Shasta College Proactive Response and Management – COVID-19 Pandemic

Press R​elease: March 13, 2020

To: Shasta College Community
From: Dr. Joe Wyse, Shasta College Superintendent/President
Date: March 13, 2020
Subject: Shasta College Proactive Response and Management – COVID-19 Pandemic

The Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District (“District”) continues to safeguard the health and wellbeing of students, faculty, staff, and community members by proactively planning responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are no known incidents of COVID-19 impacting the District, we are taking action to prevent exposure on its campuses and throughout the communities we serve. As a preventative measure, the District is implementing procedures for emergency operations. The first step in proactively managing the COVID-19 pandemic is a Declaration of Campus Emergency. This allows the District to take immediate steps to ensure the majority of its educational programs, courses, and services for students will continue during the spring semester.

• The Declaration of a Campus Emergency by the Superintendent/President, as authorized by the Board of Trustees, does the following:
• The District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is active immediately
• The District may access additional resources and assistance from local, state, and federal agencies in the event of a declaration of local emergency and/or State of Emergency
• Allows District employees to perform activities outside their regular scope of duties and helps ensure appropriate payment of workers’ compensation, reimbursement for extraordinary expenses, and federal disaster relief, as applicable
• Allows the District to limit public access to its facilities in order to take all appropriate precautions and update emergency response plans and resources accordingly.

Under this proclamation, effective Wednesday, March 18, 2020, only faculty, staff, dorm residents, and affiliates (e.g., persons required by employment) are authorized to be on campus. Regular operations, including all classes, will occur on Monday and Tuesday.

• All face-to-face classes are suspended on March 18, 19, and 20 while the District assesses all instructional programs and activities and begins implementing contingency plans for all active course offerings, including credit, non-credit, and not-for-credit contract and community education.
• All administrators, classified, and confidential staff should report for duty according to their regular work assignment
• All faculty who do not teach 100% online must report for duty at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 for planning, direction, training, and activities related to moving all possible courses to remote instruction
• Faculty teaching 100% online should continue regular activities and are not required to report for duty, but may choose to participate in the planning and training activities
• All classes will resume Monday, March 30, 2020, which in effect will make the academic spring break for face-to-face instruction occur during the week of March 23 through March 27. Specific classes and activities may be further postponed by the Superintendent/President. All lecture courses, appropriate lab courses, and specified activities will be conducted through remote instruction via Canvas for the remainder of the spring semester
• Lab courses, clinical courses, and other activities which cannot be conducted through remote instruction will also resume on Monday, March 30, 2020 and continue to be offered on-site, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent/President. The courses will meet during April 6 through April 9 in lieu of March 23 through March 26, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent/President. Friday, April 10 will remain a District holiday
• Dual enrollment courses currently remain as scheduled with our partner high school districts
• Students enrolled in the identified on-site courses and programs will have access to District facilities beginning March 30, 2020, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent/President
• The Early Childhood Education Center will remain open during March 18 through March 20, and thereafter, in effect keeping the published schedule, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent/President
• All large Shasta College events are canceled through April 30th in accordance with guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the California Chancellor’s Office (https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/Gathering_Guidance_03.11.20.pdf)
• Effective immediately, all sporting events, practices outside of regularly scheduled class activities, and other athletic competitions are postponed indefinitely, in accordance with the March 12, 2020, CCCAA Board decision
• Campus Safety, Physical Plant, and all EOC staff should plan for extended shifts and emergency operations duties during the closure
• Human Resources, Business Office, Information Technology, and Office of Instruction staff should plan for extended shifts to provide continuity of operations and support for District faculty and staff during the closure
• Non-instructional activities, including participatory governance meetings, division meetings, staff meetings, and hiring committee activities, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and participants will be notified. Where possible, meetings will be conducted using communication technology allowing for appropriate social distancing
• Effective immediately, all planned District travel, including field trips, is suspended indefinitely
• Additional guidance will continue to be disseminated as appropriate

Our administration and Campus Safety professionals continue working closely with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office; Shasta, Tehama, and Trinity Counties Departments of Public Health; and other public health agencies to monitor developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please refer to the Shasta College website at www.shastacollege.edu/COVID19 for updates on our efforts to proactively reduce health risks to our students and employees. This site will also list canceled events in detail.

If there is an immediate risk to the campus community, the college will notify students and employees using the emergency notification system with updates and information to protect the health and safety of the campus community.

Additional steps we’re taking to keep the campus community healthy and safe:

Enhanced Cleaning & Disinfecting

• Implementing an enhanced cleaning protocol at all facilities to ensure high-traffic areas like classrooms, dining areas, and student housing are thoroughly disinfected
• Expanding distribution and placement of hand and surface sanitizers throughout public facilities
• Disinfectant wipes containing at least 70% alcohol content have been provided for staff at the front desk in the library and learning centers, for faculty in classrooms with multiple computers, and in division offices.
• Awareness Building and Strengthening Capacity to Respond
• Provided information, resources, and preventative actions to staff and students via email
• Employee trainings have been encouraged and mandated to improve response preparedness
• Distributed posters across campuses from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) with strategies to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19

Additional Considerations for Dorm Students

• Working in close collaboration with local health officials on decisions related to on-campus housing
• Dorm residents will attend a mandatory meeting provided by Shasta College to educate residents on safety precautions to protect themselves when there is community spread of COVID-19
• Disinfectant wipes containing at least 70% alcohol content have been provided for dorm residents
• Flyers providing information from the Department of Public Health the CDC on, “Stop the Spread”, “Handwashing and Hygiene”, “What is COVID-19”, and “COVID-19 Signs and Symptoms” have been distributed throughout dorm buildings

For more information, visit:

• Shasta County Department of Health Services: https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/index/hhsa/health-safety/current-heath-concerns/coronavirus
• California Department of Public Health: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

You are encouraged to continue taking the necessary safety precautions to protect your health. Everyday actions recommended by county, state, and federal health agencies to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses include the following:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Seek immediate medical care if you have symptoms of infection, e.g., high fever or difficulty breathing
• Use “respiratory etiquette”. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

If you are sick and have symptoms such as cough, fever or other respiratory problems, contact your medical provider immediately.

If you have these symptoms and were exposed by either travel to an area where there is community transmission or by a confirmed case of COVID-19, call your healthcare provider ahead so that proper precautions can be taken.

The intention of declaring this campus state of emergency is to prevent exposure of COVID-19 to our campus community and maintain instructional continuity.

We want to remind you that our risk at this time is low, however, we want everyone to take preventative measures and be prepared.

Joe Wyse
Superintendent/President
Shasta College
11555 Old Oregon Trail
PO Box 496006
Redding, CA 96049-6006
Ph: 530-242-7510​​