Launching from the news.detik.com page, the number of corona virus cases has not decreased. The World Health Organization or WHO reported that on Wednesday (20/5) there was the largest increase in the number of daily cases (more than 100,000 cases worldwide) since the outbreak began in Wuhan at the end of December 2019.

Even though the number of cases has not decreased and considering economic activities that have long stopped, the government has finally echoed the discourse on a new normal scenario. The government hopes that the new normal scenario can keep people productive amid the inevitability of the risk of a corona outbreak by implementing strict health protocols. Several sectors will be reopened such as the education sector, especially higher education.

In his opportunity to be interviewed by the UPNVJ public relations team, on Wednesday (10/06) Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Anter Venus explained significant changes in learning patterns and academic activities due to the impact of the spread of the covid 19 virus.

"Significant changes from campus business processes that change, to facilities and learning processes that must comply with the current state of the protocol. Regarding this situation, we have made a policy regarding Distance Learning (PJJ), which has been implemented since March 17, 2020," said Venus.

"We are taking this very seriously, what needs to be understood is that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant change in the situation. However, the attitude chosen by UPNVJ is that even though the situation is changing we are still committed to continuing to organize it as effectively as possible while maintaining quality, we must also remain empathetic with the current condition of students. But still our commitment is that the learning process must continue as well as possible and as much as possible, "he explained.

Venus said that with this situation we have done a number of things, starting from changing learning guidelines, operational instructions, evaluation standards, and monitoring their implementation. Do not forget that we have also prepared the facilities, changed the infrastructure regarding internet quota, so as to give lecturers the freedom to use any platform in implementing PJJ and conducting training for lecturers.

Previously, we already had learning guidelines and since circumstances have changed, we have updated our guidelines by conducting evaluations afterwards

"After the 9th meeting we conducted an evaluation to get the most appropriate picture, including getting feedback from students and lecturers about what else we need to improve to maximize this PJJ".

Looking at future conditions, there is still no certainty about when this situation will end. The formulas made by experts also differ regarding the status of completion of this condition. However, the main thing remains that the lecture system has changed completely online for this 1 semester.

New normal lecture scenario

After the new normal was announced by the government, educational staff were able to work from the office, even though only 50% were present. This was done to prepare everything, starting from the facilities needed, if in the future it is possible for us to combine face-to-face and online lectures.

We have prepared a strategy for this combination of face-to-face and online lectures by prioritizing security and safety standards to avoid the spread of viruses in the campus environment. Previously, of course, we had to make sure that the campus facilities and environment could conduct face-to-face lectures. By technically managing entry access until students leave the campus environment, the main entry access is by measuring body temperature, it is mandatory to wear a mask and wash hands, the facilities have been prepared. Activities outside of lectures will continue to be monitored and avoided, for canteen facilities a distance will also be arranged between one another with direct monitoring by the team that provides it.

Venus also said that lecture protocols had also been prepared, one of which was the arrangement of rooms where there would be distance between one another and only some students could conduct face-to-face lectures and the rest would attend online lectures.

This combination of lectures is prepared to be held in August if circumstances allow. Because the entry process can be completed in the second week of August with the implementation of the Introduction to New Student Campus Life (PKKMB) which is also carried out online.

"We have also prepared a new normal lecture system with two scenarios, the initial scenario is 35% face-to-face and 65% online, so there will be no congestion on the campus. We distribute 35% of the face-to-face meetings in semester 1 to the first to fifth week, semester 3 to the sixth to tenth meeting, semester 5 and above to conduct face-to-face meetings at the eleventh meeting.

"The second scenario is that the students are divided 50% face-to-face and 50% online alternately every week, this is really to reduce student density. Because of this outbreak, the main thing to avoid is direct interaction with humans. So we reduce this interaction, "he explained.

"Health protocol remains our main focus, because student safety is also the main thing that lectures can do and if after evaluating this scenario something happens that endangers student safety, then we will conduct lectures online again," added Venus.

Evaluation of online lectures is still being carried out to pay attention to the needs of students and lecturers during online lectures. Starting to continue to conduct training or mentoring if there are lecturers who have not mastered the available platforms and assistance in the form of quota assistance is also given to students.