March 17, 2020

From Chancellor Marvin Martinez

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for all you are doing for our students and for each other as we navigate this trying time. As you know, COVID-19 guidelines, recommendations and directives from local, state and federal officials are changing daily, and sometimes on an hourly basis. We are continuously monitoring the rapidly changing situation and are making decisions based on the most recent information we receive. Let me assure you that every decision we make is guided by the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.

Based on a new order from the Orange County Health Care Agency, below are some additional updates relating to our students, staff and faculty. Again, this is a rapidly changing situation, so we will update you as it changes.

District Office and Campuses will Remain Open

It is essential for our students that we continue to transition, as best as we can, to temporary remote instruction and alternative service delivery methods. Below you will find some of the precautionary measures we are putting in place based on the new order from the Orange County Health Care Agency, which is attached.

Issues Pertaining to Our Full and Part Time Classified Staff

While our district office and campuses remain open, the following is effective immediately:

• For our classified staff that will be working at our district office and/or campuses, maintaining a six-foot separation of Social Distancing between persons shall be in place to the greatest extent possible. I understand that not all areas will be able to accommodate this, so please work with your supervisor as they consider all options.
  
• If Social Distancing is not an option, you may be able to work from home. Departments across the district have different functions, needs, responsibilities, and resources, so working from home may or may not be an option for all classified employees. Please discuss this possibility with your supervisor.
  
• If Social Distancing nor working from home are options, supervisors shall consider other options that work for their particular departments, such as staggering schedules that will decrease the density of staff and allow for Social Distancing.
  
• Classified employees age 65 and older are not required to stay home, but may stay home and work, if possible. Please discuss this with your supervisor. If you stay home because you are ill or have a documented medical necessity, you must use sick leave. If you choose to stay home to take care of another family member, you can take personal necessity leave or vacation.
  
• Any classified employee who has a documented medical necessity, is a member of a vulnerable group as defined by the CDC, and /or are considered at “high risk” of serious complications, may stay home and work, if possible. Please discuss this with your supervisor.
  
• Again, if you stay home because you are ill, you must use sick leave. If you choose to stay home to take care of another family member, you must take personal necessity leave or vacation.

Human Resources will be sending out more details as it pertains to the above, will continue to update you as needed, and will continue to work with CSEA as we move forward. Thank you for all you do, your work is truly valued.

Issues Pertaining to Faculty Members

Temporary Remote Instruction (TRI) will continue as planned starting tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18. I appreciate the efforts that faculty have taken to transition to TRI. It is essential that we do the best we can for our students. Training will continue to occur after tomorrow should faculty require more information and training. Faculty may request additional training by reaching out to faculty mentors and trainers. We will continue to update you on this rapidly changing situation, keep you apprised of our progress toward TRI and alternative service delivery methods, and work with FARSCCD leadership and academic senates. Please be in touch with your department chairs and deans as we continue to move toward implementing TRI as much as possible.

For our faculty teaching CTE courses and labs, we will continue working toward a hybrid model of TRI that also allows for the required Social Distancing of in person instruction. Please be in touch with your department chairs and deans as we continue to move forward in this direction.

Issues Pertaining to Managers

Same rules that apply on maintaining a six-foot separation of Social Distancing between persons apply to you to the greatest extent possible. If this is not possible, please discuss options with your supervisor.

Please review your department’s space to ensure a six-foot separation of Social Distancing amongst all persons in your department, to the greatest extent possible.

Be available to your faculty and staff to help solve issues as we transition to TRI and alternative service delivery methods.

Student Services / Campus Libraries

The Vice Presidents of Student Services will be sending out an email as soon as possible regarding the services that will be available to students tomorrow.

In regards to campus libraries, both colleges will adhere to the Social Distancing guidelines to the extent possible. Each college President will continue to assess whether their library will be open and, if open, how it will provide students access to services. Classified employees and non-instructional faculty that provide support to the libraries, please contact your supervisor, department chair or dean for further information.

Gatherings of 10 persons or Less

As I included in my communication yesterday, all face-to-face meetings should be cancelled or postponed. The recommendation on avoiding “gatherings” such as meetings, events and other activities where Social Distancing is not possible is to help contain the spread of COVID-19. As we continue to facilitate the transition of our CTE and labs to a hybrid model, we will continue to provide in person instruction in those CTE courses and labs where Social Distancing is possible. Again, this is a rapidly changing situation so this will continue to be assessed on a daily basis. I ask our faculty and staff that are providing instruction and/or support in our CTE and labs, to please connect with your department chairs, deans and supervisors as we continue to assess this situation.

New Email for Questions and Concerns

Starting tomorrow, we will have a new email where you can send your questions regarding our response to COVID-19. Please email your questions to coronavirusinfo@rsccd.edu.

You will be receiving more detailed information regarding the above from Human Resources, Student Services, and other departments tomorrow.

I understand the anxiety and concern caused by the COVID-19 situation. We will continue to update you as we receive more information and will adjust our precautionary measures as needed. Please stay safe.

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