Wednesday, March 25 at the University of Las Tunas, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching activities of all modalities were suspended, which temporarily went to the non-face-to-face mode, in accordance with the measures to confront COVID-19 that were adopted by the Ministry of Higher Education (MES).

Las Tunas, Cuba.- In dialogue with 26Digital, Aurora Ramos de las Heras, rector of the house of higher studies, explained how the process was quickly organized and offered details on the tasks currently carried out by teachers, students and workers of the institution.

What indications did the students receive after the temporary suspension of classes?

The students retired to their homes with the teaching materials, bibliography, study guides and very specific tasks that they have to complete in this period. The most important thing is also that they have the preparation of what they must do as promoters in their family and their community, supporting the isolation of people and avoiding mobility.

Those who take master's degrees remain without face-to-face activities; however, they have the guidelines of the courses they receive, so that they can prepare themselves. Likewise, the students of the course for workers have the instructions to systematize the received contents.

Coordination is being made with the Telecommunication Company so that students have access from their mobile devices to the Moodle platform and the University's website at no cost. This would allow them to review the materials placed on the center's intranet and would facilitate the study.

What tasks do teachers and workers of the institution fulfill today?

Teachers have their work well organized. They continue preparing the teaching materials and take advantage of this time to advance their research and the preparation of scientific articles. Since we have open hours, they usually do activities of this type from home. Non-teachers also joined teleworking with a redesigned plan, related to self-improvement actions according to their functions.

At the University, a little group remains fulfilling vital actions such as those of economic and accounting closure, those of preparation of payrolls for payment, secretariat, related to entry to Higher Education, as well as security and protection. The movement of people in the entity is minimal, because it is intended that we are in our homes taking care of ourselves.

How is the security of the center guaranteed?

Security and Protection staff is kept at the institution with the task of protecting resources and in this case, we apply the plan that we normally use during vacation periods. We store the computer resources in the pre-established places, we seal the premises and the keys are left in the command post. In addition, an operational guard of the main cadres is permanently responsible for the vitality of the University.