Updates from the College
Important update regarding fall 2020 courses
Today we share an update on the planning underway at Westchester Community College to continue remote classes for the fall 2020 semester.
Plan and Procedures for Returning to Campus
After receiving approval from the New York State Governor’s Office and the State University of New York System Administration, we are pleased to share with you the extensive preparations that are occurring to continue remote learning in a variety of formats for the fall 2020 semester. These plans were developed with recommendations from federal, state, and county health professionals to keep the community safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our plan will remain subject to change due to new information, guidance and/or direction from the State of New York and the Governor’s Office.
We are committed to your success. We want all continuing students to register for fall classes. We want you to remain engaged and stay on track with your goals. And we are excited to welcome new and visiting students this fall. We are doing everything possible to support your goals.
Here are the key facts about the plan:
- Westchester Community College has received a CARES Act grant to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to eligible students. Click here for more information.
- A majority of classes will be synchronous, meaning they will take place in real-time and are conducted entirely through remote/online environments. Students will be required to meet online with their instructor and join their classmates in a course at specific times listed in the class schedule.
- Some classes will be asynchronous, meaning there are no scheduled meeting times; rather, learning takes place online and course materials will be accessible via Blackboard, where students may learn at times convenient to them via pre-recorded video lessons, power points and/or readings.
- A limited number of classes, such as labs in Nursing, Respiratory Care, Radiologic Technology and Engineering, will be offered on-site, because they require access to specialized labs and equipment. Those classes will be conducted with social distancing protocols, following room capacity charts for all rooms.
- Anyone coming to campus this fall will see many new improvements, such as
- Limiting the overall number of people at a college location
- New room occupancy limits for social distancing
- New hand sanitizers installed in various high-traffic locations
- New paper towel dispensers to augment air hand dryers
- Available restrooms are single-occupancy
- Handicap entrances are motion operated
- Hallways allow traffic to move in one direction
- Daily deep cleaning of college facilities
- Upgraded maintenance levels of air ventilation systems throughout campus
- Health questionnaires and temperature checks for people entering campus
- Employees should consult with their supervisors about plans for the re-emergence and how we will continue to support remote working during Phase 4 of the New York Forward reopening plan. A limited number of employees will continue to be essential and work from a campus location under new social distancing guidelines as described above.
Westchester Community College provides excellent services and support to students, including remote and online.
- Registration is open for summer and fall classes.
- Academic counselors can help you find classes.
- Academic support and tutoring are available virtually.
- OPEN SUNY is providing Blackboard support to our students.
- Our academic and mental health counselors are taking remote appointments.
- CARES Act grants are available to eligible students to help with expenses related to disruptions due to COVID-19. Those funds are being disbursed now and the application is available.
- The Westchester Community College Foundation supports student access with financial support through scholarships as well as supporting our student laptop loaner program.
- The library offers remote research assistance as well as access to books, videos, and more.
For faculty and other employees seeking resources to assist as we work remotely, please consult with your director, dean, or vice president. Faculty needing to access instructional materials from their offices or academic spaces for the purpose of recorded instruction should contact their deans.
This is Westchester County, the original epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the hardest-hit state in the nation. We took extreme steps to flatten the curve, and it is working. To keep our students, employees, and community safe, we will monitor guidance of health officials and update our plans when needed. We will take steps so that our students can be comfortable in focusing on the continuation of their studies and the attainment of their goals. We are #VikingStrong.
Stay informed at www.sunywcc.edu and stay healthy!
Pandemic Recovery Plan 2020
Pandemic Preparedness Plan 2020
Pandemic Response Team
A Westchester Community College Preparedness Response Team is working closely with the relevant areas of the college to respond to this evolving situation including updating the College’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan. The team members are as follows.
- President - Dr. Belinda Miles
- Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs - Dr. Vanessa Morest
- Vice President of Student Access, Involvement, and Success - Dr. Sara Thompson-Tweedy
- Vice President of Administrative Services - Brian Murphy
- Chief of Staff and Vice President of Strategic Operations - Dr. Shawn Brown
- Vice President of Information Technology - Anthony Scordino
- Coordinator of Health Services - Janice Gilroy
- Director of Marketing and Communications - Mark Stollar
- Director of Human Resources - Aurora Workman
- Director of Physical Plant - Robert Cirillo
- Director of Campus Security - Scott Sullivan
- Executive Director of the Faculty/Student Association - Joe Poppa
The team is working across all college divisions to update division specific contingency plans for managing operations during a potential disruption in normal activities. Key objectives of the plan are to (1) minimize the risks of exposure among faculty, staff, and students; (2) maintain and/or restore the student-learning environment; and (3) maintain a reduced level of key campus operations through remote or online interaction in the event social distancing measures and/or a campus closure are invoked. Employees with questions on these plans should contact their supervisor or division vice president.
It is important to note that student privacy (FERPA) and medical privacy (HIPPA) laws guide the college’s communications, interactions, and responses to inquiries.
CARES Act Application
CARES Act Reports