March 16 Student Memo

Updated information for graduate students about the move-out process, cleaning, equipment, and more.

Dear Graduate Studies Community,

Thank you for your continued responsiveness to this ever-evolving global health crisis, and thank you for taking such good care of one another as we navigate reasonable measures to protect everyone's health and to safely transition everyone to alternative working and learning environments.

This is an update for the entire community.

  • This week and next, March 16 - 21 and March 23 - 28, graduate students (and faculty) will have full access to program workspaces and individual studios to pack up work, gather belongings, and otherwise prepare to depart. This is not a time for making work, this is a time for preparing to leave.

    • FILM MFA students will have more limited access to Film Centre, which will close much earlier. Please collect your belongings before 7 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17th.

  • Directors have been granted some latitude in organizing how their program's space will be closed up. Graduate students should work thoughtfully with their directors to close up the program space in the safest most efficient way possible.

  • Graduate directors may elect to be onsite to facilitate move out process, or may advise students by remote means.

  • All Graduate Studies staff are available by remote means, and some will be available on campus, to strategically assist directors if needed.

  • Ideally, grad students will be out of their studios and the program facilities will be closed and locked by March 21st. We recognize that one week may not be sufficient time, given the short notice. Therefore, as noted in the first bullet point, directors and students have next week, through Friday March 27th, to organize for leaving -- whether packing up everything to take away now, or organizing to "store in place" until some weeks or months from now when everything is reopened.

    • Students should take what they need from their studio/workspace to continue their work off campus.

    • Students may elect to leave things in their studios/workspaces -- that is, to "store in place" their studio/workspace contents. 

    • Whatever is "stored in place" will not be accessible until buildings/studios reopen at some future (as yet unknown) date. Therefore, students are encouraged to take as much as possible with them now. 

    • Program students and director will work together to "store in place" any work by program students who are unable to return before March 27th. 

    • Graduate students who were unable to access their studio/spaces this week due to travel, and next week, due to mandatory self-quarantine, may arrange for studio access sometime after March 27th, on a case-by-case basis, depending upon the global health conditions.

  • Cleaning

    • MICA will continue regular twice-weekly cleaning and disinfecting of common spaces.

    • "Deep cleaning" planned for Spring Break has been postponed until after March 30th, by which time all Graduate Studies community members will be working remotely, and all graduate programs closed up.

    • When closing up graduate program common spaces, such as seminar rooms or multi-purpose design spaces, be sure to leave tables and chairs clear of debris, and all personal items stored away. This will allow for the best possible "deep cleaning." (Private offices and computer hardware are not part of the deep cleaning, but may be cleaned by program students and faculty before their departure this week.)

  • Equipment

    • Students may not take any MICA equipment off campus. 

    • Students must return Grad Lab equipment as the usual policy states. Please see Grad Lab hourshere.

  • Office support

    • The Office of Graduate Studies will be open with a minimal staff through March 21st in order to support all of you this week. And of course, staff members are available via email 9:00 - 5:00 weekdays throughout the coming weeks.

In the coming days I will be in touch about other matters important to the Graduate Studies community, such as continuing student employment and transitioning to remote learning methods sufficient to complete the semester. 

In the meantime, be assured that many in the MICA community are working tirelessly on your behalf to assure you are well-cared for  throughout this challenging time. Be well.

 

Warmly,

Stacey
Interim Vice Provost