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With much of our country and the world navigating an uncharted course through the short- and long-term impact of COVID-19, we extend our most heartfelt and best wishes for the health and safety of you and your families. Our concerns and support extend beyond our own community to all who are affected by this health crisis. We know that many of our alumni and friends across the world are being impacted by this issue, and we continue to keep you in our thoughts during these challenging times.
As you may know, the University at Buffalo has implemented a distance learning model for our students and is moving to a remote work accommodation for our faculty and staff to the extent possible. It’s important to share that, in this ever-evolving situation, our two guiding principles are the health and safety of our community, and the continued academic progress of our students.
In many ways, it is your ongoing support of UB that enables the university to provide the resources to support our community in these difficult times. Whether your gifts have been to the UB Fund, or to a specific scholarship or research initiative, each and every day we put your contributions to work where they will have the maximum impact at UB. Thank you for your investment and commitment to UB.
While we won’t be able to see you in person at UB programs and events in the short term, we are working on ways to keep your connection to UB – and to each other – strong. Pursuant to recent University, CDC and local health department guidelines, all alumni, in-person gatherings, including events, conferences, meetings and other forums, are being cancelled or postponed until at least early June.
Noteworthy Alumni
Published April 1, 2020
Dr. Helen Wang shares six essential media literacy tips in a recent interview with Buffalo Rising on how to navigate media in the age of COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19, better known as the corona-virus, has been a lasting threat to both the American people and the rest of the world for the last month or so. It has ravaged through populations in China, Italy, and now the United States. With new cases showing up and more and more people dying every day, it is straining our economy in every way shape and form, but most specifically, our healthcare system. With the number of cases skyrocketing, our healthcare system simply does not have the capacity nor were they prepared to take in this many patients with the same underlying condition. Another aspect that is straining our economy is the function of small business. Since everyone has been put into quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus many small businesses were not able to make any revenue from customers and have been forced to close and lay off its workers. As of yesterday in New York, 3.3 million people have filed for unemployment.
A large number of people are also following the media at this point in time. The main topic for weeks on the news has been about the corona virus and what steps the government is taking to resolve this pandemic. As we are surrounded by an insurmountable amount of news, we sometimes get confused on what information is credible and helpful in dealing with these strange times.
It is therefore important to know how to absorb, research, and disseminate news in light of this issue. Helen Wang, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, has highlighted 6 essential media literacy tips for citizens and students to practice while surveying all the media that comes out about the virus to point new viewers in the right direction.
Professor Wang’s tips are as follows:
1.) Always go back to the original source if possible
2.) Always check multiple sources, not just the one you like
3.) Pay attention to the time stamp on the news reports to account for the nature of emergence in crisis events
4.) Take everything with a grain of salt
5.) Be mindful and exercise self-care
6.) Spread kindness, not fear
Read more here