I want to share this announcement with you about the status of Richmond Community College as we face the corona virus together. I have just updated our employees and informed them on recent developments and the next steps in our response to this virus. As the virus spreads and touches us all in new and unexpected ways, our college and each of us individually, we have to continue to adapt and be resilient.
We recently rescheduled spring break from April 14 to this week in order to convert many of our classes from face to face to an on-line format. Thanks to the talent and efforts of all our faculty and staff, I am happy to announce those classes are ready to roll out beginning Monday, March 23. This is a huge accomplishment! We are going to provide extra support to these students, who may have signed up for a traditional face-to-face class, but are now in the online setting. If students don’t have the experience and comfort with Moodle we are going to do all we can to make sure students have the confidence needed to succeed.
For our remaining courses in WED and those not compatible with the conversion to Moodle, because they are face-to-face, we had planned to continue to teach as many of them as possible for as long as we could. That plan, unfortunately, has now changed. We received new guidance from the North Carolina Community System President who recommends we pause all face-to-face courses by Monday, March 23. We are not cancelling any classes.
Based on this recommendation and the feedback I have heard from many of our employees and our students, I have decided we will pause and take a break from all face-to-face classes, curriculum and WED at all locations, effective this Friday, March 20. Moodle classes that are in place will continue through the end of the semester. Students will be informed of this decision through a separate message and contacted by their course faculty. We want you to understand this is a pause. The classes have not ended, and we are going to try to pick back up where we left off as soon as it is safe for everyone to be back in a classroom setting again.
This was a very difficult decision, because I know how hard our students in these classes have worked, and how close they are to completing their dream. I share in your disappointment. However, protecting the health and well-being of each student and every employee has to be my highest and greatest priority. We are not going to take any unnecessary risks with your health whether you are a student, an employee or a member of the community.
While we are pausing these face-to-face classes, we are also going to be making a major change in how we staff our campuses. Effective Tuesday, March 24, most of our employees will be directed to work from home. Our vice presidents or deans will be notifying employees if they are required to be on campus, based on their duties and the needs of the college.
Many of our buildings are going to be closed to the public, but I want to reassure you this does not mean your college is closing. We are going to continue to serve our students and our communities to the best of abilities, but we are going to have to adapt, just like everyone else is, how we work to protect ourselves, our employees, our families and our students. Many of employees’ jobs and duties may be changing temporarily, but I want to ensure our permanent employees they will continue to be paid their full salary and will not be charged for leave time during this pause.
Our mission now is to do our part as a college to mitigate the spread of this disease, without losing our connections to our students and to each other.
If anyone has questions, concerns or ideas, please let us know because our goal is to overcome this virus so our College will be stronger and better than we are today.
Dr. Dale McInnis
President, Richmond Community College
