Tuesday Nov. 3 is Election Day across the country. As in past years, the University is encouraging flexible course engagement on Nov. 3.

 

According to a letter to Pitt faculty from Adam Lee, vice provost of undergraduate studies, this guidance is meant to provide space for students who want to participate in civic engagement activities that would otherwise not be possible with strictly in-person synchronous courses.

 

“This language was chosen to allow instructors to use a broad set of techniques to be flexible within the bounds of what makes pedagogical sense within their discipline. For instance, an instructor might make use of completely asynchronous activities (e.g., readings, videos, reflective assignments, etc.) rather than synchronous lecture time,” the letter said.

 

“Alternately, an instructor may choose to offer a typical synchronous lecture, but also provide a recording of that lecture for students who choose to engage with this material at another time and place,” the letter continued.

 

“While laboratory courses requiring specialized equipment are likely to need to remain in-person, this hopefully provides other instructors with a useful degree of flexibility to engage meaningfully with their students on topics scheduled to be covered on Election Day.”

 

There are three polling places on Pitt’s campus — Posvar Hall, Bellefield Hall and the William Pitt Union — which are managed independently by Allegheny County elections officials. There also will be separate marked entrances for each: One designated for voting and one designated for University business and instruction. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.