For faculty who would like to address with their classes the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd but who are unsure how to communicate with students, the below statement is provided as a template. Any and all are welcome to use this exact wording or to revise to tailor to your class and your teaching approach. The message was drafted by ECC's Teaching/Learning for Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity (TIDE) group. 

A Google Doc version of the below message, which can be downloaded, email is also available. 

Communication that Faculty Might Send to Students 

I’m writing because the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, and all of the historical and recent events that George Floyd’s death invokes, may be weighing heavily on members of the class and on the ECC community. 

I recognize that George Floyd’s horrific death, amidst other racial violence and amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, has likely made it exceptionally difficult to be a student. I also recognize that the events may be especially difficult based on experiences with personal and systemic racism and violence. There may be deep feelings hope and promise as well as anger, frustration, confusion, and flat out exhaustion. It’s okay if you are experiencing a variety of feelings, and it’s okay to be silent for a moment to process. 

I sincerely hope that everyone in this course has opportunities to process, on your own or with others, your reactions and experiences. Please remember to take care of your physical needs (eating, sleeping, connecting with others), and please try to consider how you are feeling. 

Campus Resources

For all students, ECC has a group of trained Wellness Professionals who are available to help support mental and emotional well-being. To schedule a free appointment with an ECC Wellness Professional 

• Schedule online by logging onto your Access ECC Portal and under the ECC Apps you, click on "Schedule a Wellness Services Appointment" button

• Or call 847-214-7390

• And/or email them at studentwellness@elgin.edu. 

Additionally, the ECC group, Multicultural and Global Initiatives Committee (MAGIC), will be hosting online opportunities for members of the ECC committee to reflect and share together about the trial, the verdict, and our nation’s recent racial violence.

I encourage you to, if you have not already, read the statement that ECC President Dr. David Sam communicated this past summer, shortly after George Floyd’s death. 

Office Hours 

Finally, my Office Hours times are:  INSERT OFFICE HOURS INFO 

Students are welcome to discuss non-course related topics, especially if any students would like to generally check in.

Resources to Share with Students

• ECC Wellness Services

• ECC Student Life 

Resources To Further Support Faculty 

• Recommendations and Resources for Supporting Students Before, During, and After the Chauvin Trial, from the University of Minnesota 

• Managing Difficult Classroom Conversations, from the Indiana University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning 

• Ten Tips for Facilitating Classroom Discussions on Sensitive Topics 

• How to Talk About Traumatic Events and Tragedies, from the University of Minnesota Department of Education 

Questions? Additional Thoughts, or Resources to share? Please contact Tyler Roeger, Director of CETL, at troeger@elgin.edu. 

ECC has acquired access to Magna Publishing’s 20-Minute Mentor Commons. This includes access to Magna’s 20-Minute Mentor videos, which provide concise, research-based strategies on varied teaching topics.

The on-demand videos can be watched at any time. Example topics include

• What Are the Best Questioning Strategies for Enhancing Online Discussions?

• Are Group Exams a Viable Testing Option?

• How Do I Infuse Equity Into Any Online Class?

All ECC employees now have access to Magna’s full library of on-demand 20 Minute Mentor resources for the next 12 months. Instructions for setting up your free account with Magna and accessing the 20 Minute Mentor videos are below.

To register and log in to access the group instruction, follow the instructions below. To view the instructions link, please login using your student.elgin.edu email information when prompted,

ECC Magna 20-Minute Mentor Instructions

Need help? Call 800-433-0499 ext. 2 or email support@magnapubs.com. 

As a member of ECC, faculty have access to numerous teaching-related articles and videos, at no cost, through The Teaching Professor. 

Follow the steps at the below link to activate your subscription and access to materials. 

The Teaching Professor Access Instructions 

Need help? Call 800-433-0499 ext. 2 or email support@magnapubs.com. 

These curated articles in the categories below are of varying length and provide research, examples, and guidance on a variety of teaching topics. They are organized via a Library Research Guide* and are loosely organized by topic. Have a suggestion for an article or topic to include? Email Tyler Roeger at troeger@elgin.edu 

CETL Teaching Resources Home Page 

• Active Learning

•  The Syllabus

•  Classroom Authority and Student Empowerment 

•  Culturally Responsive Teaching

•  Adult Learners

• Holistic Teaching

 *In addition to organizing the teaching materials on the CETL site, Library Research Guides can be created for any course or assignment. ECC librarians are eager to work with faculty to create tailored guides for any discipline. If you’d like to reach out to a librarian about possibly creating a Research Guide for one of your courses, contact Stacey Shah at sshah@elgin.edu. 

The links below contains materials past TeachECC and events. 

TeachECC 2021 Presentations and Materials

Assessment Diaries 2020 Presentation Materials 

The below folders include teacher materials that all faculty are welcome to peruse, modify, and use for their own classes. If you'd be willing to share your materials with others, please email Tyler Roeger at troeger@elgin.edu. 

• Diversity/Inclusion Statement for Syllabus