COVID-19 Updates
Updated May 30

Cambridge College will continue remote learning and teaching through August 2020. The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and community are important to us. Please see our updates regarding COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Updates

May 30, 2020: SAFE ON CAMPUS RECOMMENDATIONS

The Massachusetts Higher Education Working Group submitted recommendations for reopening higher education institutions this fall. Download the briefing: Safe on Campus: A Framework for Reopening Colleges and Universities

 

May 21, 2020: Campus Updates from President Jackson

 
Dear Cambridge College Community:
It has now been over two months since we left our buildings in Boston, Lawrence, Springfield, Puerto Rico and Rancho Cucomonga in California with uncertainty about how long we would be gone, or what would transpire over the weeks and months ahead.  During these weeks, I have heard from many of you - our staff, faculty and students through surveys, emails, calls and text messages and of course, on the ever present zoom meetings! What I have heard and witnessed in our community is how flexible, resilient, and persistent we are as a college. We have continued conducting the business of the college at the operational level without missing a beat and most impressively, our students and faculty have persevered with a determination to do whatever is needed for our students to continue without interrupting their academic pursuits.  
 
On all fronts, we have persisted! Along the way, I have heard inspirational stories of situations that have been overcome, and also the sad and troubling news of illness and loss in the Cambridge College extended family. I have received notes from our students thanking the college for its support, compassion and responsiveness. I am most heartened and touched by these stories that reflect how we care for one another at times like these. We have many things of which to be proud. I want to thank each and every member of the Cambridge College community for all that you are doing to sustain our sense of connection and community, to persevere in the academic and operational activities of the college, and to do so with such patience, consideration for one another and optimism. I am both grateful and inspired.
 
We are now at a moment when we must address what happens next for Cambridge College as we face the months ahead and consider our options for the fall. So I want to provide you with a number of updates that I hope will assure you that we are addressing the uncertainty that we all feel at this time.

Summer Semester

Summer semester begins on June 8 and as you know, the college will continue to operate in a remote teaching and learning mode through the summer semester. In addition, at the staff level we will continue to work from home. While this is the preferred model for all of us, there are times when staff and on rare occasion, students must come into the building. We have protocols in place for coming into our facilities at any location and recently you should have received a reminder memo of the health and safety protocols. We have also posted these protocols on our website and MYCC and we will have signs posted throughout our facilities. Please adhere to the protocols for visiting our sites as they are designed to protect you and others.

Commencement

I am pleased to confirm our plans to hold commencement in the fall as we announced previously. We have confirmed our 2020 Commencement for Sunday September 27, 2020 at our usual location, the Blue Hills Bank Pavillion on the Boston waterfront. I am excited at the prospect of seeing our graduates in September but I must add a note of caution that our ability to host an in person gathering of this scale will be dependent on the federal, state and city guidelines that will govern our activities at the time of the event. We will keep you informed and updated as we monitor updates from our state and local officials.

Fall Semester

We have now turned our attention to considering our options for shaping the fall semester. I have had the honor of participating on a work group of college presidents tasked with developing recommendations to present to Massachusetts Governor Baker for the higher education sector regarding reopening our college campuses for students, faculty and staff. The goals of this work group are the same for Cambridge College and for all colleges and that is first and foremost to assure that we protect the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff, and secondly, that we enable and support our students in continuing to make meaningful progress towards their educational goals.
 
The decision we face is when and how we would be able to reopen the campus for work and on campus classes. For all of us that means consideration of a wide array of issues including safety protocols on site that could include: screening and testing; social distancing in public areas, working areas and classrooms; the use of PPE’s and safety precautions by everyone on campus including wearing masks, frequent hand washing, the availability of sanitizers throughout the campus, limitations on the size of gatherings, and intensive and consistent facility disinfecting. In addition, we must also take into consideration how comfortable our students, faculty and staff would feel returning to campus, and especially for those who might have limitations because they are in a high risk group.
We will continue to assess these matters over the next few weeks with the goal of announcing to the campus by mid June our plans for the fall semester. We want your input and to that end, we plan to conduct a survey of our community over the coming week.
Whether we continue in remote mode through our fall semester or return in some form to on-campus activities, we will retain our commitment to your safety as our top priority.
The world is changing in response to this pandemic and higher education will be changed as well. We look forward to working, as a community, to prepare for how Cambridge College will respond to these changes while maintaining our deep commitment to our mission.
I close with this wonderful reflection that was shared with me from a colleague.
 

All the best,

 
 
Deborah C. Jackson,
President
 
When this is over, may we never again take for granted
A handshake with a stranger, full shelves at the store
Conversations with neighbors, a crowded theater
Friday night out, the taste of communion
A routing check up, the school rush each morning
Coffee with a friend, the stadium roaring
Each deep breath, a boring Tuesday
Life itself.
When this ends may we find that we have become
More like the people we wanted to be, we were called to be
We hoped to be, and may we stay that way —
Better for each other, because of the worst
 
By Laura Fanucci, Saint John’s University

 

May 1, 2020: Summer

Please note that Cambridge College courses will continue to be taught online through Summer 2020.

 

 

Helpful Links

Massachusetts Governor Baker's March 23rd Order to Cease In Person Operation of all Non-Essential Businesses

Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health updates on COVID-19

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updates on COVID-19

World Health Organization updates on COVID-19

CDC video: What you need to know about handwashing

 

Coping with Coronavirus

Managing Anxiety and Stress - Basic guidance from the CDC on managing mental health stressors during COVID-19.

Managing Anxiety in an Anxiety-Provoking Situation - Stress management tips for the general population, for individuals receiving mental health services, for parents, for caregivers for elderly individuals, and for mental health providers.

10 Ideas for Coping with Loneliness During Social Distancing - Psychology Today provides tips for how to feel less lonely and isolated during social distancing.

Coronavirus Resources & Tips for Parents, Children & Others – Clear, concrete tips for parents on physically distancing while staying emotionally and socially connected.

Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers during Infectious Disease Outbreaks - Reactions children and youth of different age groups may have during an infectious disease outbreak and how to support them. 

That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief – Harvard Business Review article explains how we are collectively grieving right now and how to process those feelings.

 

Previous Updates

April 10, 2020: Update on accessing the College campus at Hood Park

Dear Cambridge College Boston staff,

Please note that as of Monday, April 13th, the Boston campus will limit access to the site to 8am to 6pm, weekly from Monday through Friday, and on the weekends.  Information regarding these new hours will be posted on our website, MyCC and provided to the College Operator so that all points of contact are covered. Cambridge College security will be on campus for the timeframe noted and our cleaners will continue to fully maintain office areas.

We ask that all staff needing access beyond this timeframe, to please coordinate your need to be on campus with your direct supervisor.   Please also note that in responding to the changing conditions caused by COVID-19, we may need to alter this schedule in the future.  We’ll do our best to provide advanced notice if that is the case.

If there are any questions, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the Business Operations Office via BusinessOps@cambridgecollege.edu.  In the case of an emergency while on campus, we ask that you please contact Cambridge College security at 857-225-5834 or Hood Park Security at 857-991-5300.

Thank you,

The Business Operations Team

March 17, 2020 at 9pm

March 17, 2020 at 9pm

Procedures/protocols for Facilities during COVID-19 Suspended Campus Operations

Accessing the Campus

  • During this period of suspended on-site operations, the campus will remain open to staff and students in a limited capacity barring any additional restrictions imposed by federal, state or local government. 
  • The One Stop Student Services, Administrative and Executive Offices, the Main Campus [classrooms] and the Academic Administrative Offices [2nd floor] will be accessible to staff using your College ID Badges.
  • To ensure your safety during this time we will require that all staff use their badges to check in with security at the main campus desk.
  • All visitors will be asked to sign in with a valid ID and provide information that will be used to ensure that you can be contacted in case of an emergency while on campus.  We want to make sure that security knows who is on campus at all times and is able to monitor activity appropriately.
  • The Main Campus will also be available to students wishing to use the computer lab or designated areas for study reasons.  They will also be asked to show their ID’s or a license to sign in.  Basic contact information will be requested to allow the college to have appropriate contact information in the event of an emergency.

Parking on Campus

  • All staff commuting to campus by car will be required to use authorized Cambridge College Parking Passes.  If the staff person does not have one, they should pick up a temporary parking pass from the security station when checking in.  The single pass can be used for the month and a new one will be made available in April.
  • Students visiting the campus during the day will also be required to use their authorized parking passes.  Temporary passes will be provided to students by security at check in, if needed during this timeframe.
  • No vehicles should be left overnight on campus.

Cleaning the Campus

  • The campus will continue to be cleaned and disinfected to meet the requirements set by the CDC. 
  • Particular attention will be given to those areas that will remain active during the suspended operations timeframe. 
  • Please notify security with any concerns or issues related to the condition of rooms or public spaces so the issue may be addressed as quickly as possible.
  • In the event of an urgent facility issue or general emergency please contact Security immediately.   They will take the appropriate immediate course of action to address the issue at hand.

March 17, 2020 at 8:45am

Facilities update for Hood Park, Boston Campus

March 17, 2020 at 8:45am

Dear Cambridge College community:

In an effort to keep up with the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, we are implementing the following changes at the Hood Park property.  These measures are being put in place to help ensure the health and safety of individuals, and to do our part as a community member in helping to slow the spread of the virus. 

Effective immediately, today March 17th:

  • The fitness center will be closed until further notice.  
  • Cozi café will close today  at 2:00 PM and will remain closed until further notice.
  • The BITE will close on Friday, 3/19 until further notice.

We will continue to assess and provide updates as applicable.  Please check your CC emails, MYCC and the website for periodic updates.   

Please also remember to practice daily healthy habits of hand washing, covering your mouth when sneezing or coughing, and social distancing.

Thank you,

The Offices of Business Operations
Cambridge College

March 16, 2020

March 16, 2020, at 8am

Dear Cambridge College community,
As we all know, last night Governor Baker released new guidance for responding to the growing incidence of coronavirus infection in the commonwealth.  Attached is the link to the governor’s announcement: https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-announces-emergency-actions-to-address-covid-19.

With respect to colleges and universities in the state he has specifically requested that we move to remote learning and that we move to a work from home model to the extent possible. Regarding the remote learning, as you know we announced this plan last week and have now begun the process of implementing this transition with the goal of having all classes and programs in a remote model by Friday, March 20 with training classes for faculty and students being conducted this week to prepare for this transition. 

Regarding work from home, we are announcing that we will move to this model as well. We are working with our managers to map out a plan for work at home that will assure that the critical functions of the college are maintained while we do everything necessary to protect your health and safety. Our students will continue to need access to support services and transaction services such as financial aid, registrar and bursar services, among others. Our goal through all of this is to avoid disruption of the education of our students so they experience no loss of this semester while protecting the health and well being of everyone at Cambridge College.  We will announce our plan, guidance for implementation, and timeframe later today after meeting and planning with our department managers and directors to assure a smooth and effective transition. 

In the meantime, we continue to remind you to practice the safety habits that we are all now familiar with, that you not report to the campus if you or anyone in your household have signs of illness, and that you communicate with your manager or Human Resources with any concerns. 

Please check your emails for an announcement later today, and also keep checking the CC website, MyCC and RAVE. 

Let’s continue to work and support each other as we face this very serious threat to our college and our communities throughout the nation and the world.  

With warm regards, 
 
Deborah C. Jackson
President
Cambridge College

March 15, 2020

March 15, 2020, at 6pm

Dear Cambridge College community:

As you know, we continue to monitor the rapidly changing and evolving situation regarding COVID-19, including staying vigilant in our attention to information and guidance coming from our local, state and national government and related sources.  We will continue to keep you informed as events change and more information becomes available especially as it may impact our current plans regarding classes, our administrative protocols, access to our facilities or any other matters that may affect our college community.  As we all know, given the rapid changes in events, plans can quickly change at any moment in time.     

We are very concerned about your safety and well-being, and also the anxiety that we all feel.  Please contact any one of the following college liaisons noted below with questions.  We want to hear from you and address your concerns.   

Please also remember to check your college email, CC website, MyCC and RAVE for updates.

Sincerely,

Deborah C. Jackson
President

March 13, 2020 at 4:30pm

March 13, 2020, at 4:30pm

Dear Cambridge College community:

I am writing to follow up on my email of last evening indicating that Cambridge College will  transition to remote access instruction in response to COVID-19. As you are aware, this is an incredibly fluid and rapidly changing situation.  

To date, we are not aware of any confirmed or presumed cases of the Coronavirus in our community.  Please note the safety of the Cambridge College community is at the heart of each choice and every one of our responses during these challenging times.

Over the last several weeks we have been continuously monitoring and assessing this situation and the potential impact and implications for Cambridge College.  We have at this time decided to implement the following plan:

  • Classroom Transition: 
    • Effective Saturday, March 21st, we will transition to remote access instruction until further notice.
    • All CC campuses will remain open to allow students and faculty access to computer labs, classrooms, and study areas.
    • Training on remote modalities will be provided to faculty and students.  Details will be provided under a separate email to these respective groups. 
    • We recognize that some faculty may have started this transition and they are encouraged to continue. In addition faculty and students of individual classes may agree to additional methods of engagement including in an on campus setting.
  • Regional Locations:
    • Students and faculty will have access to computer labs, classrooms, and study areas in their specific location.  
    • There may be variations to our overall plan that are unique to individual regional center locations. Regional Center Directors will provide specific information relative to their location. 
  •  Events:
    • Through the month of April, all large events scheduled in the Charlestown location will be cancelled or postponed to a future date.
    • Cancellations/postponements may include open houses, information sessions, career fairs, and other student events. 
    • We are requesting that no large events be scheduled at the College until further notice.

The goal during this transition period is to ensure the continuity of our learning environment and the success of our students while prioritizing the health and well-being of our community. Our administrative offices will remain open and employees are encouraged to maintain communication with their supervisor.

Please stay abreast of public health alerts to postpone non-essential travel, avoid large gatherings, and seek medical attention if you believe you may have been exposed to someone with the virus.  Remember to protect yourself by maintaining good hand-washing etiquette and practice social distancing.

We are confident that all members of the Cambridge College community will continue to work together to respond to this global situation and keep one another informed and safe.

Sincerely,

Deborah C. Jackson
President

March 13, 2020, at 8:45am

March 13, 2020, at 8:45am

Dear Cambridge College community:
 
In consideration of the rapidly changing situation regarding COVID-19, and in the interest of the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff, Cambridge College will be suspending in-seat classes and transitioning to alternative remote access formats.  

We will send out an update shortly on the transition of in-seat classes and alternative remote access formats.

We continue to encourage everyone in our Cambridge College community to be vigilant with practices to minimize your personal risk and that of others around you.  Your health and well being is our highest priority during this time.

Regards,

Deborah C. Jackson
President

March 11, 2020

March 11, 2020

Dear students, staff, and faculty:

Last evening, the governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, declared a state of emergency prompting Cambridge College to update its response to the threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). As of Wednesday, March 11th, there have been 92 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 and 1 case of COVID-19 confirmed in the state by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) updates these numbers daily on their website: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-cases-quarantine-and-monitoring

There are currently no reported or suspected cases at Cambridge College but given the fluid nature of this virus, we are remaining vigilant of its impact on our community.  Please know that our highest priority is the health and safety of the students, staff, and faculty at CC and leaders of the College are consistently meeting to discuss the well being of each member of the community.

We are closely monitoring reports from the MDPH and as of now, classes are continuing to run as scheduled and will continue unless health officials instruct us otherwise.

We know that there could be a potential disruption to academic instruction and are prepared to use an alternate mode of learning in the near future. We encourage all members of the community to stay informed about this virus as it relates to your courses. Any changes that take place will be communicated on our website and on MyCC. Your faculty, program chair, and academic dean will continue to work with any student who needs to stay home due to sickness. 

Please adhere to the following guidelines from  the CDC to remain home if you are experiencing any flu-like symptoms and to stay abreast of the travel guidelines. In addition, to protect the community, we encourage you to continue good hand washing etiquette while in social spaces.

For any questions, students can contact Regina Robinson, Dean of Student Affairs at Regina.robinson@cambridgecollege.edu and staff and faculty can contact Amber Coren in Human Resources at amber.coren@cambridgecollege.edu.

Thank you,

Office of Public Relations