Brief Chat
This year , the 53rd anniversary of the University of Guam ’ s Annual Charter Day coincided with the first anniversary of Covid-19 arriving on Guam ’ s shores .
And the changes that have made the event a success were emblematic of the lengths that UOG ’ s administrators , faculty and staff have gone to continue serving students and the island throughout the pandemic .
The Pacific Island Times spoke to UOG president Thomas W . Krise about the adjustments the university had made to Charter Day and beyond , and the direction the institution will be taking as it moves into the future .
As Charter Day went virtual in 2021 , the event had been expanded into Charter Month . All through March , the various Schools and Colleges hosted online events and activities in keeping with this year ’ s theme , “ Transforming Lives . Advancing Communities .”
“ Charter Day usually has a kind of fair quality to it , but this year ’ s events will be a little more on the intellectual side ,” said Krise , a retired U . S . Air Force officer who served as president of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma , Wash . prior to his stint at UOG .
Instead of hut-building and kiosk-booths , there was programming such as a virtual research exhibition hosted by the Isla Center for the Arts , and a presentation by the Pacific Islands Small Business Development Center titled , “ How to Start a Food Business ,” which were more suited to the digital medium .
“ Going virtual has really increased the ability for us to draw a larger audience . ( The ) Presidential Lecture Series with Julian Aguon , for example , had quite a big turnout .”
According to Krise , moving from in-person to online is also being considered as long-term opportunities to expanding the accessibility of the UOG curriculum to those who are off-island or non-traditional students .
“ Currently , about 15 percent of our courses ( prior to the pandemic ) have some sort of online component to them . And we ’ re looking to expand the number of mostly or completely online
“ I find that for whatever reason when I ’ ve been doing the same thing for a long time , it helps to switch things up , and that tends to improve the experience .”
UOG President Thomas Krise How the university is adapting in the Covid-19 era
courses … because there are a lot of people around the world who have really taken an interest in our region .”
But for current UOG students who are eager to get back into the classroom , there is still hope in the months to come . The university is looking to selectively reinstate partial or fully in-person classes in the fall semester .
Krise even mentioned the possibility of a modified but still physical commencement ceremony in the summer , which graduates from the fall and spring semesters of 2020 — who were not able to attend in-person — would also be welcome to .
While schools around the island are beginning to make the transition back to in-person classes , the university remains almost entirely online , with the exception of certain courses such as Nursing Practicums , which require students to be in the classroom .
Krise remains keenly aware of the downsides of online education , such as lack of face-to-face interaction or sub-optimal learning environments for
By Joseph Taitano
students . But he remains optimistic that it will ultimately be a net positive for professors .
“ I find , as a teacher , that for whatever reason when I ’ ve been doing the same thing for a long time , it helps to switch things up , and that tends to improve the experience ,” said Krise , who assumed his role as UOG ’ s 11th president in November 2018 .
This reflects the president ’ s general response to the Covid-19 pandemic , which has emphasized flexibility and adaptability . In fact , the setbacks incurred by lockdowns and the changing learning environment have not slowed down the university ’ s strategic goals .
“ We established our five-year strategic plan entitled ‘ Para Hulo ,’ and because the pandemic and some of the increased funding that ’ s been made available we ’ ve actually accelerated our plan and smashed many of our goals over the past year .”
This includes the diversification of the university ’ s revenue streams through public-private partnerships such CoreSeed Aquaculture Corp . and strides toward official recognition of the university as a research institution , such as a $ 14 million research grant from the National Cancer Institute . And the facilities continue to expand with the School of Engineering building nearing completion , the Guam Regional Cultural repository under construction , funding for a new Water and Environmental Research Institute building , and a fine arts theater on the horizon .
As March rolled on , the activities and celebrations for Charter Month were made available to all Guam residents , and those abroad through the UOG ’ s website . While the old fanfare and food stands had been missed , it presented a new opportunity for increased engagement with the community . It was a fitting metaphor for the continued growth which the school has managed throughout the challenges of the last year , and Krise ’ s mission to build back better .
“ It really has been a privilege to serve the university throughout the pandemic ,” Krise said .
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