A Message from Dr. Deitemeyer:
I am excited for the start of the Fall 2021 semester on Aug. 16. I look forward to seeing so many of you back on campus for the first time in several months and some of you for the first time ever.
The college will operate at full capacity this fall, with a majority of classes being offered on-campus as well as many online. It is our intention to begin the semester operating in a way that mirrors pre-pandemic times as much as possible. Nevertheless, we want everyone to be as safe as can be while on campus. We have looked closely at the COVID-19 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS), as well as the strong communication coming from the Governor’s Office. All of these continue to stress the importance of being vaccinated.
If you have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, I strongly encourage you to do so, if you are so inclined, at your earliest opportunity. With the increase in positive COVID-19 tests and cases due to the delta variant spreading across North Carolina and the nation, the CDC and NCDHHS recommend that everyone 12 years and older be vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccination of all eligible faculty, staff and students is the most effective strategy to ensure our normal semester operations remain on track.
The college will not ask you to provide your vaccination status, nor should anyone connected to the college inquire about your status. Again, no one at the college should ask anyone else at the college about their vaccination status. However, that should not lessen your sense of personal responsibility in getting vaccinated.
In addition to encouraging everyone to be vaccinated, the college will have the following safety protocols in place through at least Aug. 31.
Face coverings required indoors while on campus
Effective immediately, face coverings are required during instructional activities (during classes, labs, etc.); in face-to-face meetings, and whenever persons are moving through or gathering in indoor common areas, such as hallways, lobbies, stairways, elevators, our libraries, restrooms, etc. The only exception to this requirement is when employees are in their personal offices.
Our face mask requirement does not affect the expectation of a continued return to on-campus work for college employees. Until the vaccination rate in Mecklenburg gets significantly higher or the rate of positive COVID-19 cases begins to diminish, requiring everyone to wear face coverings indoors will help keep everyone safe.
Face masks and gloves remain available at building entrances to anyone who needs them. Face coverings are not required outdoors on campus.
Stay Home if You Feel Ill
Please stay home if you feel ill in any way. If your symptoms persist, please see a health care provider. Students should inform their instructors, and employees should talk with their supervisor.
Will there be opportunities for students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated while on campus during the fall semester?
YES. The college is working out the details with a local health care provider to offer vaccination clinics on multiple campuses. We will share these details as soon as possible. However, you should not feel that you need to wait for these clinics. If you have the ability to be vaccinated within the coming days, please do so.
How should students and employees report positive COVID tests?
To report COVID cases and exposures, or to ask questions about our protocols, please email wecare@cpcc.edu. Students should also notify their instructors, and employees should make their supervisors aware as soon as possible.
What will be the isolation/quarantine protocols for vaccinated and unvaccinated students and employees?
We will follow CDC protocols to determine isolation/quarantine recommendations for students and employees based on vaccination status. These will be communicated directly to persons who test positive for COVID-19 and have been in contact with positive-test persons.
Closing
As we continue to navigate this global pandemic, I send my sincere best wishes and thanks to our dedicated faculty, staff and students for your hard work, dedication and patience. Thank you for your flexibility as CDC and NCDHHS recommendations change. I know this will be a great semester, and working together, we will keep everyone as safe as possible.