UFRN holds discussions on the resumption of the 2020.1 period

Continuing with academic planning for the period of the covid-19 pandemic, the centers, institutes and specialized academic units of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) carried out, in recent days, several actions to discuss the resumption of activities for the 2020.1 academic period. The broad discussion has as its pillars the security of the university community and the diversity of courses, which require the collective construction of proposals based on inclusion and flexibility.
The UFRN Rectory suspended, on an emergency basis, face-to-face activities on March 17, due to the health crisis caused by the new coronavirus. Since then, the decentralized discussion began, with the aim of listening to all segments of the community (technicians, students and teachers), in their respective units. As a short-term measure, the Exceptional Supplementary Academic Period (PLSE) was approved by the Teaching, Research and Extension Council (Consepe), which will end at the end of July.
Continuing with academic planning, the Rectory has been meeting with class representations and with the directors of centers and specialized academic units, which carried out several actions to discuss the proposals for resuming the 2020.1 calendar:
– Technology Center (CT)
According to the director of the CT, Luiz Alessandro Câmara de Queiroz, the unit held on the morning of Monday, July 13, a videoconference with the participation of teachers, administrative technicians and students, totaling the debate with 77 people. “We gave the floor to all participants, who answered their questions and praised the proposal to resume the academic semester remotely”, he informed. Other meetings also took place to discuss the resumption of activities, such as managers' meetings, with the Academic Centers and the Center Council (Consec). A commission was created that has already completed the work and presented proposals for pedagogical and infrastructure issues, which must be adopted in the short, medium and long term, in the case of returning to school.
– Center for Exact and Earth Sciences (CCET)
According to the director of CCET, Jeanete Moreira, committees were formed, with the participation of undergraduate and postgraduate coordinators, with technician and student representation. Furthermore, the professor said that Whatsapp groups were created, so that dialogue could occur more frequently and directly between the CCET management and department heads, undergraduate and postgraduate coordinators, and students from the unit's 14 courses. This Tuesday, the 14th, a Consec meeting is scheduled, when a proposal for resuming 2020.1 will be presented.
– Seridó Higher Education Center (Ceres)
The director of Ceres, Sandra Kelly de Araújo, said that several meetings were held with heads of departments, course coordinators, teachers, students and technicians. This Monday, the 13th, there was a moment of dialogue, via videoconference. For the professor, "the evaluation is positive. There are some topics that we will transmit to the Rectory and other units, with a view to contributing to the final preparation of the proposal that will be submitted to Consepe", she said.
– Health Sciences Center (CCS)
According to the director of the CCS, Antônio de Lisboa Lopes Costa, discussions have been taking place at the Center and a virtual meeting took place this Monday, the 13th, with all segments (teachers, students and technicians). In the teacher's opinion, the topic generated many questions, but the discussion was positive and there was greater participation from teachers and students.
– Center for Human Sciences, Letters and Arts (CCHLA)
The CCHLA held meetings with department heads and formed a Planning Committee. According to the director of CCHLA, Maria das Graças Rodrigues, in addition to Consec, information was collected via electronic form sent to undergraduate and postgraduate students. “This shows that, through the representatives, the three segments that make up the CCHLA internal community were represented and we built together understandings and discussions to add to UFRN's institutional planning, so that an action plan can be built that meets the needs of the academic community in a universal and safe way”, he stated.
– Bioscience Center (CB)
CB director, Jeferson Cavalcante, said that there was a meeting with department heads, course coordinators and students. In addition