Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: Continuing our Mission-Critical Work
July 2, 2021
Colleagues,
Pandemic Response Team (PRT) members are reviewing the input from last week’s town hall and the latest information (still evolving) on recommended practices from federal, state, and county agencies, including SUNY. The next Town Hall is scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, July 14. Watch for additional information and the Zoom link.
Our primary focus remains on the health and safety of our students and employees while remaining laser focused on providing exemplary 21st-century student learning and engagement practices for our summer students and for our new and continuing students during the fall semester and beyond. The next two months are mission-critical for student enrollment, and your strong efforts to assist and encourage students to stay on their academic and career pathways are much needed and deeply appreciated by the college, the board, and the broader community we serve.
As we look to the start of the fall semester, we are cognizant of the fact that learning disruptions may diminish students’ college readiness. This Community College Research Center (CCRC) piece discusses data from a U.S. Census Bureau survey of respondents who are planning to attend community college. While not focused solely on New York State, it provides a snapshot of how the pandemic and subsequent learning disruptions affected students nationally. Providing further evidence that the concept of “return to normal” after the pandemic is a misnomer, findings like these will spark even more discussions about how we continue to adapt our programs and services to meet our students’ needs.
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President