NEWS
Resources for Dealing with the Impacts of COVID-19
There are roughly 140 team members on this project and ~56% are students. Based on new team member form data, roughly 20% of our students are parents and 47% are first-generation college students. Faculty and postdocs are the second largest group, representing ~26% and technical/non-technical support staff come in third at 18% of the total. Many of these individuals are also parents or caregivers.
Put simply - Every. Single. One. of us is dealing with unique challenges amidst this global pandemic. Some students have been asked to move out of campus housing, faculty must transfer courses online, and parents are facing the Sisyphean task of working/studying from home while caring for their children.
To help, this month we’ve put together a shortlist of useful resources for students, parents, and faculty – however, there is one resource that is particularly important for all of our team members to utilize.
Compassion.
Be compassionate to yourself and others. These are not normal times. Have compassion for your peers, students, professors, and coworkers. But above all – have compassion for yourself. Take breaks, be forgiving, and do not watch the news all day.
So, check out these resources – and try to practice compassion daily – why not?
Everyone
Taking care of yourself in times of uncertainty
If you need help with - food, shelter, finances, kids, loans, bills…
A good organization offering help
Want fresh produce? Get free garden boxes and seeds to grow yourself
Students
30 days of free self-storage from UHAUL for students impacted by COVID-19
How does COVID-19 affect my financial aid?
Make sure to utilize your campus's student resources! UNM, NMSU, and NMT may already have programs in place to help students struggling with hunger, homelessness, and mental well-being.
Faculty
NMSU, UNM, and NMT all have resources to help faculty adapt to teaching online.
Moving your class online? See our guide for help – ADVANCE at UNM
Zoom and Slack are incredibly useful – NM EPSCoR State Office uses them every day and we’d be happy to help you set them up!
Parents
An honest article about how to work from home with kids – includes strategies for sanity
Free resources and subscription services for child-focused remote learning during COVID-19\
BuzzFeed's 18 Tips for Working From Home Without Losing your Mind
NPR Life-Kit for working at home with children
Strategies from NM EPSCoR state office parents and staff:
"One thing that I’ve tried to do is make sure that we eat all our meals together so we can connect. It’s easy for me to get stuck in Zoomland!"
"My partner and I are both working from home right now. Every day, right after work, we go for a quick walk to 'end' the working portion of our day. After the walk, there is no more work - no exceptions. For two work-a-holics this little ritual has been critical for maintaining work-life balance."
