Coronavirus (covid-19) | Universidad del Pacífico

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Statement to the University Community (30/03/2020)

To the UP community,
During the last twenty days, in the context of a world and national emergency that gives no respite, we have deployed an unprecedented institutional effort in the already long historical trajectory of the UP. Thanks to this collective effort, on Monday, March 30, overcoming multiple obstacles and difficulties, we will begin the bulk of undergraduate and postgraduate academic activities. That day, when we sit in front of our computers and get in touch with our students, we will be giving living testimony that we were able to move from a face-to-face form of education to a virtual one -online, distance, remote or synchronous, as it is also being called- in almost all the courses originally offered. And we did it well, in a surprisingly short period of time.
For this reason, we would like to thank, first of all, the team of administrative workers who were immediately willing to take on the enormous responsibility of carrying out the training process for our teaching community. Thanks to our manageable scale, we have provided personalized training, for an average of 1 hour and 30 minutes, to almost all of the faculty and teaching assistants who are in charge of the teaching responsibilities of our academic programs.
I am convinced that this complicated scenario into which we have been thrust has generated -in each and every member of our community- a wealth of knowledge and experience that has strengthened our institutional capabilities, beyond any forecast or prognosis. A learning that we have obtained through unprecedented paths and that, under normal circumstances, we would hardly have been able to realize in all its hidden potential.
With our training, we have concluded a first stage - one that has been like swimming against the tide - and we are beginning a second, which may be less stressful, but which will demand a permanent attitude of vigilance from all of us. Remaining vigilant, without letting our guard down during the weeks ahead, is our current watchword. Of course, as of Monday 30, our institutional energies will be focused on supporting the development of classes under a virtual modality, which will require from the entire university community a responsible and intelligent flexibility that will allow us to achieve our learning objectives. A flexibility that, without relaxing the academic requirement, finds the necessary pedagogical ways to ensure, within the framework of restrictions in which we are operating, the quality of the educational service to which we have always aspired.
Our appreciation, therefore, also goes to our faculty and students. To the former, for having been not only particularly sensitive to the adversity we have had to face, but also for having become key players in the solutions that have been put in place. To the latter, I would like to convey our gratitude for their understanding, closeness and spirit of dialogue with the authorities. The UP Student Representation (REUP), as an organized expression of the student community, has been very willing to understand the institutional policies adopted, within the framework of the restrictions that circumstances impose on our educational work.
Faculty, students and administrative staff know that we are at the beginning of a journey in which the winds blow against us and the tides hide currents that may make a sudden and unexpected appearance. We count on your patience, responsibility and understanding, because difficulties and contingencies of various nature and scope will arise over the coming weeks. To face this volatile scenario, we are fortunate to have, in addition to our knowledge, a proven attitude of service, an institutional commitment reaffirmed in these difficult times, and an unwavering determination to face adversity and the obstacles that will surely arise in the coming months.
I do not want to end without telling you that the current situation has made us more aware of the historical legacy of those who founded UP and understood, almost six decades ago, the importance and need for a quality university education in our country. Our institutional mission is therefore clear and unequivocal: it is up to us to train the responsible leaders that Peru and the world so urgently need today. And all of us who are part of our beloved UP are committed to this shared purpose.
Felipe Portocarrero Suárez
President
Date: 30/03/2020
Statement Undergraduate Students - Academic Affairs Vice Presidency (24/03/2020)

Dear students,
As we all know, the world is in a very complex and unstable situation. Faced with these circumstances, Universidad del Pacífico (UP) has taken - and will continue to take - a series of decisions inspired by you, our students, and whose objective is to ensure the proper development of teaching activities. First of all, we would like to express our appreciation for the good disposition you have shown during the last few days. We hope to continue counting on that same support during the coming weeks, because we will only be able to overcome the difficulties we face as long as we join forces and share a common purpose.
In our March 18 statement, we officially announced that we will start virtual classes on Monday, March 30. It is now time to share with you some details that will contribute to the good development of the 2020-I semester, which will begin next week.
We will use the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra tool, which is already installed on the Blackboard platform, to deliver the classes. Through this medium, you will be able to attend live classes ("synchrony") and interact with your professors and classmates, safeguarding your health and that of your environment. Keep in mind that this dynamic will always take place within the timetable you selected when you enrolled for each subject.
We understand and share the concern that this unpredictable situation may generate among you, especially considering that this is the first time that all UP courses are offered virtually. In order to achieve the greatest possible fluidity and flexibility during the 2020-I academic semester, the authorities have made the following decisions:
First, for those students who are at academic risk during the 2020-I academic semester, it has been foreseen to authorize, on an exceptional basis, the term or course withdrawal, in order to safeguard their permanence at the University. The deadline for submitting applications is specified in the updated version of the 2020 Academic Calendar.
Second, those enrolled students who, for various reasons, are not able to attend the 2020-I semester may request the cancellation of their enrollment and the reimbursement of the corresponding academic fees. In this way, your academic record will not count this cancellation as term withdrawal. In this case, the deadline is Monday, March 30, 2020.
Third, the fee for the course or term withdrawal process will be waived.
Fourth, considering the families' situation, we have decided to postpone the due dates of the coming tuition fees, as well as to suspend the collection of late payment interest. The new payment schedule will be as follows:
Second tuition installment: April 17, 2020
Third tuition installment: May 16, 2020
Fourth tuition installment: June 15, 2020
Fifth tuition installment: July 15, 2020
Cases requiring special consideration will be handled by the Director of the Office of Financial Aid, Mrs. Teresa Bravo (pensiones@up.edu.pe).
On the other hand, we would like to share some good news with you. Of the 283 academic courses offered this semester, we have successfully migrated 98.9% of them to the virtual format, which means that we will be able to offer almost all the subjects taught in our programs. The courses that cannot be offered are the following: Mutual Funds, Private Equity Seminar - "Enfoca" and Finance Lab Seminar. Students enrolled in these canceled academic courses may request the modification of their enrollment, from March 23 to 30 by sending an email to pregrado@up.edu.pe.
Likewise, measures have been taken so that you can remotely use the bibliographic resources that you require. First of all, our Library will make available to students various information resources: online catalog, institutional repository, databases and e-book platforms; it will also maintain various customer service channels (via chat, e-mail and personalized counseling). And, secondly, the University Press will make the content of its e-books available to the university community at no cost (https://fondoeditorial.up.edu.pe/ebooks/), from this moment on and throughout the month of April.
In the same vein, taking into account the unique nature of the Extracurricular Formative Experiences, during the 2020-I academic semester we will only offer those that can be fully virtualized. In the case of those that cannot be offered under this modality, we are evaluating alternatives that will be communicated in a timely manner.
It should be mentioned that the details of these provisions and their procedures will be communicated, in the next few days, through the UP institutional email (@ alum.up.edu.pe), by the Office of the Registrar. For this reason, we kindly ask you to check this e-mail account on a regular basis.
In this context, it is important to mention the role that the Classroom Student Representatives (REA) and the Representatives before the Academic Departments (REDA) will have: we encourage them to organize and choose your REA during the first week of class. With this, we will be able to work together thanks to this valuable communication channel, through which you will be able to transmit your comments and observations about the classes to the faculty and Department Chairs. Your participation will be essential to allow us to intervene quickly in case of any eventuality or setback in the development of the teaching activities.
We reaffirm our commitment to provide quality education, but in a safe manner. We appeal to your understanding and flexibility in view of the unpredictable situation we are facing. Today more than ever, we must live up to our aspiration to train you as responsible leaders for a world that will no longer be the same as the one we have known until now and that demands permanent solidarity and commitment from us.
Finally, we would like you to know that the authorities and faculty will be at your side during the academic semester that we are ready to begin. Let us do everything we can to bring it to a successful conclusion.
Sincerely,
Martha Chávez Passano
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Date: 24/03/2020
Statement - COVID-19 Emergency measures (19/03/2020)

Dear UP community members,
In view of the National Emergency Declaration issued by the government last night in order to combat the spread of COVID-19, our institution endorses the indication of social lockdown, which is mandatory for the entire population of our country.
It is important for our community to know that, since we became aware of the possibility of these emergency measures being taken, a team of 62 people from UP has been tirelessly designing alternative ways of teaching classes for the first academic semester of this year. Likewise, the Executive Committee is in permanent session, receiving and processing the information that reaches us, so that the decisions adopted can be refined when circumstances so require.
From this moment on, we will have no other communication mechanism than the UP official virtual media, so I would like to ask you to be attentive to the information that we will disseminate in a timely manner through our institutional channels. Even when it is a complex scenario, it is necessary for all of us to have a general guiding framework based on the institutional policies that we have prepared (and those to come), in order to make this complex journey to which the national and international context has pushed us less uncertain.
The first issue is related to the beginning of this year's first academic semester; of course, our priority is our students and their expectations not to lose it. It is important for you to know that we are developing all the necessary actions to adjust our academic schedule according to the new circumstances we are facing. Therefore, we would like to ask our students for responsibility, patience, serenity and understanding while the required measures are being adopted to provide our educational services in the best possible way, given the current restrictions. The content of these measures will be communicated progressively and in a timely manner.
After an in-depth review of the technology we have available at UP, we have come to the conclusion that we are able to migrate, not without some difficulties and imperfections, to the virtual teaching modality in a high percentage of our face-to-face courses. To achieve this goal, it has been necessary to make a considerable initial investment in our digital platforms in order to be better equipped for the changes ahead. In the near future, we will start coordinating with the teaching community to communicate the next steps to be taken. Further information, with precise instructions, will be sent to all faculty in the next few hours from the Academic Affairs Vice Presidency.
In light of the difficulties we are facing, the authorities need to count on the permanent commitment and flexibility of the entire UP community in the weeks ahead. None of our policies can effectively mitigate the complexities of the current situation without this essential ingredient of collaboration and mutual support within our institution. For this very reason, I ask our Deans, Associate Deans, Department Chairs, Director of the Graduate School and other units and centers to support us decisively in the dissemination, execution and monitoring of the measures that will be implemented.
It is usual to point out that crises awaken learning opportunities in institutions that were not visible in their daily work. I have the fullest conviction that in a few months, when this tsunami that has hit the planet has passed and we can look at things in perspective, UP will emerge strengthened in its institutional capacities.
I would like to conclude by saying that all our decisions are inspired by the protection we seek to provide to each and every member of our community. The development of this academic semester, no one has the slightest doubt, will be uphill. Therefore, I reiterate my request that we put our best energies at the disposal of our beloved UP. I hope that we will soon be able to look back on this devastating episode with the assurance of knowing that we committed with joy and determination to overcome its major challenges.
Felipe Portocarrero Suárez
President
Date: 19/03/2020
Coronavirus - Temporary Suspension of Classes (19/03/2020)

To the university community,
In view of the advance of the COVID-19 pandemic in our country and around the world, and in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Executive Branch at the press conference held this morning, it has been decided to suspend all teaching activities at the University (undergraduate, Graduate School, Language Center and Pre-University School) from March 12 to March 29 inclusive, in order to protect the integrity of our university community.
In accordance with the preventive protocols continuously reported by the Ministry of Health, we suggest reinforcing personal hygiene measures, such as washing your hands properly, covering your nose and mouth with your bent elbow when coughing or sneezing and, in the case of a suspected infection, call 113 immediately.
Likewise, we urge people who have arrived from Europe or Asia in recent days to remain alert and apply the preventive or lockdown measures indicated by the Executive Branch for a period of 14 days from their arrival in our country.
We inform you that, during the suspension of activities, we will attend to your queries through the call center and electronically. Part-time faculty, students and alumni are requested not to go to the University facilities during this period.
Finally, if new information of interest is presented, it will be communicated through our institutional channels.
Sincerely,
Office of the Secretary General
Date: 19/03/2020
If you have children at home... get them involved! (18/03/2020)

Fecha: 18/03/2020
Statement | Coronavirus - Extension of safety recommendations and information (18/03/2020)

To the university community:

Due to the appearance of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) with 9 confirmed cases until today, Monday March 09 in the country, we want to urge you to remain calm and, also want to expand the recommendations we sent via email last Friday 06.

In this regard, we would like to emphasize that:

1. According to the protocol established by the Ministry of Health (MINSA), infection with COVID-19 may be suspected if the following symptoms occur:
a. The person has an acute respiratory infection (fever accompanied by another respiratory symptom, such as cough or shortness of breath) with no other cause explaining the clinical condition, and has been in a country with COVID-19 transmission during the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
b. The person has an acute respiratory infection and had contact with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case, during the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
c. The person has a severe acute respiratory infection (fever higher than 38°C, cough, shortness of breath and hospitalization required) whose cause cannot be explained.
2. 80% of cases are mild / moderate and do not require hospitalization. If you or someone close to you has these symptoms, you should call 113 (MINSA toll-free number for information) and evaluate whether you should stay at home or go to the specialized health centers designated by MINSA.
3. Universidad del Pacífico has an action protocol in the event that a member of our university community contracts the virus; and is alert to the new protocols that either MINSA, MINEDU or the Central Government may develop.
4. Only some MINSA hospitals are able to perform COVID-19 screening. If you have the symptoms described above, you should call 113 for a specialist doctor to come to your home and take the sample so that the screening can be done in one of these hospitals. In all cases you are advised not to leave your home.
5. We urge our university community to obtain information from official sources (WHO, MINSA, UP) and, in the same way, to implement the prevention measures mentioned in the previous communication more frequently (washing your hands, covering your nose and mouth with your bent elbow when coughing, avoiding touching your eyes, mouth and nose, and keeping a reasonable distance).

Sincerely,
General Direction of Management.
Date: 18/03/2020
How to face coronavirus? (18/03/2020)

Fecha: 18/03/2020

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