ConnectSU is a ‘virtual crossroads’ to help Stanford community stay in touch

No matter where they are sheltering in place during the coronavirus pandemic, the far-flung members of the Stanford community are continuing to teach, learn, work and do research remotely.

The new ConnectSU website aims to serve as a virtual crossroads where the entire university community can connect to each other and the university’s mission.

To give them a place where they can connect to each other and to the university’s mission, Stanford created ConnectSU, a website that will serve as a virtual crossroads for the entire university community, including students, faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars.

“We know how important it is for the campus community to have ways to connect with each other and with university initiatives,” said Matthew Tiews, associate vice president for campus engagement, who worked with partners in various departments to bring the site to fruition. “We hope this site will serve now as a resource to energize our community while we are geographically dispersed, and can evolve to continue to connect us in new ways in the future.”

ConnectSU currently brings together resources and information developed by an array of campus units, but it will evolve over time to include more ways to connect, such as special Slack channels and virtual meetups. Polls and contests will be announced on the site’s home page, and participants will be entered into a random drawing for online gift cards.

ConnectSU announced its first quick poll today – Share the Good.

The poll offers community members the opportunity to share one or two “good things” they are experiencing that can support others at this time. Participants are also asked to categorize their chosen good thing into one or more groups: family, pets, learning new things and helping the community.

“The COVID pandemic has caused tragedy worldwide and disruption to all facets of our lives, and yet we also know that even in times of loss we may experience some things that are good,” Tiews said. “We can support each other by spreading hope in this difficult moment.”

The poll will close Wednesday, May 13. The results will be announced on Monday, May 18, on ConnectSU.

ConnectSU is organized into five sections:

• Wellness: Join with other members of the Stanford community to take advantage of spiritual resources, and recreation and wellness activities, including BeWell, which has reconfigured its incentive program so it can be completed remotely.
• Virtual Learning: Learn about free online courses taught by Stanford faculty and industry experts, and explore professional development opportunities for staff, as well as current information for students about online learning.
• At Home: Experience the arts, and explore the streaming media collections – video, film and television titles – of Stanford University Libraries. Take advantage of the collection of resources created for educators and families by the Graduate School of Education.
• Events: Choose from an array of online events – seminars, lectures, classes webinars and films – and find new ways to take part in Stanford traditions, such as the Virtual Cardinal Walk, which includes a 5-minute warm-up on Zoom before participants head out into their own neighborhoods for a walk.
• Connect: Meet other members of the Stanford community who are working from home, and learn about resources and services that are still available – virtually, of course – to everyone, such as counseling via secure Zoom connection through the Faculty Staff Help Center and remote troubleshooting by University IT.

For more, visit ConnectSU.

If Stanford departments have initiatives they would like to share, please email connectsu@stanford.edu.