President's Update: March 4, 2021
As you are likely aware, this month makes 12 months that we have been in this state of emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It surely has been one of, if not the most challenging year in our college's history.
To the Shasta College Community:
As you are likely aware, this month makes 12 months that we have been in this state of emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It surely has been one of, if not the most challenging year in our college's history.
Success Story
The success story I would like to share today focuses on the great efforts being done by some of our classified staff and administrators. It sounds easy to say "we are hosting vaccination clinics for the community" and "we are supporting athletes to practice or play." However, the behind the scenes work to make such things a reality is complex and time consuming. For example, we have purchased a mat system to protect our gym floor from being damaged by the vaccine clinics. This is great, but it means that every time we use the gym for a vaccine clinic, our physical plant staff spend about 3 hours of set up and 3 hours of tear down time so that the gym can be used for athletic practices before and after. So if we host a clinic on a Tuesday, then again on a Friday and Saturday, we are setting up and tearing down for 12 hours that week. If it is a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, then it is 18 hours. As well, our front line staff in student services are getting many, many calls from the community about the clinics, adding to the volume of calls. They are doing a great job assisting people and directing them where to get information, but it was not a part of the plan to handle this kind of additional inquiry. People hear that the clinics are at Shasta College, and so they call us directly, even though we are simply hosting the physical location. Additionally, the clinics cause extra complexity for the work of campus safety staff and extra work for our custodial staff, as we need to clean the facility between uses. And of course, the emergency operations team works with everyone to plan for all of these details. Please join me in thanking all these folks for the amazing work they are doing on behalf of our community.
Other updates
Our fall planning has been underway, and if I have learned anything over the past 12 months, it is that the future of this pandemic and the related State and Federal guidance is difficult to predict. It also seems to change often in some areas, and not change often enough in other areas. We are planning on transitions back to more in-person instruction and services over time, but do not have full details at this moment. However, we have committed to offering more in-person classes in Fall 2021. Deans are currently working with faculty and the EOC to see what classes are the best candidates to go in person, where student need is most critical. Much of what we end up with will depend on room capacities and instructor availability. So please stay tuned for updates, and continue to show patience as we work through the complex issues surrounding these decisions. Also, please remember that if something changes unexpectedly even after we announce our plans in more detail, we would have to modify our plans quickly.
Okay, that is all I have for you at this point. Thank you again for your great work in serving our students and our communities.
Joe Wyse
Superintendent/President
Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District
11555 Old Oregon Trail
Redding, CA 96049-6006
530-242-7510