Letter from Dr. Joy Gates Black, College President
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March 12, 2020 Update, 10:04 a.m.
Dear College Family,
As you are aware, out of an abundance of caution, we took advantage of spring break to do a thorough cleaning and sanitizing of all campuses and centers. Our Facilities Team has done an amazing job cleaning every location. The College has also ordered additional hand-sanitizing dispensers for each campus and center. We expect delivery within the next week; however, given the high demand for the dispensers and the sanitizing lotion, delivery may be delayed. All common areas will continue to be cleaned on a daily basis and the product we are using lasts for 7 days on hard surfaces and several weeks on fabrics.
We are taking every possible precaution to ensure the health and wellness of the entire College community. At this time, there are no known reported cases of Coronavirus that are linked to any of our campuses, but we are aware that there is a possibility that normal campus activities could be disrupted at any time.
Should the College need to close for an extended period of time, we are committed to continuing operations for the College’s students with minimal disruption to teaching and learning. We are working with our faculty to convert to online teaching and learning through our Canvas Learning Management System, should there be a need to move all courses to an online modality. When the faculty return next week, they will work to prepare students for a transition to online classes, if needed.
In keeping with the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidance to limit social distance, the College is proactively limiting social gatherings. However, all student support services, including advising and registration, will continue to be available. Through the end of March, all clubs, activities, public events and public gatherings will be cancelled. At this time, athletics will continue. We will reassess this decision towards the end of the month. Though we regret needing to take this action, we believe it is in the best interests of all who are part of the College community.
We recognize this is a stressful time for everyone and we appreciate your continued efforts to work together to meet the challenges this unique situation presents. Students are encouraged to reach out to their faculty and advisors for help and support and to address any specific concerns they may have. Faculty should feel free to reach out to their respective dean and staff should speak with their supervisor should they have any questions or concerns.
In keeping with our Mission, the entire College community is dedicated to providing the access, tools, and instruction necessary so that all students may successfully complete the spring semester. I will continue to communicate any and all updates to the College community, and above all else, I encourage everyone to follow the recommended guidelines as prescribed by the CDC. For continued updates, please visit the College’s website at www.dccc.edu/coronavirus.
Sincerely,
Dr. Joy Gates Black
President