A message from the MSJC Superintendent/President
Sent 03/11/2020
Dear MSJC Student:
Over the last week, we have heard concerns and questions regarding how Mt. San Jacinto College is planning for the effects of a potential Coronavirus outbreak and/or impact on the College, our students, faculty, and staff. Please know that College leadership has been meeting and discussing this topic daily, conferring with the Riverside County Public Health Department, and creating emergency response plans to address various possible scenarios.
As of today, March 11, we have NOT had any outbreaks or community transmission in our service area. However, we will update the Board of Trustees during a meeting on Thursday, March 12, 2020 on Emergency Preparation and Planning recommendations we received from the California Community College Chancellor's Office this afternoon. We will seek approval by the Board of Trustees for an emergency resolution allowing for the delegation of authority to the Superintendent/President to enact all necessary precautions relative to the impact of the Novel Coronavirus at our institution.
This will allow and enable flexibility in the offering of classes and services that might be impacted should conditions change. We are also currently exploring how to support faculty and staff should a shift in modality occur. We will provide an additional update after the discussion and outcome from tomorrow's Board meeting.
Please know that the health and safety of our college community is our first priority. We will provide regular and frequent communications as planning conditions change, however we would like to quickly address some immediate concerns in this communication.
Classes and activities will continue until further notice and are not cancelled. We take your health and safety as a top priority and ask that you continue to practice these measures provided by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH):
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care. If you have these symptoms, we recommend you notify your instructor and consult a medical professional before returning to school.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.
- Minimize close contact (avoid handshaking or hugging)
We recognize that some of you may have immediate concerns due to underlying health conditions. At this time, we ask you to work with your healthcare provider to provide further guidance. Please communicate with your instructors to determine a strategy that is in alignment with your healthcare provider’s recommendations.
Cleaning
We take the cleanliness of our facilities very seriously and will continue to clean
our facilities and disinfect according to the CDC Guidelines. During Spring Break,
the District will employ additional enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures,
as is customary, to all facilities and high-touch services as a preventative measure.
Events
We will review the status of District-wide events on a case-by-case basis. Watch calendar.msjc.edu
for updates.
We will communicate with the college community on a regular basis to keep you apprised of our plans for this constantly-changing environment. Please see tips for staying well on the MSJC website, which will be continuously updated at msjc.edu/coronavirus
Sincerely,
Roger W. Schultz, Ph.D.
Superintendent/President