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

I see and sense the worry and anxiety of our community as a steady stream of information about the COVID-19 virus has dominated our media and conversations. It has been a very unsettling week as dramatic actions have been taken to curb the spread of the virus with the cancellation of major events, competitions, rallies, and gatherings. As of yesterday, Indiana had 12 positive cases reported out of 73 people tested according to the Indiana State Department of Health. Governor Holcomb provided a statewide communication yesterday and the Centers for Disease Control continue to provide guidance, which we have made available on our website along with other resources.

Your health and safety is a priority and you should avoid any exposure to others if you feel flu-like symptoms. Calumet College of St. Joseph will continue to be an anchor for our local community and our students and do whatever we can to support your needs at this unsettling and uncertain time. As of today, March 13, 2020, we have decided to take the following actions.

FOR TRADITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

• The week of March 16-23, will be Spring Break: Take 2. Campus will remain open, but classes will NOT meet. Students can use this time to catch up on homework and provide care and service for themselves and their families — get additional tutoring at the library, seek counseling services, meditate or pray, care for siblings. Turn a second spring break into a “service break” to help yourself and others in need. In this way, you can use your energy to produce positive impact rather than anxiety. You should avoid crowds and follow the CDC guidelines for “social distancing.”
• CCSJ will offer additional tutoring services, faculty will maintain office hours or other options for communication, and administrative offices will be open.
• Food will be available (M-TH), free of charge, in the Crimson Café from 10-2 for students, and we will use next week for a designated donation drive to increase supplies in our food pantry.
• Effective immediately, the athletic center is closed to athletes that are not in-season. For athletes that are in-season, a coach must be present. From March 23 through April 4th, faculty will offer classes remotely utilizing virtual course delivery.
• Campus will remain open, unless guidance from federal, state and local authorities requires otherwise.
• Healthy students are welcome on campus to access computers, disability support services, counseling services, library services and advising. Please assess your health and any potential exposure to others.
• We will suspend our spring sports for this 3-week period until April 4th, and will await further guidance from the NAIA.
• For traditional undergraduate classes, the spring semester will be extended to May 8th, adding one week to the schedule.
• As of today, we still plan to have commencement on May 16th.

GRADUATE AND ACCELERATED STUDENTS

• The Master of Arts in Teaching and all Public Safety classes will migrate to online immediately due to the exposure to crowds that teachers and police experience in their daily work.
• Organization Management (ORMN) and Graduate classes in MSM and MAP will continue as scheduled due to their small class size, infrequent in-person classes, and accelerated format; however, all students and faculty should take personal responsibility and make accommodations, as needed.

FACULTY, ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER

• Faculty should continue to prepare for virtual course delivery and staff should prepare for remote working options. All faculty and staff are encouraged to access the CCSJ website for resources.
• While campus will be open, accommodations will be made for faculty and staff who have compromised health conditions.
• Considering child/parent care and the well-being of our college family, it may be necessary to implement rotational staffing. All departments will be open and staffed, but individuals can coordinate with your department supervisor if it is necessary to work remotely.
• Staff will be given 8 hours of additional time off (XSV) to provide service for the community, help care for young children or elderly parents, seek personal care, or provide for family in need. These are additional hours to help others or your state of mind. If you are sick, continue to use your sick time.
• All staff should download Skype and Zoom for ease of communication. Please see the faculty and staff page on the website for more information.
• The St. Joseph Society Luncheon on 3/19 has been cancelled, and those funds will be redirected to provide free food for students, faculty and staff during next week.
• Faculty Senate will meet as scheduled on Wednesday, March 18, in Room 200. The group will include 28 people and lunch will be provided on Wednesday for all faculty and staff.
• I encourage contributions to our food pantry. The following items would be greatly appreciated: non-perishable food, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, canned items, and paper and hygiene products.

EVENT CANCELLATIONS

At this time, the following school events have been cancelled: Public Safety Institute speaker scheduled for MarchSTEM Fest scheduled for March 30-31Open House scheduled for April 4

Large gatherings are to be avoided, but we will look for ways to maintain our family and community feeling and provide a comforting place. We will communicate additional support services next week, so please continue to monitor your CCSJ email and the College website. Be assured that we will also take next week to do additional cleaning on campus and in offices.

I want to underscore the need to be responsible for your health and the health of others, but I also want to help with the mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and overall panic that this virus is causing. We are a college family, and we have students who need our services during this troubling time. We are still a place where “You Belong” both virtually and in person.

Sincerely,

Dr. Amy McCormack
President