Thank you to everyone who has made our summer start this week successful. Students, faculty, staff, and administration have all contributed. Yesterday, the governor of California issued a statewide order that brought many other counties back in line with Alameda County’s slower re-opening process. The statewide order does not counter anything the college is currently implementing for the Summer Quarter. We remain subject to the County Order and have received the go-ahead from the County to start our Summer Quarter on the ground on campus as long as we keep to the recommendations – including always wearing face coverings on campus and always maintaining social distancing where possible.
Last week, we updated you all on the return to campus processes along with some of the adaptations we have made on campus to ensure all of our safety and health as the Summer Quarter starts this week. All students and most of our employees have completed the pre-screening and now have pink or green dot access to the campus. Our lab classes are underway in the gym, SPAH foyer, room 110, and the Student Health Center, and our Health Center continues to receive public patients at a good rate. Over the weekend we held Part IV Boards on campus with over 140 students. NBCE administration reported a smooth process throughout with everyone keeping to the test site policies and compliance.
As we move through to next week with hyflex classes beginning, we would like to share these thoughts with our community: Remember that we are all in this together and we all share a responsibility for the common good. Any one person can have their opinion, but rules remain the rules, and when we break the rules, we create risk. In this case, the risk is with the institution and our responsibility to our community as a whole, and not with the individual with the opinion.
Student Update: Look out for the emails from OAA detailing all arrangements for your access, schedules, and more. Remember:
- Stay home if you are sick or have any change to the responses on the pre-screening form
- Always wear a face covering on campus
- Always try to maintain 6’ social distance
- Wash hands and don’t touch your face
- Keep furniture (tables and chairs) where they are in class – they have been distanced to stay compliant with County rules
- Sanitize your table/chair before you use it
- Only use the Student Entrance to access campus
- Do not let others through campus side doors
- Access the Health Center only through the HC Entrance and not down the internal hallway
- The cafe is open but there is no indoor or outdoor patio dining
- Admin and staff offices are accessible with prior appointments
Employee Update: Watch out for the webinar The New Normal: Life After COVID-19, which is scheduled for 10-11 am on Wednesday, July 15. An invite has been sent to your calendar. In an effort to protect your health and safety, employees should follow all guidelines below:
- Complete the health pre-screening questionnaire before coming on campus
- Stay home if you are sick or have any change to the responses on the pre-screening form
- Always wear a face covering on campus unless you are in your office alone
- Keep a minimum of 6’ social distance at all times
- Clean and disinfect the work area and office equipment/supplies using the sanitizer stations through the campus
- Frequently wash hands
- Avoid shared materials and equipment (shared microwaves have been removed and refrigerators have been locked closed)
Also, the website has been updated with a link to the Safety and Illness Response Plan.
As always, stay safe and stay up to date by checking the Covid-19 Campus Update page and checking your email daily for updates. If you have any questions or feedback you would like to share, please email us at taskforce@lifewest.edu.