Dear ȷ Community:
You have my earnest wish that you and your family are healthy and adapting as best you can after this second day of the City’s “shelter in place”. Please take heart and know that we move toward the day when this emergency will be over. These extraordinary restrictive measures will have the effect of “flattening the curve” of the spread of coronavirus so that we can bring an end to this global pandemic as soon as possible.
I also want to say how proud I am of you for the way you are responding with characteristic humanity and care for each other. Thank you, ȷ!
Here I want to provide the highlights of the facts on the implementation of our plan to continue instruction and student services on March 30 via online, remote and modified methods:
- ȷ INFORMATION RESOURCES AVAILABLE NOW. Please look to the sidebar to the right of the COVID-19/Coronavirus landing page and click through the links for further information for specific communities, of students, staff, faculty and administrators.
- SHELTER IN PLACE MEANS NO EMPLOYEE OR STUDENT MAY COME TO ANY CAMPUS OR CENTER UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED AS “ESSENTIAL”. The official exceptions granted by the state and the city include our public safety officers and staff in facilities and maintenance. All others who have not received this official designation from me or one of the senior vice chancellors may not meet or work at any campus or center.
- THOSE OF US (LIKE ME) WHO ARE OVER 65 HAVE BEEN DIRECTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO “SELF-ISOLATE”. We really need to be careful and cautious. Even those who believe themselves to be in generally good health may not be aware that they have an underlying condition. Believe me, I know how hard this is. But please stay home until we receive further guidance from the Department of Public Health.
- STUDENT HOTLINE COMING SOON. While all employees, including student workers, will continue to be paid, our highest priority is to see to students in particular distress. Perhaps some do not have internet; perhaps others are homeless or without food; perhaps a student or a member of the family is ill. We are training right now to install a student hotline late next week so that any student in distress for any reason can speak to a human being directly and obtain assistance. More details on this forthcoming.
- BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE TOMORROW AS POSTED. However, these will be entirely remote zoom meetings. Please click here to find the agenda and zoom information: Board of Trustees Meetings 2020
We will have more information tomorrow. For now, the most important thing is to take care of yourself and your families.
Thank you and be well,
Dr. Mark W. Rocha, Chancellor