Campus Update - February 19, 2022

 

Dear Campus Community,

After a much needed holiday break, I hope this letter finds you excited for the start of the Spring semester. I also suspect you may have some concerns due to the current COVID-19 surge in cases in our community and across the nation.  Frank Patterson, our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team leader, has been in contact with experts, including the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, and has been monitoring how the virus is affecting the Waco community and how it may affect our operations.  We are thinking through health precautions needed to ensure we provide a safe environment for learning and working. 

The EOC team met today to discuss the current COVID-19 situation and is making recommendations for the beginning of the Spring semester. Here are the current guidelines and available resources at MCC:

  • Current instructional formats and schedules will remain in place for the Spring 2022 semester as scheduled. Offices will be open as scheduled, and employees should exhibit social distancing when around others.
  • All employees, students, and visitors are strongly encouraged to wear facemasks when in-doors and around others. Printable facemask signs are available online for posting. 
  • All employees are encouraged to offer both in-person and Zoom meetings until further notice. Faculty meetings this week will offer both meeting formats.
  • Campus testing for ALL employees, students, and their families (including the University Center partners) will continue in the Health Professions Simulation Building, Room 144.
  • Public hand sanitizing dispensers are available throughout campus. Employees should contact Cynthia Caldwell at ccaldwell@mclennan.edu, if they are unable to locate sanitizing solution.
  • Textbooks are for sale in the MCC Bookstore or online. Textbooks can be shipped directly to students to avoid coming to the Bookstore.  Bookstore hours and more information.
  • The training module developed on COVID-19 protocols for students is available in the Brightspace Orientation Course on Brightspace.  All students are already enrolled in this course shell.  Faculty are encouraged to share this with their students and are welcome to have students send their certificate at the end of the module to track student completion. 
  • Employees should monitor any symptoms of COVID-19 on a daily basis before coming to campus: Student Self-Assessment & Employee Self-Assessment.
    • Employees, students, or visitors should not come to campus if they are sick or have any COVID-19 symptoms.
  • If employees are exhibiting any symptoms on the self-assessment or have been in contact with someone suspected of having COVID-19, it is important to self-report to MCC for further instructions on class operations or returning to campus.
  • MCC’s current quarantine guidelines will remain in place despite the new CDC guidelines.
    • In order to give instructions on next steps, the employee or student should fill out the self-report form to let us know your current situation.
  • Employees who have further questions or concerns should email COVID19@mclennan.edu or go visit our COVID-19 website.

I am thankful for each of you and for the support you continue to show for each other and for our students as we navigate through more COVID-19 challenges.  We will be flexible as we move forward and make changes to respond to new information as it becomes available.  Together we can do this.

Johnette E. McKown
President 

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