Employee Message- December 2, 2020

Dear Employees,

I hope you all had an enjoyable and safe Thanksgiving break.  We only have a few weeks until we leave for the Winter holiday, so we are in the home stretch. In response to questions I have heard concerning our current campus situation, I am providing additional information below:

Which Phase of our plan are we currently in?
We are still in Phase 5 of our “Return to Campus Plan.” Specific information is available on the plan on our website.

Why are we still in Phase 5 if the active cases in our community are on the rise?
Even though the number of cases in the community continues to increase, the virus has not been spreading rapidly on campus.  The Leadership Team, advised by Emergency Management Coordinator Frank Patterson, believes that it remains safe to be open.  As we progressed through the phases for the reopening of campus, we learned much more about this virus and how to operate safely.  With our safety protocols in place and proactively moving almost all students online after the Thanksgiving holiday, we believe our current operational plan is appropriate.  Through your hard work and our safety protocols, we have only had a small amount of campus spread, and this was confined to athletic housing.  We will continue to monitor this situation, and the Emergency Operations Team will meet over the holidays to evaluate current plans for January. 

Whom do I contact if I see another employee not following our physical distancing, face mask, or cleaning protocols?

If employees feel comfortable reminding others of our policy, that is always a good first step.  You may also contact Missy Kittner in Human Resources for discrete communication about these concerns. All employees – faculty, staff, and supervisors alike – are required to follow our COVID-19 safety practices. See those requirements online.

Who do I contact about quarantining questions like how many days I should quarantine and whether I need to use my sick leave or emergency leave?

Please contact Missy Kittner in Human Resources about these types of questions as they are different according to the specific circumstances of exposures. For information about our Leave Policies, see our website.

I am hopeful that 2021 will be much better to us than 2020, but we still must be vigilant in trying to keep our campus safe. Please make sure you are following the guidelines on COVID-19. If you have any questions about them, you may email covid19@mclennan.edu , visit our COVID-19 website, or consult with any of us on the Leadership Team. We care.

Thank you for your partnership with each other to maintain a safe working and learning environment by following guidelines.  This is an investment in also keeping families safe.

Johnette McKown, President

Stephen Benson, Vice President, Finance and Administration

Fred Hills, Vice President, Instruction and Student Engagement

Phil Rhodes, Vice President, Research, Effectiveness, and Information Technology