COVID-19: Resources for Students
All classes are moving online starting March 23rd. More information is found through the UConn information page.
ECE classes will be delivered remotely for as long as necessary. All ECE students should expect to complete the classes that they are enrolled in during the spring semester. Please check your email and HuskyCT announcements regularly as the instructors will communicate directly with the students enrolled in their courses.
Do feel free to reach out to them with any questions or concerns as well as to the department administration:
John Chandy
Professor and Department Head
john.chandy@uconn.edu
Shengli Zhou
Professor and Associate Department Head
shengli.zhou@uconn.edu
Liang Zhang
Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies
liang.zhang@uconn.edu
There will also be staff available in the ECE main office throughout this period.
Resources for online classes
General HuskyCT instructions: https://irc.uconn.edu/student-resources-for-huskyct/
E-campus FAQs: https://onlinestudent.uconn.edu/frequently-asked-questions/
General video on online tests in HuskyCT: https://mediasite.dl.uconn.edu/Mediasite/Play/7adcc185c1554aabb086d34fd33afc251d
Instructions on how to download and use LockDown Browser for an online exam: https://irc.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/77/2019/10/Student-Guide-for-LockDown-Browser.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will every course have live or pre-recorded lectures?
Not necessarily. The delivery of each course depends on individual instructors and they are likely to include a variety of delivery modes, including pre-recorded and/or live lectures, live discussions using Collaborate Ultra, WebEx, and reading materials. Please expect more communication from your instructors via email and HuskyCT.
Q: What will happen to planned midterm exams?
Please watch for more communication from your instructors as each of them will use the most appropriate approach for each particular course. Exams may be shifted to online mode using HuskyCT (see resources). These can be synchronous using the Respondus LockDown Browser Technology, or asynchronous, i.e. take-home tests. Instructors may decide to change their assessments to a project or other format. Again, make sure to consult with individual instructors and HuskyCT sites for each of your courses.
Q: What will happen to final exams?
This is a university-wide decision. At this time, there is no plan to modify the final exam schedule.
Q: What about lab classes?
All the faculty have plans in place to continue the lab activities in some form. Some of them will provide synthesized data so that students can perform the analysis needed to complete the required reports even without being on campus. Other lab classes are switching over to using simulation instead of actual hardware design, and others will have lab exercises that can be done at home. We are working to ensure that all required software will be available on Skybox. Please expect more communication from your instructor.
Q: What about Senior Design?
Prof. Zhang is working with your advisors to assess whether your project can be completed remotely, and if not, the scope will be refined in consultation with your sponsor. If you need to loan out equipment (oscilloscopes, power supplies, etc.), you can talk to Phil Duncan and he can help you with that. You can also still pick up items from the mail room in the ECE main office if necessary. Expect to meet with your advisors remotely on a regular basis. At this time there is no change in the planned Senior Design Day.
Q: Will I still be able to graduate?
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will provide to all students enrolled in our courses the ability to complete the courses required for graduation.
Q: I do not have a computer. What do I do?
If you are on campus, you will still have access to the computer labs in ITE. Students can check out a laptop for up to four hours from the library https://lib.uconn.edu/services/technology-services/borrow-technology/
If you are off campus, the department does not have the ability to provide you with either a computer or an Internet connection; students will have to make their own arrangements. Your town’s public library may be a resource, but note that many towns are closing their libraries out of an abundance of caution. The School of Engineering IT staff is currently working on providing a solution to access computer labs remotely, but that will still require a personal computer and Internet connection.
Q: I am registered with CSD. What will happen to my accommodations in the new mode?
You will still receive any support that you need to be successful. Contact your instructors and CSD immediately to make sure they are aware and take the necessary steps.
Q: I am conducting an independent study with lab research involved. What do I do?
Please contact your instructor to develop an alternative plan that will allow you to complete the independent study remotely.
Q: I am sick. What do I do?
Seek immediate medical attention. Contact your instructor as soon as possible and make alternative arrangements to make up for missed work.
Q: Can I still be on campus?
According to official UConn policy, all students who are able to remain at home or elsewhere following spring break should do so. For those residential students who will remain at UConn during spring break or have no alternative but to return to campus following spring break, Student Affairs/Residential Life will work directly with them to assess needs and ensure accommodation. The Rec Center will be closed, as will other facilities. One of the dining halls and other essential services will remain open.