the years to come.

Best wishes and congratulations!

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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June 26, 2020

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell University of Silicon Valley Community,

I hope this message finds you all well. We know that everyone is anxious to know the plans for fall classes at CUSV. Given the fluidity and the rapidly changing nature of the Covid-19 pandemic, we feel that any sort of definitive plan announcement would be premature at this point. We are aware that a number of schools have announced plans for the fall semester. However, we are also seeing many of those same schools modify and even retract their plans as they come to terms with the realities of this continuing and evolving pandemic. Therefore, rather than put out a plan that turns out to be unworkable and that we later have to retract, we will continue to monitor the situation until we have a clearer picture of what the Covid-19 situation will be in the fall. As soon as we feel we have enough information to make a real decision, we will announce it to the community. We know this is probably not the answer you were hoping for, but we believe it is important to be candid and admit there are still things for which we do not have answers.

I think most of us would like to be back on campus in some manner for the fall, but we also need to do it safely and in compliance with health and government regulations. Even then, there are strong reservations within our community. In a recent survey sent to all CUSV students and faculty, we asked the question:

Assuming Cogswell is following the mandated health and safety regulations (requiring masks, social distancing, etc.), will you feel comfortable attending classes on campus this fall?

Of the 170 students who replied, 56% said yes, while 44% said no. The results from the faculty were quite similar with 59% saying yes and 41% saying no. That tells us that even if we take all the necessary precautions, there are still a substantial number of students and faculty—more than 40%—who say they do not feel comfortable returning to classes on campus.

As you are probably aware, California, like other states, is seeing a dramatic rise in Covid-19 infections, especially in younger people. We want to ensure that whatever plan we implement provides an environment where students, faculty, and staff can maintain safe conditions with minimal risk of exposure to the Coronavirus. We have a task force that meets every week focused exclusively on these issues for our fall trimester.

As we plan for the fall, here are some of the things we are considering. Please understand that these are only being considered, none have been decided.

• Offering a fully online option for classes whether or not the campus reopens
• Limiting and monitoring the number of people in the building at any given time
• Having only some classes on campus that require facilities like computer labs and studios
• Requiring strict adherence to social distancing and other health and safety rules
• Modifying the facilities with things like plexiglass shields and one-way hallways
• Limiting student housing to only those students with essential need

Remember, none of these things have been decided. They are all just some of the ideas being studied and analyzed by our fall planning task force. Of course, we will also need to comply with any governmental requirements such as the use of face masks in the building. As soon as we are able to formulate a plan that we believe is realistic and provides a healthy and safe learning environment, we will announce it to the entire CUSV community. In the meantime, please continue to monitor the News page on our website for any updates.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding while we work through this incredibly complex issue.

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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June 6, 2020 

COGSWELL POLYTECHNICAL COLLEGE CHANGES NAME TO

COGSWELL UNIVERSITY OF SILICON VALLEY

We are excited to announce the new name of our institution, one that reflects our growth in higher education and our location in a global center for creative technology businesses.   At the direction of our Board of Trustees and with the approval of our accreditor and regulatory agency, effective June 1, 2020, our name became Cogswell University of Silicon Valley.

This new name represents the expanded vision for our University as we add academic offerings above the undergraduate level, while broadening our geographical reach beyond Northern California.   In May, we received approvals to offer a Master of Science in Management and Leadership in Creative Technologies and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management.  These new graduate-level programs will nicely complement our existing Master of Arts in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  It is this expansion into graduate education that allows us to distinguish ourselves as a university.

Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1887, our rich history is infused with the vibrancy and innovation of our Silicon Valley location and we are delighted to have a name that embodies that spirit.

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May 22, 2020 

From the Dean of Students

Dear Students,

We want to support you during these uncertain times by introducing you to a free resource that is available to all students. TutorMe allows you to connect with a live tutor in under 30 seconds for over 300 subjects, 24 hours a day. Additionally, you can submit a paper on TutorMe’s Writing Lab and receive feedback in less than 12 hours.

To Access TutorMe: Log into Canvas and find TutorMe on the homepage or within a class. Connect with a live tutor using video and/or audio! See how it works HERE

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Carolus Brown

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May 21, 2020 

From the Dean of Students

Dear Students,

We hope you had a nice month off! We are excited to see you continuing on your path to graduation. Classes for the Summer Trimester resume on Tuesday, May 26^th following the Memorial Day holiday.

Be sure you login to your classes on the first scheduled day. As a reminder, there are many additional resources available to you in the Cogswell Virtual Center which can be found here.

Have a great weekend!

Carolus Brown

 

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April 16, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and well. I know the shelter-in-place orders have made our lives more difficult and uncertain. For those of us in the Cogswell community, a large part of that uncertainty has been not knowing what to expect in the coming weeks and months as we begin a new trimester. Cogswell's programs are designed for year-round attendance to allow students to graduate sooner, save money, and get a head start on their careers! While COVID-19 has disrupted everyday life, we will not let it disrupt your Cogswell education. Although we cannot predict when the shelter orders will be lifted, it seems safe to say it will be some time before things return to normal. Therefore, in order to provide some degree of certainty, we are announcing that Cogswell College will continue with fully online classes for the summer term. I know this decision brings a number of other questions and I will attempt to answer many of them below.

When does the summer trimester begin?
The summer trimester begins Tuesday, May 26, the day after Memorial Day.

I have already registered for my summer classes. Will I still be able to take those classes?
Nearly all classes that were scheduled for the summer term will be available online this summer. There are a very small number of classes that due to their unique, hands-on approach do not work well online. Those classes will be postponed until the fall trimester. In those few cases, we will work with you to make arrangements for an alternate class. Please contact your Academic Advisor at advisors@cogswell.edu for details.

I haven’t registered for summer classes yet. What do I do?
Please contact your academic advisor or department director immediately. If you look in your email inbox, you’ll probably find a number of messages from them attempting to reach you.

I’m planning to graduate at the end of the summer term. What if a required class isn’t offered?
As mentioned above, nearly all classes originally scheduled will be offered. However, if a specific, required class needed to graduate is not, we will make an alternate arrangement for you on a case-by-case basis. We want you to graduate on time and will do everything we can to make that happen. Please contact your Academic Advisor at advisors@cogswell.edu immediately.

How will my classes meet?
All classes will be conducted primarily through Canvas. If your class was scheduled to meet on campus (classes with a section designation beginning with the letter “C” or “H” as in CA, CB, HA, etc.), your classes will be held in a “synchronous” mode where they continue to meet on the same days and at the same times as originally scheduled. Instead of joining your professor and fellow students in a classroom at that time, you will join them online by logging into the Canvas section for that course at the scheduled time. Your classes will likely consist of a variety of face-to-facevideo meetings, pre-recorded videos, slides, readings, group discussions, etc. The difference is they will all be done online rather than in the physical classroom. Note: a few of our classes were already set up as online classes (classes with a section designation beginning with the letter “O” as in OA, OB, etc.) with no specific date and time scheduled. If you are registered for one of those courses, it will continue to meet in an “asynchronous” mode. The professor of that class will contact you at the beginning of the trimester to explain how the class will operate.

Will I need any special equipment or software for my online classes?
You will obviously need the ability to get online to access your classes and class content. In most cases, a basic laptop or desktop computer with a webcam, microphone, and speakers/headphone jack will be adequate. While many tablet computers will also work, we strongly discourage the use of smartphones for your coursework due to their small screen size and limited software compatibilities. Some classes may require access to additional software. In most cases, this software is available free or at an extremely low cost during this time. See The Cogswell Virtual Center page on the Cogswell website for more information on these resources. In addition to a computer, you will also need a quiet space where you can meet your class during the scheduled time.

I don’t have an appropriate computer or equipment, what can I do?
As mentioned above, most computers will work for online access as long as they have a camera, microphone, and speakers or headphone jack. Laptop computers usually have these items built in. For desktop computers, inexpensive webcams with built-in microphones are commonly available from merchants selling electronics and computer equipment. Major software companies like Microsoft and Adobe are making their applications available to students for free. With remote access to the Virtual Shrine of the Silver Monkey Lab, you can run computationally powerful applications like Maya and ZBrush remotely even if don’t have a powerful computer. More information on these resources can be found on The Cogswell Virtual Center page of the Cogswell website. If you are financially unable to acquire basic equipment, we want to help. Cogswell has limited funding available to assist students with such needs. Please complete the Loaner Laptop Request form located under “Important Links” on the right-hand side of The Cogswell Virtual Center page.

What if the shelter-in-place order is lifted at some point? Will we go back to on-campus classes?
We do not plan to return to on-campus classes until the fall trimester, assuming the full shelter-in-place order has been lifted by that time. If some, or all, of the order is lifted during the summer, we will evaluate the situation and may begin opening up parts of the campus so that students have access to labs and studios, but the summer classes will continue in their online modality.

Can I get into the building during the summer term?
The building is currently closed and will remain closed until the shelter-in-place order is lifted. As mentioned above, if that happens, and we can provide adequate safety to all those entering the building, we may allow people to enter the building to use various lab and studio resources. Until such time, though, you may not enter the building.

Can I get housing for the summer?
Yes, housing will continue to be available for students. However, depending on the number of students who remain in housing, we may need students already in housing to move to a different apartment in order to consolidate empty housing spaces. If you have not done so already, please contact Carolus Brown (cbrown@cogswell.edu) immediately to make housing arrangements.

I’m currently in housing, but want to move out for the summer, what do I do?
Please contact Carolus Brown (cbrown@cogswell.edu) immediately to make your moving-out arrangements.

If the building is closed, how do I contact Financial Aid, the Registrar, the Business Office, etc.?
All Cogswell offices are operating remotely. The easiest way to reach these offices is by email.

• Registrar’s Office: registrarsoffice@cogswell.edu
• Business Office: businessoffice@cogswell.edu
• Financial Aid Office: finaid@cogswell.edu
• Admissions Office: admission@cogswell.edu
• Student Services and Advising Office: advisors@cogswell.edu
• Housing Office: cbrown@cogswell.edu
• Human Resources Office: hr@cogswell.edu
• Career Services Office: ftovar@cogswell.edu
• IT Help Desk: helpdesk@cogswell.edu
• Canvas Support: canvas@cogswell.edu
• Professors: contact your professors directly through Canvas

I have questions that weren’t answered above. Who do I ask?
We have created a special email address, corona@cogswell.edu, to handle such questions. Ask your questions there and they will be routed to the appropriate person for an answer within 24 hours. In addition to this email address, Cogswell will host several virtual meetings where your questions can be asked. Please join us via Zoom for one or more of the following:

• Group Information Session 1, Friday, April 17 @ 4:00pm
• Coffee with the Provost, Monday, April 20 @ 9:30am
• Group Information Session 2, Monday, April 20 @ 12:30pm

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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April 3, 2020 

From the Dean of Students

Dear Cogswellians,

Can you believe it has been nearly 2 weeks since we transitioned to online classes? I will keep this message brief, as I know many of you are managing exams, projects, and papers. With my life changing, and my home becoming my office, I have been able practice self-care through steps; walking long distances, like from campus to Target. The long walk provides me with an escape since home is also now my workplace and it allows me to see life very differently. I’ve probably driven that route a hundred times but never fully seen the details I see on that walk.

It is a brief reminder that change offers us an opportunity to see the same things in a very different way. Flowers, signs, buildings, and people that were a blur before are able to be examined and understood in new ways. Although things have changed for us, the desire to connect and learn has not. If anything, it may have become more intense, more desired, and more real. When we do see one another again, I hope that we will appreciate “us” more. Enjoy the rest of your week and enjoy connecting with each other, whether it be at the coffee with the Provost on Monday mornings, on the ASB Discord or at Chat with a Pro on Wednesday, I hope to ‘see’ you there. Good luck Cogswell and stay well. 

Carolus Brown

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April 1, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

As I’m sure you have heard, the shelter-in-place order for the area has been extended through Sunday, May 3^rd. That, of course, means the Cogswell campus will continue to remain closed through the end of the spring trimester with all classes finishing the term online. Although I’m not surprised by the extension, I am saddened by it. I truly miss seeing everyone’s faces in the hallways and the constant hum of activity around the building. As we announced a couple of weeks ago, our Commencement ceremony has been postponed until August 23^rd. I hope that all of our graduating students will come back to celebrate this incredible milestone. As many of you have heard me say, Commencement is one of my all-time favorite days as we share your tremendous accomplishments.

I have received several questions about the summer trimester and would like to address them for everyone. As we announced earlier, the start of the summer trimester has been postponed until May 26^th, the Tuesday after Memorial Day. I would love nothing more than to be back on campus at that time and we are preparing the summer schedule with that goal in mind. However, we are also cognizant of the possibility that we won’t be able to return to campus by then. In that case, we will offer our summer classes fully online.

We know that some of our hands-on types of classes do not translate well into an online medium. The faculty and I are looking at all of our summer classes to decide which courses will work online, and which ones should wait until we are back on campus. Consequently, if we have to continue fully online, some classes that we have published in the current summer schedule may be postponed until the fall. As I said earlier, our hope is that we will be back on campus in time for the summer and can offer all of the published classes. However, if we have to be exclusively online, we want to make sure we only offer high-quality classes. I know that brings up concerns about whether or not a class you want or need to take will be available. At this point, it is still too early to know. We will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and make a decision based on the advice of the appropriate medical and governmental agencies. Be assured, though, that in the event a course you need to take is cancelled, we will work with you to make alternate arrangements including helping you maintain your tuition lock.

I know this has been a stressful time for everyone, and I have so admired the good spirits and cooperative attitudes everyone has shown. Keep up the great work! I also remind you to check the News page on the Cogswell website for the latest information on all our virtual offerings during the shelter-in-place. And please feel free to join me for Coffee with the Provost on Monday mornings at 9:30 via Zoom. Pull up a chair in front of your webcam with your favorite morning beverage and chat.

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 27, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

It’s hard to believe that we’ve only been at this online thing for a week! It already feels like it’s been forever since I saw you all in the hallways. Thank you all for your patience, your generous spirit and your flexibility as we continue working through this new reality. I know not everything has gone perfectly, but we’re all trying and we’re getting better as we get more experience. Keep up the great work!

I really do miss seeing everyone’s faces on campus and to that end want to announce that beginning this Monday morning I will be hosting a Coffee with the Provost. I will do this for the rest of the term each Monday morning from 9:30–10:30 via Zoom (see the details below). Bring your favorite morning beverage to your webcam and join me in casual conversation. There’s no agenda, just a chance to chat and get some much-needed human contact. All I ask is that everyone be respectful of the fact that we will have many people on the video call, so please be polite and kind to everyone. Also, since it can get chaotic with so many people on the call, please mute your microphone when you are not speaking. Have a great weekend everyone. I look forward to seeing as many of you as can join in on Monday mornings.

Coffee with the Provost

9:30–10:30am, Mondays (March 30, April 6, April 13, and April 20)

Join Zoom Meeting

• If you’ve used Zoom before, click the link below to join
• If you’ve not used Zoom, click the link below and you will be prompted to download and install the Zoom application. Follow the instructions for installing and then choose your camera and audio settings
• https://zoom.us/j/943026664

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 24, 2020 

From the Dean of Students

Dear Cogswell Students,

Well, we did it!  We transitioned from on campus classes to online classes!  Although today is just day #2 for all of you, I get the sense that most of you are doing what you need to do to be most successful:

 Logging in and showing up for class

As the old saying goes, “You’ve got to be in it to win it!”  That was true when you were physically here on campus and even more true now that you are in online classes.  Treat Canvas much like your actual classroom by logging into your virtual class at the same day and same time as your actual class.  Setting up a schedule that includes both class time and time to study will be incredibly important of all of you.

Engaging in the material with the faculty and with other students

Online classes provide a great opportunity for you to engage in multiple ways with the instructor.  Whether it be speaking up to ask questions or sending messages privately to them using the chat function, engaging in the material is incredibly important.  We do not expect that you will know everything, so asking questions and engaging in dialogue are to be expected.

Sharing your thoughts and perspectives about how things can be improved

In one week, we were able to review all classes, identify some key modifications to make, and implemented them.  Given that most of us were (and still are) working remotely, that was quite a feat.  I thank all of you for the comments and suggestions you have already made to help refine the classroom experience.  Your thoughts and perspectives matter so keep sharing.

I hope all of you will continue to work hard and remain engaged in an online capacity.  I am currently working with to make you even more connected by creating a discord channel with ASB and with the Dean of Education on a weekly speaker series through zoom so that we can stay connected.  More information to come on both of those, and I welcome any other ideas you have for keeping us closer.  Hang in there!

Carolus Brown

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March 23, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Students,

With the shelter in place order, the only way for us to continue classes is online. We have heard from several of you regarding a lack of access to either a computer or Internet network. As I mentioned in an earlier email, we had hoped to be able to have the campus open for a few hours every day to give students access to computers. In normal situations, you could also access computers at the local library and find network access at a variety of commercial locations. Given the current situation, though, here are some suggestions to help you access your courses during this time:

• If you live with or near someone who has a computer, or you have a computer, please share the computer. You can create multiple logins on a single computer, just be sure to wipe it down between users
• If you have a smartphone or tablet, download and install the Canvas “Student” app. Both iOS and Android devices have a Canvas app. Although the screen is small, it works well. You can also configure your device for your Cogswell email account
• If you have slow or unreliable network access, contact the Internet providers in your area. During this time, most of them are offering extreme discounts for students to be able to access their schoolwork
• If you do not have access to either a computer or a smartphone, please complete the Loaner Laptop Request Form. A number of generous Cogswell faculty and staff have offered to provide their personally-owned, laptop computers as loaners during this time. Please understand that there is a very limited supply of these, so we can only provide them to students who absolutely have no other access to a computer on a first come, first served basis

Note that these loaner laptops are part of the generous Cogswell community coming together to support our students. They may consist of a variety of system configurations and software applications but will have both email and web browser access so that you can participate in your classes. Our limited Cogswell IT staff will be unable to assist you with using the computer but guidelines for configuring your Cogswell email and portal access can be found at https://usv.edu/student-gateway/.

Good luck with the remainder of the term. It will be both an exciting and challenging time for all of us, but working together, we can do this!

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 22, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

Welcome back! It’s hard to believe that only two weeks ago we were all looking forward to returning from spring break for the final few weeks of the trimester and celebrating the accomplishments of our seniors at Commencement. Now we are confronted with an entirely different reality of finishing the term remotely as we exercise social distancing to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus during this shelter in place order. None of us expected this, but it’s where we are right now.

During the extended spring break, the faculty and staff at Cogswell have been working tirelessly to prepare for a totally online delivery of all classes and services. It’s been a huge effort by everyone at the college, and it gets its real-world test beginning tomorrow.

All classes will meet as scheduled, but they will take place in Canvas. Students: be sure to log into the Canvas shell for your class at the regular date/time for your class. If you haven’t done so already, we are hosting a number of online tutorials on how to get the most from your online class via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/v5cqc-CqqDso6vxeHC6W8vAdmOz-u4hiMw. I strongly urge all students to attend one of these tutorial sessions on either Monday or Tuesday at 10:00a, 3:00p, or 6:00p.

All business functions of the college (Admissions, Advising, Business Office, Financial Aid, etc.) will continue to operate remotely. If you need assistance from one of these offices, see the “Helpful links for Students” menu on the News & Updates page of the Cogswell website. You will also find a great deal of other information regarding the Coronavirus on that page as well as an archive of communications that have been sent to the Cogswell community in the last few days. Please check that page frequently for updates.

The next few weeks will be an incredibly interesting time in our history. We will likely tell stories about this time. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow and in the coming days, but I’m sure it will be both challenging and fascinating. As for your classes, we have made tremendous strides in getting them ready to deliver online. However, even with all the amazing work and preparation that has gone into them, there are still likely to be issues we didn’t anticipate. Please be patient as we deal with those. The first couple of days will probably be the roughest as we sort through and solve these issues.

I ask everyone—students, faculty, staff—to be patient and understanding. Hang in there, we will get through this! The secret to success will be communication. If you encounter a problem, please communicate clearly with the people involved. Everyone wants to do a great job, and patient, understanding communication will help all of us do that. My deepest thanks to everyone who has worked so hard in the last few weeks to make this happen. Best wishes for tomorrow and for the rest of the term!

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 19, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to create uncertainty, we are working to ensure that we are fully prepared for the summer trimester. Many are predicting that the current shelter in place order might be extended. Consequently, we have decided to postpone the beginning of the summer term until Tuesday, May 26th, the day after Memorial Day. The extra time will, hopefully, allow for any extended shelter in place orders to be lifted. If they haven’t been by that time, it also provides us more time to prepare for continued online delivery of classes.

As the summer trimester was originally scheduled, there would have been two weeks between its end and the beginning of the fall trimester. In order to allow for a break between the two terms, we will shorten the summer trimester by one week to 14 weeks. Because of federal and state regulations about the required number of contact hours in a term, we will need to make some minor adjustments to class meeting times and will have more information about that as the updated summer schedule is developed.

When we rescheduled the Commencement ceremony to Sunday, August 23rd, that date was the only one available for the auditorium where the ceremony is held. That is still the case. So, while it will likely seem strange to walk for graduation a week before the term actually ends, I ask you to remember that this is a strange situation.

We will have many more details regarding the updated schedule in the coming days but wanted you to know about the calendar change as soon as possible. As a reminder, Summer Registration is still open. If you haven’t already done so, please contact your Academic Advisor or Department Director to register for summer classes.

Again, I thank you for all your patience and understanding as we cope with this continually evolving situation.

Summary of the important dates:

• Sunday, April 26 – End of Spring Trimester (unchanged)
• Tuesday, May 26 – Beginning of Summer Trimester (two weeks later than originally scheduled)
• Sunday, August 23 – Commencement Ceremony (unchanged from the rescheduled date)
• Sunday, August 30 – End of Summer Trimester (one week later than originally scheduled)
• Tuesday, September 8 – Beginning of Fall Trimester (unchanged)

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 18, 2020 

From the Dean of Students

Dear Cogswell Students,

The current COVID 19 issue has been very difficult for many of us to deal with.  Over the course of one week, we have had to adapt to going fully online and closing the campus.  Some of you have had to ‘shelter in place’ while others are staying close to family and friends during this crisis.  As was referenced in the message that was sent by the Provost, our society is being faced with a major challenge but I am confident that we will be able to adapt just as we have in the past.  In my lifetime, I have seen tragedies that forever changed how we live our lives.  911, hurricane Katrina, and SARS to name a few.  All made a significant and long lasting impact on our culture.  Things were tough, but we made it through.  I want to remind you that our history is evidence that we will thrive once this crisis has passed.

As your Dean of Students, I want you to know that you are all missed.  The corridors of Cogswell are silent.  The normal hustle and bustle of activity is replaced by a slow, dull buzz of a quiet facility.   There are no students running into my office and no events happening in the Dragon’s Den.  There are no faculty guiding the next great programmer, director, artist, or designer.  But Cogswell still exists in all of you.  The spirit of our mascot transcends the physical barriers of the institution.  Your flame carries on even while you are not physical here.

Soon I plan to attempt to create a virtual space for you to connect with each other.  Although we cannot have a physical presence on campus, creating a virtual ASB meeting, BSU event, or Speaker Series through zoom are all possible.  In an awkward sort of way, we may have more of you attend in this format!  I encourage you to stay connected, stay strong, and be kind to one another.

Carolus Brown

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March 16, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community

As I mentioned in my last message, the Coronavirus pandemic is a fluid situation and changes are likely to keep happening. As you may have heard, the six Bay Area counties (San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda) just announced a “shelter in place” order beginning at 12:01am tomorrow (3/17) and lasting for at least three weeks. We had hoped to use this week to prepare everyone for remote operations beginning next week, but must now start operating remotely immediately.

Consequently:

• The Cogswell campus will be closed beginning Tuesday, March 17th until further notice. During this closure, there will be no access to the building. The campus will not be open 10-2 on weekdays as was previously announced
• Classes will begin online Monday, March 23rd as previously announced
• Faculty should continue preparing their courses and begin online delivery as described in the previous message
• All employees should consult with their respective department directors regarding specific job expectations and requirements. Expect an email shortly from Human Resources regarding remote work

More details are being worked out and will be announced as they are finalized. For now, though, I wanted to make sure everyone knew of this latest development. Again, thank you all for your patience and understanding. It is a complex and evolving problem and we are working as fast as we can to try to keep up with developments. Be well and stay safe! More soon…

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 15, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

My apologies for such a lengthy email, but there are many important pieces of information that need to be shared and explained. Please read all the way through this message.

Just in case you have missed all the previous emails and texts, we have extended Spring Break for one more week through next Sunday (March 22^nd). Beginning the following Monday morning (March 23^rd), all Cogswell classes will be taught online through Canvas until the end of the spring trimester (April 26^th). Although we hope to return to regular on-campus classes beginning with the summer trimester (May 11^th), we are continuing to develop our online resources in case conditions do not allow us to return to campus in May. As that date approaches, we will make an announcement regarding the delivery of summer courses. In the meantime, you can always check current announcements regarding Cogswell’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic via the News link at the top of our website (direct URL: https://usv.edu/news).

This is a difficult time for our nation and the world. Most of us have never faced something like this. During the last century though, our ancestors experienced similar types of difficulties with the Influenza pandemic of 1918-1920, the “Great Depression” of 1929-1939, and World War II (1941-1945). During each of those global events, the people of this nation endured substantial suffering and loss, but they also made great sacrifices for the good of all. Will this current pandemic be as disruptive as those earlier events? We all hope not, and at this stage, no one really knows. However, all of us need to understand that for at least the next few months, things will be different than they have been previously. Some services and products may be in short supply or unavailable altogether. No doubt, we will be inconvenienced. For those of us in the Cogswell community, we will need to figure out how to keep going in an online, remote environment. Will it be as good, or convenient, as doing things face-to-face? Most likely, no. But we need to make the most of what we can do and accept the fact that there will undoubtedly be some sacrifice of quantity and quality in nearly every aspect of our lives.

During this time, please be patient, understanding, and forgiving. Everyone is struggling and we need to be supportive of each other. We also need to understand that even though we might not fall into one of the high-risk categories, most of us come into contact every day with other people who do. Thus, while it might be tempting to ignore the calls for social isolation, be aware that you put others at risk when you do so.

Here is some specific information for members of the Cogswell community:

Trimester Schedule

• Extended Spring Break: March 16-22
• Classes Resume: March 23 – online only
• Spring Trimester Ends: April 26 Note that the term ends on the date originally scheduled. Even though we are resuming classes a week later than originally scheduled, the term has not been extended. Classes will need to find a way to complete their material in one less week of class time.
• Summer Trimester Begins: May 11

Campus Access

• For this week (March 16-22) the building will be open for normal business hours. Classes will not be held during this week, and some offices might be short-handed, however we will do our best to keep all offices open during the week
• Beginning Monday, March 23, the building will only be open from 10:00am-2:00pm, Monday through Friday. Students are welcome to use the studios and computer labs during those hours but will need to leave by 2:00. We know this is inconvenient, especially for those who need access to specific software and hardware. We also know that not everyone will be able to come during those hours, but nearly all faculty and staff will be working remotely so we cannot be open for more than a few hours each day. We are exploring multiple options to allow student access to some software remotely, and many software vendors have announced that they are providing free, temporary access to software during this pandemic. Our faculty and IT department are working to make those arrangements and will have information regarding that access before the end of the week
• If you are sick, or believe you may have come into contact with the Coronavirus, do not come to campus
• If you do come to campus, please help us keep the building safe, by washing your hands frequently, using hand sanitizer, and covering all coughs and sneezes
• Beginning March 23^rd, faculty members will not be expected to be present on campus, but to continue all teaching, advising, office hours, etc. through Canvas or other online services. Your Department Director will contact you shortly with details
• Staff members should speak with their individual Department Director regarding working remotely. Some offices *may* be open during the 10-2 hours, but most will function remotely
• Business operations of the college will continue to function, but with most people working remotely. If you need to contact one of the various offices, the best approach will be through email
  • Registrar’s Office: registrarsoffice@cogswell.edu
  • Business Office: businessoffice@cogswell.edu
  • Financial Aid Office: finaid@cogswell.edu
  • Admissions Office: admission@cogswell.edu
  • Student Services and Advising Office: advisors@cogswell.edu
  • Human Resources Office: hr@cogswell.edu
  • Career Services Office: ftovar@cogswell.edu
  • IT Help Desk: helpdesk@cogswell.edu
  • Canvas Support: canvas@cogswell.edu

Class Meetings beginning March 23^rd

• Classes that currently meet online will continue as usual
• Classes that currently meet on campus (either fully on campus, or hybrid) will meet exclusively online through Canvas. Canvas has a number of tools that allow virtual class sessions, including face-to-face meetings. Your classes will continue to meet on the same days and at the same time as before, but you will log into your Canvas shell for the course instead of coming to campus. Your professors are working this week to get everything ready and will contact you through Canvas before the end of the week to confirm you have access to the class. Please monitor your Cogswell email as it will be the main source of communication from the college and from your professors

Commencement

• As we announced previously, Commencement has been postponed until August 23^rd
• Those of you who are eligible to graduate in April will still graduate then and will receive your diploma in the mail about two weeks after the end of the spring trimester. You will receive information later about the rescheduled Commencement ceremony. We do hope that you will all join us at that time to celebrate your accomplishments

Student Housing

• Students in housing are welcome to stay in their apartments through the end of the spring trimester. If you want to go home now, you can either move your possessions out now or come back to do so at the end of the term. Be aware that Cogswell will not be responsible for the security of items left in your apartment during your absence. If you plan to move out now, please notify Carolus Brown, Dean of Students (cbrown@cogswell.edu) immediately to arrange an exit inspection and key return.
• If you are planning to return to housing for the summer term, we will *try* to keep you in the same apartment. However, depending on the number of students who return, we may have to move people to different apartments in order to consolidate unused space. If you plan to return to housing for the summer, please notify Carolus Brown, Dean of Students (cbrown@cogswell.edu) immediately

Thank you all for your patience and understanding while we deal with this reality. As with all situations this fluid, there will likely be changes and updates to this information. When that happens, we will send it out and post it on the News page of our website. Hopefully, this will all be behind us soon and we can return to normal life. For now, I wish you all the very best.

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 13, 2020  - SPRING BREAK EXTENSION

Dear Cogswell Community,

As promised in my earlier message, we have continued to monitor the situation with the Coronavirus pandemic. Given the speed at which conditions have changed in the last few days, The Executive Committee of Cogswell College has made the following decisions:

• Spring Break will be extended for one more week (through Sunday, March 22)
• Beginning Monday, March 23, all Cogswell classes will be delivered in an online-only format through the end of the spring trimester (Sunday, April 26)
• We hope to return to regular class delivery with the summer trimester (beginning Monday, May 11), but will continue to monitor the situation and develop online course resources in the event we need to continue online

During this time, the building will remain open for students for studio and computer lab access only from 10:00am to 2:00pm, Monday through Friday. Students living in housing may continue to stay in their apartments through the end of the term if they wish. There are many details yet to be worked out, and these will be forthcoming in the next few days. However, we wanted to notify you immediately of the plan and schedule.

This is a difficult time for our nation and for all of us, and we hope you understand the necessity of taking such action. We realize that not all of our courses will translate perfectly well into an online environment due to specific hardware/software requirements and group projects, but our professors will work to make their classes as engaging and productive as possible under these circumstances.

Thank you all for your thoughtful comments in the last few days and for your patience while we reached this difficult decision. We look forward to having this behind us and returning to life, and class, as usual.

Best wishes,

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 12, 2020  - COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Graduating Senior,

First off, congratulations on your upcoming graduation! Your hard work and perseverance has allowed you to overcome a number of obstacles in your path to reach this major life milestone. Sadly, current events have thrown another obstacle in your path, not for your graduation, but for the commencement ceremony that celebrates that graduation. As you probably know, due to concerns about spreading the Coronavirus, events with large audiences are being postponed or cancelled due to the high risk of exposure in such crowded environments. Consequently, the Cogswell Commencement ceremony scheduled for Sunday, April 26 has been postponed until Sunday, August 23.

We know this is a huge disappointment for everyone, and hope you understand the difficulty with which we made this decision. Please know that you will still receive your diploma as usual approximately one to two weeks following the end of the trimester. We do hope you will join us on August 23 for the actual ceremony. Information regarding participating in that ceremony, including ordering caps and gowns, will be emailed to you soon by Dean Carolus Brown.

Again, congratulations on your graduation. Although the actual ceremony will be delayed a couple of months, you’ve made it! We look forward to celebrating this milestone with you on August 23^rd.

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March 11, 2020 - ADDENDUM

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

I want to reiterate from my earlier emails, that any students, faculty, or staff who have, or believe they may have contracted, the Coronavirus should not come to campus and seek medical attention. Please note that this also applies to anyone with a compromised immune system who feels being on campus puts them at greater risk. If you fall into one of these categories, please contact Human Resources (for faculty and staff) or Carolus Brown, Dean of Students (for students) to make arrangements to work or take classes remotely. Faculty have been asked to make allowances for students to take classes online who are directly affected by this virus.

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 11, 2020

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

We have heard from a number of you regarding concerns about the Coronavirus and Cogswell’s response to it. We have been closely monitoring the situation and evaluating all possible options for Cogswell. At this point, we intend to continue regular operations and return to classes on Monday, March 16^th as planned. We are, however, looking at canceling or postponing large events and gatherings as recommended by the Santa Clara Department of Health. We will have more information on those events in the coming days. You can also check the News link at the top of the Cogswell website for the latest information on our response to the Coronavirus.

You have, no doubt, heard about other colleges and universities moving to online. Those campuses not only have large numbers of students, but hundreds of daily visitors coming and going every day. In many ways, Cogswell’s closed campus is like many of the other small, closed campuses in the area, and they are also staying open for the present. As an additional protective measure, we will continue extra disinfecting and cleaning activities through the campus.

Even as we plan to continue on-campus classes, faculty are working hard to convert as much of their teaching material as possible into an online-deliverable format in the event we do need to move totally online. Please understand, the decision to move entirely online is not an easy one. Many of our classes are hands-on activities, often with specialized software, and use group projects. Replicating that kind of experience online is extremely difficult, especially on such short notice. We know Cogswell students have come to expect these sorts of learning experiences and want to do everything we can to maintain them. However, should the need arise, we will move to online for everyone’s safety.

We will continue to closely monitor this situation and report any changes as soon as they happen. For now, though, plan to be back for classes on Monday, and please continue to wash your hands and cover any coughs or sneezes.

Brian K. Shepard, DMA

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March 10, 2020

As a smaller college with a single location, thus far we have been able to effectively maintain a safe space.

Cogswell has taken multiple steps to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff including the following:

• Enhanced daily cleaning of the campus
• Added hand sanitizer units throughout the college
• Limiting events to a maximum 25 people
• Restricting campus access for non-essential visitors
• Activated our Safety and Emergency Response Committee for contingency planning

In the event there is a confirmed case or we are made aware of an exposure, we will immediately notify all constituents and outline next steps.

In the meantime, classes will continue as scheduled.

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March 9, 2020 

From the Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Dear Cogswell Community,

I hope the spring semester is progressing nicely. The safety of our community continues to be a primary focus of the College. With all the attention in the news media regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), I ask everyone to help prevent its spread (as well as any other infectious illnesses) by observing a few simple procedures.

Wash your hands regularly with warm/hot water and soap for 20 seconds (the amount of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice).
If soap is not available, use a hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with your bare hands.
Cover your cough with a tissue, handkerchief, or your elbow. Don’t use your bare hand—remember, you’re trying to keep the germs off your hands!
If you feel yourself coming down with flu-like or cold-like symptoms do not come to campus. Seek medical advice and isolate yourself from others as best you can.
I want to also make sure you are all aware of our building access policy as well as remind you of our evacuation procedure in the event of an emergency. Please take note of the following.

BUILDING ACCESS

All entrances to the building—including the main, front entrance—will remain locked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Current students, faculty, and staff must use their ID badge to gain access to the building at all times. You must wear your badge in a manner that is easily visible while on campus. Students, faculty, and staff who do not have a badge will need to check in at the front desk and be issued a temporary name tag. This name tag will be effective for 24 hours. All Cogswell guests will be required to register at the front desk. They will be issued a name badge to be worn while visiting the campus.These increased security measures will only work if we are all vigilant. Safety is everyone’s business. While on campus, please be observant of those around you. If you see someone in the building without a visible Cogswell ID or a visitor badge, please notify a member of the faculty or staff. Also, be cognizant of those around you while entering the building—do not open the doors or hold doors open for individuals without a visible ID.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

Even with these safety measures in place, we recognize that emergency situations may arise. In the event that an emergency requires us to evacuate the building, please:

Follow the instructions of staff and emergency personnel
Evacuate as quickly and safely as possible via the nearest emergency exit
Meet at our designated meeting place, located down Baypointe Pkwy, towards Zanker Road. It looks like a driveway between the two fenced-in portions of land (see gold star in the image below). Staff members will also direct you to this location. It is important that we all meet at this location so that we can ascertain everyone’s safety and wellbeing.

Brian K. Shepard, DMA