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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="color:black">Hello everyone,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="color:black">In light of current events surrounding COVID-19, the Graduate School has reviewed the proposal and final defense meeting process and will allow distance/online defenses for scheduled March defenses, if the university cancels face to
face class meetings. This would allow the currently scheduled defenses to be held and not hinder the progress of our students. If the university cancels face to face class meetings, the Graduate School will contact the chairs of those with scheduled dissertation
defenses in March once the cancellation announcement is made.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="color:black">The department may determine the platform to be used for the defenses, but it must have visual and sound capabilities (e.g., Zoom, Skype). All committee members must still attend the defense, though electronically, and the meeting
information must be shared with the Graduate School.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="color:black">Please let me know if you have any questions and how I may help you further.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="color:black">Sincerely,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#323E4F">Jennifer L. Schroeder, PhD</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Dean</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Graduate School</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">P: 903.886.5159</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.tamuc.edu/"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="250" height="33" style="width:2.6041in;height:.3472in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D5FB79.264EF120" alt="signature_1166712220"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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