Dear Pitzer students, faculty and
staff,
I write to update you about the activity underway by the College to protect and support our community and on the development of our emergency plans. I encourage you to bookmark Pitzer’s COVID-19 Information page for status updates and announcements relating to COVID-19. You should also visit the LA County Department of Public Health (LA DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 (novel coronavirus).
At this time, there are no
suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 at The Claremont Colleges.
Our Pitzer area teams are examining
every contingency as they work on your behalf. Here are some updates on
near-term changes that are designed to limit your exposure to COVID-19 among
our community.
Campus Events and Distance
Learning
The President’s Council of The Claremont Colleges is considering whether the Colleges should transition to distance learning technology. More information will be forthcoming on this decision as soon as we can give you specific direction, likely within the next 24 hours.
In the meantime, the Dean of
Faculty’s office is scheduling training courses to prepare for a transition to
virtual instruction in the event that decision is made.
Similarly, campus events such as Admitted Students Day, Alumni Weekend, Rockabilly and Commencement are being evaluated and staff is consulting all parties. An announcement is expected within 24 hours.
COVID-19 Task Force
On March
4, I asked the Faculty Executive Committee to approve a special Task Force on
responses to COVID-19. This Task Force will serve as a key advisory group to me
as we implement any changes required to respond to the threat of COVID-19. The
Task Force will be chaired by Chief of Staff Jamie Jorgensen, who has
spearheaded our efforts in this regard thus far. The members of the Task Force
include:
- Paul Faulstich, Chair,
Faculty Executive Committee (FEC)
- Mita Banerjee, Interim
Director, Institute of Global/Local Action and Study (IGLAS)
- Allen Omoto, VP for
Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty
- Caroline Joseph,
Student Member of Faculty Executive Committee
- Clint Isom, President,
Student Senate
- Mike Segawa, VP for
Student Affairs
- Laura Troendle,
Treasurer and VP for Finance and Administration
- Mark Bailey, VP for
Communications
- Michael Ballagh, AVP
for Study Abroad & International Programs
- Kirsten Carrier,
Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life and Conference
Services
- Mark Crawbuck,
Director of Facilities for Custodial, Grounds and Event Services
- Jamie Jorgensen, Chief
of Staff/Chief Legal Counsel
Pitzer’s Emergency Preparedness
Committee led by Jamie Jorgensen, is adapting plans to accommodate existing and
evolving risks, while also creating plans for response to unexpected
developments.
Campus Planning &
Preventative Efforts
- Planning efforts are ongoing, both on Pitzer’s
campus and in collaboration with our consortium and community peers.
Representatives of all 7C colleges are conferring daily to keep each other
informed of new developments and planning efforts, including decisions about
implementation of distance learning.
- Pitzer staff and faculty continue to monitor
conditions at our study abroad sites, evaluate international travel issues and
prepare for potential disruption of operations in our classrooms, residence
halls and dining halls.
- Over the past month,
campus facilities staff have enhanced their cleaning routine with special
attention to all public spaces and common areas. The College is stockpiling
important sanitary and health supplies to add to the existing inventory of
emergency supplies.
Study Abroad & International
Travel
- Students returning from Italy and the Nepal
program are back in the United States and working with the Study Abroad and
Dean of Faculty’s offices to continue their course work remotely.
- Pitzer’s Institute
for Global/Local Action & Study (IGLAS) trip to Palestine/Israel scheduled
for March 13-22, 2020 has been canceled.
- The College continues to monitor conditions at
our study abroad sites, communicate with our program partners and make
thoughtful decisions on a case-to-case basis.
- The US State
Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued COVID-19
travel advisories for: China, Iran, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong.
- We strongly encourage
all students, faculty and staff to postpone international travel due to
uncertainty about changing foreign and airline restrictions that may affect
your ability to return to the US at the conclusion of your trip.
Information Links
We must protect those among us who
may be vulnerable to this virus. Expect regular communication from the College
regarding updates on this issue.
Take care of yourself, wash your
hands frequently and stay healthy.
Melvin L. Oliver
President
