Below are a number of resources that are available to you from the University. Please take full advantage of them--for your own health and well-being in these strange circumstances we all find ourselves in these days. Do not hesitate to reach out to me directly--or one of the many advocates for you here around Grounds. Additionally, here is a helpful guide from the University to download.

Accommodations

UVa is committed to creating a learning environment that meets the needs of its diverse student body. If you anticipate or experience any barriers to learning in this course, please feel welcome to discuss your concerns with me. If you have a disability, or think you may have a disability, you may also want to meet with the Student Disability Access Center (SDAC), to request an official accommodation. You can find more information about SDAC, including how to apply online, through their website at http://sdac.studenthealth/virginia.edu. If you have already been approved for accommodations through SDAC, please make sure to send me your accommodation letter and meet with me so we can develop an implementation plan together.

Physical Health and Space

During this time, your personal and academic lives may look different than they did prior to March 2020. We will face challenges as a learning community, but I am hopeful that we can also continue to learn, connect, and grow together. I am committed to maintaining a healthy and equitable learning environment for all students, faculty, and staff.

Your health and well-being are a priority. If you are ill or expect that you have been exposed to COVID-19, please stay home, notify me, and contact the Student Health and Wellness Center (434-924-5362) so that you can receive appropriate care. I recognize the need for some time off may also arise if someone close to you is sick or passes away. For any of these situations, we will work together and with your Association Dean to develop a plan to make sure you’re looked after and can continue to make progress in the course.

To care for our community, we will follow UVA’s policies in place for health and safety. Actions like observing social distancing, washing and sanitizing our hands frequently, wiping down our desks and seats when possible, and properly wearing face coverings are critical for our environment to be one where you all can engage and learn. I will do my best to help you comply with these protective measures, which may include gentle reminders about keeping your mask on.

The University and I will be carefully monitoring our situation, and we may need to adjust our course and policies as necessary in response to what’s working and what isn’t to protect the safety and well-being of our learning community.

Technology and Accessibility

For online activities, including tests, we will use UVACollab. All the tools we use will be linked in our course Collab site. Please log in and have a look around, to locate the syllabus and the weekly activity schedule. Collab has help resources and assistance via email during regular business hours. It is my goal to create a learning experience that is as accessible as possible. Please meet with me to explore your options if you anticipate any challenges meeting course requirements or interacting with the course materials.

If you need assistance using any of the tools for our class, I am happy to work with you. You can also find resources for each below:

• ITS (Technical Support)
  • Priority phone support will be given via 434-924-HELP for students who are in an online class or attempting to connect to one that is starting soon. If you are not in an online class, contact the ITS Help Desk (chat, email, online).
• Zoom Support
• Collab Student Support
  • Help taking Tests and Quizzes in Collab
• Canvas Student Support

Let’s talk about sex. Issues related to sexuality and gender permeate every culture and society from any time period—whether or not they wish to talk about them. As such, this course examines art and architecture in the ancient Mediterranean, in order to explore how sex was conceptualized and understood by Greeks and Romans. Using a variety of art historical and archaeological evidence, from Greek vases to the painted walls of a brothel in Pompeii, we will explore a number of themes, including nudity and the body, gender, sexuality, homosexuality, virginity, prostitution, and marriage. Further, we examine modern notions of sexuality and gender (particularly in the US), in order to understand better how sex has changed over time. For example, what can Victorian taboos of the 19th century or RuPaul’s Drag Race today tell us about our own selves—and ancient Greeks and Romans?