Page 13 - Kinneret Academic College Amid Covid-19

effort, contributed to the operation, managing and adapting to the
new situation. Department coordinators created WhatsApp groups
based on class in order to stay connected and to answer many
inquiries. The Status and Confirmation Department continued to issue
certificates to students and sent degree eligibility to all graduates
so as not to delay any graduate from entering the job market and
managed all requests for exception dates due to the situation. The
Academic Administration Department remained in contact with
faculty including during the absorption of new lecturers, they support
online teaching, were in constant contact with the Council of Higher
Education regarding guidelines and even managed to hand out a gift
for the holidays in an unconventional manner.
New procedures were written and updated to the modified
guidelines. An academic support team for faculty was established, in
which all lecturers were given professional answers about teaching
and exams. The Examination Department worked around the clock in
order to enable the completion of all exams for the first semester and
to be able to hold exams for the second semester. The Examination
Director assisted students defined as at-risk as well as students in
isolation.
Not every effort ran smoothly. There were days that decisions were
made, procedures disseminated and within a few hours they were
no longer relevant. There were technical difficulties and additional
varying challenges. But there was a huge investment and enlistment
from end-to-end- the College Management was attentive to all needs
and knew on the one hand how to lead through policy and on the
other hand how to be involved in the details, through the amazing
collaboration between the academic staff, Student Union, while at
the same time, strengthening the internal organizational connection
throughout all Departments. It was precisely on these days when we
were remote that we became closer than ever.
However, it’s important to remember that this crisis has also
brought awareness of the fact that we can still discover or generate
opportunities.
The 2020-2021 academic year has brought on a new reality. We are
beginning the year more prepared and more understanding. It is still
a crisis but I don’t have a doubt that we will overcome it.
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