CAMPUS STORIES Volume 1 Issue 1
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CAMPUS STORIES Volume 1 Issue 1 Follow the LUMS journey: from a single house to a sprawling campus Faculty and staff share snippets from The LUMS their work from Community home life welcomes new leadership CAMPUS STORIES CONTENTS 5 Welcoming New Leadership Snapshots of the Work from 8 Home Life 10 Convocation 2020; A Virtual LUMS Steps Up to Face Celebration 2 the Pandemic In Conversation with A Tribute to Our the VC and Outgoing The Creator’s Studio 19 12 15 Outgoing Deans Provost 21 How can you Help? 16 The LUMS Legacy MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR I am delighted to introduce you to the times, our LUMS family has risen to inaugural issue of Campus Stories, a the challenge and demonstrated magazine which aims to celebrate the exemplary resilience and commitment. University and engage with members It is precisely this spirit of unity that this of our internal community, particularly publication aims to celebrate. faculty and staff. Through this platform, In our next issue, we look forward we would like to showcase the to including more stories from our Editorial tremendous amount of work that is community. You can help us improve being done across our five schools this magazine by offering feedback on Board and many departments. This is a great content or by suggesting an article for opportunity for us to strengthen our Deputy Manager Communications a future edition at communications@ bond, come closer together and get to Khuzaima Fatima Azam lums.edu.pk. Until we connect again, know more about each other and our I hope you and your family members different roles. Senior Editor remain safe and well. Ayesha Shirazi The last few months have been unprecedented for us all. COVID-19 Senior Content Writer has forced us to make several adjustments to our routines. Many of Nuzhat Kamran Haneen Rafi Director, us have had to convert our homes into Office of Advancement Senior Officer Communications makeshift workspaces, and have taken Sameen Mohsin measures of safety and practiced social Anum Kamran Bhatty distancing. Although we have not been on campus at this time as we had Officer Communications envisioned, the way we have all come Ramsha Gul together is remarkable. In these difficult Graphic Designer Najam Gulbaz CAMPUS STORIES LUMS Steps up to Face the Pandemic Here are a few ways departments and offices at the University stepped up to provide support and guidance to members of the LUMS community during the crisis. The PEDTECH Committee To lead the University’s transition to the The Committee was led by Dr. Sabieh online space, a high-level Pedagogy Anwar, Dean of the School of Science and Technology (PEDTECH) Committee and Engineering, who explains how this was established to formulate the unique learning environment called for a necessary guidelines, procedures and new approach, where faculty and students policies for teaching and learning needed to become co-creators of the online. The Committee coordinated educational experience. with different departments and Schools Throughout the remaining academic year, at the University and also reached out the Committee kept inviting feedback from to students to understand how their students and faculty through evaluations learning needs could be efficiently met. and surveys. “Together, faculty and students came up with a technology inspired pedagogical system in which they worked with one another in winding down the semester, and enhancing and sharpening their learning outcomes in new and creative ways.” Dr. Sabieh Anwar Dean, School of Science and Engineering 3 Working Group on classes months before the semester updates, an online teaching guide, an started,” shared Dr. Muhammad Faryad, online assessment and instruction plan, Teaching, Research and Convener of the Working Group on and courses for developing and teaching Class Scheduling Teaching, Research and Class Scheduling. classes online. Another platform being developed The working group on Teaching, LUMS Live by the LLI is LUMSx, which will further Research and Class Scheduling help faculty create online and blended was formed in the Summer as LUMS Live, launched by the Office of learning experiences. Through this a continuation of the PEDTECH Advancement on March 29, 2020, is the platform the centre will offer instructional Committee and included faculty, University’s way of continuing important design, and pedagogical and students and senior administrators. conversations and staying connected, technological support to assist faculty The Group received input from the despite the social distancing restrictions in their technology-driven learning LUMS Learning Institute, Registrar’s brought on by the pandemic. With over initiatives. Office, Office of Programme 45 sessions under its belt, this unique Enhancement, and Information platform has given its audience the Systems and Technology (IST). opportunity to tune in and listen to Corona Assisted Looking into the online learning eminent panellists that have, to date, included the likes of Ms. Malala Yousafzai, As the pandemic spread, so did panic, experience holistically, the Group rumours and misinformation. In an made recommendations for Ms. Mahira Khan, Mr. Osman Samiuddin and Dr. Arfa Sayeda Zehra. attempt to get authentic information faculty, students, and University to the larger public, Dr. Suleman departments to ensure a successful The sessions are moderated by Mr. Adeel Shahid along with his team at the virtual Fall 2020 semester. Hashmi and have featured guests such as Computer Human Interaction and Recommendations covered a range educationists, scientists, philanthropists Social Experience Lab (CHISEL) at LUMS, of areas; from class schedules, and industry leaders from several fields. created a comprehensive website hosting conducting exams and setting The hour-long live sessions provide Coronavirus related information such up virtual classrooms, to pass/ learners all over the globe with an as the basics of the virus, protective fail policy, teacher trainings and opportunity to participate in critical measures and hospitals in the vicinity. internet accessibility. discussions regarding various topics. The website, Corona Assisted, is available “Eighty per cent of the Group’s These sessions are hosted on the LUMS in both English and Urdu with built-in recommendations were official Facebook page twice a week accessibility features for people with implemented in the ongoing Fall and all past sessions are archived on the disabilities so that information can be semester and helped the University University’s official YouTube page. accessible to all. adequately prepare for online It can be accessed here. Resources for Faculty “Even before the Teaching Online LUMS COVID-19 Campaign pandemic, LUMS The LUMS Learning Institute (LLI) is a one Many individuals and families were left was thinking of its kind centre committed to enhancing struggling to make ends meet during teaching and learning communities, the lockdown measures put in place to about learning cultures and practices at LUMS. Over the combat the spread of the Coronavirus. and teaching in past year, the LLI has been developing The University initiated the LUMS programmes that provide leadership COVID-19 Campaign to collect donations an online space. in teaching and learning in four key and provide rations to those in need at This means that areas: faculty development, pedagogical this critical time. Students, staff, faculty, partnerships, technology enhanced the LUMS leadership, and donors, as a University, we learning, as well as teaching and research. generously contributed to the campaign don’t just react, but Once the pandemic forced educational and the donations collected helped institutions to close, a transition to provide rations to families in remote areas set the direction of online education became imminent. The as far as Layyah and Taxila, and major online learning in LLI consolidated all relevant resources cities like Multan and Lahore among that teachers would require to continue others. Pakistan.” engaging their students in meaningful ways. These resources are hosted on their Dr. Suleman Shahid website, and include COVID-19 policy Director, LUMS Learning Institute CAMPUS STORIES Virtual Services for Online Therapy for COVID-19 LUMS Health and Student Support Students Safety Committee Since the onset of the pandemic, the The Counselling and Psychological The COVID-19 LUMS Health and Safety Office of Student Affairs (OSA) has gone Services (CAPS) team recognises that Committee was created in order to guide the the extra mile to ensure it remains in the transition for students from a regular administration on essential steps that needed touch with the students online, via email university experience to an online one to be taken to keep the LUMS community and Zoom. Along with the standard in the backdrop of a pandemic, can safe, and to help develop a layered health modes of online communication, the cause stress and anxiety. To help the strategy for the Fall semester. Members of OSA maintains a Facebook page that students cope, Dr. Tahira Haider, Head the committee analysed how the pandemic not only provides regular updates and of Department, explains that CAPS has was developing in the country and looked at necessary information but also serves taken a proactive approach, “As we ways and possibilities for a successful phased as a virtual space for students to have navigate this difficult time in which re-opening of the campus. genuine heartfelt conversations. so many individuals and communities The subsequent health strategy included the The OSA has also shifted many of its are being impacted, we are extending implementation of bringing smaller groups programmes online, including sessions support to our students through online of students back on campus, mapping the by the Co-Curricular Activities Office therapy. CAPS remains committed to situation and creating standard operating (CCA) and online fitness sessions by supporting students through virtual procedures to cover all parts of campus. services and resources.” the Office of Sports, Wellness and A weekly onlne session titled Health and Recreation. The CCA Office has also The team is extending support to the Safety Hour with Dr.