March 12, 2020

To: CCSJ Students, Faculty and Staff
From: President Dr. Amy McCormack

Over the past two weeks, we have been closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We have shared information via email, posted information around campus, increased our cleaning efforts, and prepared for implications. I am in communication with private schools across the state, city officials, and other educational leaders in our region, and I am staying abreast of communication from the NAIA and Indiana State Department of Health.

As you know from following the news and social media, this is a very fluid situation and we will be monitoring and having conversations daily. As of today, Calumet College of St. Joseph will remain open and continue to conduct classes to minimize the disruption to students. While large institutions in the area have migrated to online instruction to avoid large gatherings of students, Calumet College does not offer classes or host events that require a large number of students to gather in one place. There are factors that we have considered in making our current decision: our classes are small, we do not have residence halls, we do not have a large international population nor any study abroad programs, and because of our size, we are aware of individual experiences and travel. We are not aware of any students that traveled abroad during spring break nor any faculty or staff members that traveled to high-risk areas. We are a small and intimate college community and ask that each member be responsible for self-reporting any known exposure to the coronavirus. This should be reported to Dr. Dionne Jones-Malone, (djonesmalone@ccsj.edu). In checking the latest information available, there are no confirmed cases in Northwest Indiana.

There are two activities, which we will continue to evaluate over the next two weeks that I want to highlight. Our only large event where we will be hosting a large number of guests is graduation on May 16th. At this point, we are hopeful we will be able to continue with our ceremony, but we will need to evaluate the situation as the time nears. The other is our planned honors trip the first week of May. We will make a decision on the honors trip no later than March 31st.

We will continue to seek and share guidance from local authorities, the Indiana State Department of Health, and the Independent Colleges of Indiana, as well as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. I want to reiterate that the spread and implications of the virus are unfolding, and Calumet College of St. Joseph will continue to prepare for a migration to online coursework should that be necessary. I ask that you be responsible for your own well-being and those around you. Please wash your hands often and self-report any illness, known exposure to the virus, and any international traveling. As this situation continues to evolve, please check our website for updates on Calumet College’s efforts.

Sincerely,

Dr. Amy McCormack
President