Plans for the 2020-21 School Year at Heller

The Heller School will offer both online and hybrid instruction for the spring 2021 semester, at the highest standard of educational excellence and with an emphasis on interactive pedagogy. Hybrid courses will provide opportunities for both in-person and remote sessions, which may vary by course and over the duration of the semester. Our faculty are actively redesigning their courses and adopting best practices for online instruction, informed by our experience during the spring and summer.

We know that Heller’s collaborative culture is a big draw for many students, and we are committed to recreating that experience online and through socially distanced in-person activities as much as possible. To protect the health of our students, staff, and faculty, we are making a decision that ensures an equitable, high-quality educational experience for all. This includes a school-wide effort to enhance our academic mentoring and student support systems. Each academic program will provide additional information throughout the summer on our unique blend of synchronous, asynchronous, and small group methods to achieve our high standards of academic programming.

We will also offer an extended suite of online and in-person “wrap-around services,” including career advising, professional development opportunities, student services, mental health counseling and extracurricular opportunities. A Heller degree is about so much more than the classroom experience, and we’re committed to providing this same level of care and attention regardless of the distance.

Those who can study remotely should do so, with very few exceptions. When a compelling need to access Heller space arises, we will do our best to accommodate requests equitably and consistently.

To request permission to work or study at Heller, please contact Ravi Lakshmikanthan. If you wish to reserve a room or space aside from your own office, please submit a Classroom Reservation Request Form. 

Please send all requests at least 24 hours in advance.

Please see Dean Weil's Heller Building Use Protocol message for more details.

For students who have been given permission to return to campus, please familiarize yourself with the Campus Passport portal detailed in Provost Lynch’s September 2 email. (Tip: add the Campus Passport to your smartphone screen as an “app” shortcut). You must ensure that your passport is green (or yellow), confirming that you are in compliance with all university health and safety guidelines.

This includes completing COVID-19 training, completing (and passing) the daily health assessment, and being up-to-date with asymptomatic testing. Remember: All members of the Brandeis community MUST complete the COVID-19 training whether or not you are accessing campus. Lastly, make sure you wear a mask, and be ready to show your campus passport when you enter Heller.

Heller has hired several student workers as Health Assurance Monitors. A monitor will be stationed inside the Heller-Brown main entrance to check your Campus Passport and confirm that you have permission to enter the building. They will ensure that you are wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth and will provide directions to those who are unfamiliar with the building layout. Please note that student monitors cannot grant building access on the spot to anyone who has not received permission in advance from Ravi.

• New building hours are Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm. The building is no longer open evenings or weekends, as there will be no Health Assurance Monitors at those times.
• Use the Heller-Brown main doors to enter and the side entrance of Heller-Brown (by the student mailboxes) to exit. You will need to swipe your ID card to enter. The Heller-Schneider entrance will be closed and locked. The entrance by Schneider G4 is reserved for community members entering the COVID-19 Testing Zone.
• You may only use the office or classroom you are assigned.
• Please make frequent use of hand sanitizer stations and new self-service cleaning supplies located in the classrooms.

Please see Dean Weil's Heller Building Use Protocol message for more details.

All Brandeis community members who come to campus will be required to submit samples for COVID-19 testing.

To schedule a test and for more information and updates, visit the Brandeis COVID-19 testing page.

All travelers to Massachusetts are required to quarantine for 14 days (a few lower-risk states are exmpted and listed on the Mass.gov site) and to fill out a form; the state penalty for violating the quarantine order is $500. All persons are instructed not to travel to Massachusetts if they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19.

Students, faculty, and staff spending time on the Brandeis campus are required to participate in free, high-frequency COVID-19 testing; these tests are considered valid by Massachusetts for lifting travel quarantine. Brandeis will not accept any other test results to allow students out of travel quarantine. Brandeis recommends that students plan to quarantine in Massachusetts until they receive the results of their Brandeis-administered tests. Results from these tests usually take 24 to 72 hours. Additionally, consistent with Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, the university is instructing community members who return to campus after international travel to self-quarantine for 14 days. 

A Heller degree is about so much more than the classroom experience, and we’re committed to providing the same level of care, attention and sense of community, regardless of the distance. We will offer an extended suite of online “wrap-around services,” including career advising, professional development opportunities, student services, mental health counseling and extracurricular opportunities.

Students can join Heller Student Working Groups or the Heller Student Association, as well as attend HSA-sponsored events and activities, like online trivia night. Other social activities include online “Coffee with the Dean,” a popular monthly program at Heller; “lunch and learn” sessions with faculty members; Sankofa Community Conversations and more. 

Students seeking accommodations regarding any part of the fall 2020 experience should submit proper documentation to the Student Accessibility Support Office.

If you have any questions regarding the accommodation process please contact Assistant Dean Ravi Lakshmikanthan (kanthan@brandeis.edu).

The application for the 2021-2022 academic year is now open.

Zoom information, including beginner tutorials, FAQs and technical support, are available through the ITS Zoom page. Contact Marc Kiredjian (mkiredjian@brandeis.edu) or Ravi Lakshmikanthan (kanthan@brandeis.edu) if you have any questions or concerns.

• Getting Started with Zoom
• Getting Started on Windows and Mac
• Zoom @ Brandeis Video Tutorial
• Zoom FAQ

If you need equipment to access your online classes, email borrowing@brandeis.edu. Although the library is now closed, library staff will make arrangements for you to pick up a laptop or other equipment. Students, faculty or staff can borrow what they need until the library reopens and students are back on campus. There will be no late fines, but there will be replacement fines if items are lost or broken.

Heller is committed to promoting an environment of mental wellness and providing resources for the mental health of our student body.

The Brandeis Counseling Center (BCC) remains available to provide care to students, on or off campus. Until further notice, all appointments including urgent care will be over the phone or via a HIPAA compliant platform. To reach the BCC, please call its 24/7 answering service at 781-736-3785.

• The BCC remains available to provide urgent consultations by phone.
• Telehealth may be provided to students who are located in Massachusetts and are currently active in individual care.
• The BCC will not begin new counseling relationships with students until further notice; if you are seeking ongoing care please contact them. They will provide individualized resources and referrals.
• Psychotherapy groups are suspended until further notice.

Other resources include: 

• iHope Network: Videoconferencing therapy that is covered by many major health insurance companies, including Brandeis health insurance.
• BetterHelp: Largest online counseling platform worldwide. They provide convenient, discreet and affordable access to a licensed therapist.

The Health Center is open and available for student appointments as well as guidance. If you feel ill, are concerned about an underlying health condition or have questions about coronavirus, contact the Brandeis University Health Center at 781-736-3677.

• If you have recently traveled to a country with community COVID-19 outbreaks or have been in close contact with a person with a known case of COVID-19 you should self-isolate and contact your health care provider for guidance. If you have no known risks for COVID-19 please make an appointment for care at Brandeis University Health Center by calling or using the secure patient portal to schedule your appointment. Notify the front desk of your symptoms upon arrival.
• If you may have the flu or have underlying health issues that put you at greater risk for complications of a respiratory infection you should contact the Brandeis Health Center for guidance. There is treatment that can reduce the duration of the flu if it is identified early in the infection.
• If you have no known risks for COVID-19 and have a mild illness you should practice standard health precautions including limiting participation in large group settings, frequent hand washing and practicing appropriate cough hygiene (cover your cough with a disposable tissue or your elbow). If you have a fever or have symptoms of a viral infection you should self-isolate until the fever goes away.
• Notify your professors as soon as possible if you will be missing classes due to illness.

• For students in PhD, MPP, or MBA programs, contact Aimee Slater at aslater@brandeis.edu or schedule a Zoom Appointment with Aimee.
• For students in MA COEX, MA SID, or MS GHPM programs, contact Maric Kramer at maric@brandeis.edu or schedule a Zoom Appointment with Maric.
• GIS help is available by appointment.
• Data analysis help is available by appointment.

Those who can continue to work remotely should do so, with very few exceptions. When a compelling need to access Heller space arises, we will do our best to accommodate requests equitably and consistently.

To request permission to work or study in the Heller Use Zone, please contact Cindy Thomas (for researchers), Ron Etlinger (for administrative staff) or Ravi Lakshmikanthan (for faculty and students). If you wish to reserve a room or space aside from your own office, please submit a Classroom Reservation Request Form. 

Please send all requests at least 24 hours in advance and see Dean Weil's Heller Building Use Protocol message for more details.

For employees who have been given permission to return to campus, please familiarize yourself with the Campus Passport portal detailed in Provost Lynch’s September 2 email. (Tip: add the Campus Passport to your smartphone screen as an “app” shortcut). You must ensure that your passport is green (or yellow), confirming that you are in compliance with all university health and safety guidelines.

This includes completing COVID-19 training, completing (and passing) the daily health assessment, and being up-to-date with asymptomatic testing. Remember: All members of the Brandeis community MUST complete the COVID-19 training whether or not you are accessing campus. Lastly, make sure you wear a mask, and be ready to show your campus passport when you enter Heller.

Heller has hired several student workers as Health Assurance Monitors. A monitor will be stationed inside the Heller-Brown main entrance to check your Campus Passport and confirm that you have permission to enter the building. They will ensure that you are wearing a mask and will provide directions to those who are unfamiliar with the building layout. Please note that student monitors cannot grant building access on the spot to anyone who has not received permission in advance from Ron, Cindy or Ravi.

• New building hours are Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm. The building is no longer open evenings or weekends, as there will be no Health Assurance Monitors at those times.
• Use the Heller-Brown main doors to enter and the side entrance of Heller-Brown (by the student mailboxes) to exit. You will need to swipe your ID card to enter. The Heller-Schneider entrance will be closed and locked. The entrance by Schneider G4 is reserved for community members entering the COVID-19 Testing Zone.
• You may only use the office or classroom you are assigned.
• You must wear your mask at all times, and it must cover your entire nose and mouth. The only exception to this is if you are in your office, alone, with the door closed. If you can comfortably open the window in your space, you are encouraged to do so.
• Faculty and staff should utilize new door tags to request “full service” cleaning after using their space (these have been placed in every office).

Please see Dean Weil's Heller Building Use Protocol message for more details.

All Brandeis community members who come to campus are required to submit samples for COVID-19 testing.

To schedule a test and for more information and updates, visit the Brandeis COVID-19 testing page.

The Brandeis Technology Help Desk continues to provide technology support and services to the Brandeis community via email or phone. For technical assistance connecting to university systems and services, email help@brandeis.edu or call 781-736-4357. Visit the ITS website for updates.

Faculty and staff will continue to receive regular emails with updates. For Heller-specific questions about building usage and health and safety, please contact Ron Etlinger (etlinger@brandeis.edu). Otherwise, visit the Brandeis Faculty FAQs and Brandeis Staff FAQs pages on the Brandeis site for more information.