January 2021 Update
January 11, 2021
Colorado Mountain College looks forward to welcoming students back for spring semester on January 18, 2021. Due to the global pandemic, college operations in spring 2021 will be very similar to fall 2020.
Flex courses will begin coursework remotely. Optional in-person sessions may be scheduled once students and faculty have had a chance to consider the composition of students in the classroom (where they are located and as a result the feasibility of scheduling optional in-person sessions).
COVID vaccine
CMC does not currently anticipate issuing new policies mandating vaccinations for employees or students. The college strongly recommends that all individuals eligible for a vaccine become vaccinated as soon as possible. The college may require vaccination or continued physical distancing protocols as conditions for certain positions or courses, but those standards will be developed after vaccines are broadly available, likely in late spring 2021. In the meantime, all current physical distancing protocols will continue.
Unlike previous college-sponsored health fairs and flu shot efforts, CMC does not anticipate that it will administer the vaccine directly. The college’s coordinating efforts will complement but not compete with those underway at the county level. If you would like to know the vaccination plan for the county where you live, please contact your county health department.
Returning to campus
Anyone entering college facilities must adhere to college COVID procedures as outlined in the CMC Trail Map, including undergoing daily symptom screening, wearing a face covering properly at all times, and adhering to physical distancing requirements. Flagrant avoidance of the college’s COVID procedures can place students and colleagues at risk and thus may result in disciplinary actions.
Guidance for employees
As the spring term begins, “work from home” procedures will be balanced with return to work expectations expressed below, as was true for the fall 2020 term. CMC will continue to closely monitor public health orders and conditions in its communities. We will adjust to these as the term progresses, as appropriate.
Below are expectations for the CMC work environment beginning January 18, 2021:
- Beginning Monday, January 18, full-time staff are expected to return to their places of work at least two days each week; part-time staff, at least one day. All employees are allowed to access their places of work every day, provided physical distancing requirements are met and office capacities are at or below 25%. All employees should coordinate their “in-office” days with their supervisors.
- CMC will be open to all employees provided physical distancing standards can be maintained. Obviously, these standards will need to be to be interpreted for each campus and work space. Managers must coordinate access to work spaces for employees, including potentially modifying work schedules and locations.
- Employees in high-risk categories are encouraged to work remotely, but such employees must communicate their circumstances with their supervisors and human resources.
- Employees with children in school districts that have not reinstated face-to-face instruction should coordinate flexible on-campus/in-office times with their supervisors.
- Campuses and Central Services should expect many enrolled students to be in need of access to college facilities for reliable broadband access. Therefore, campuses must prepare plans to provide access for enrolled students during extended hours, including evenings and weekends. Ideally, all campuses will adopt similar operating hours to limit confusion among students.
- Supporting student services such as libraries, tutoring, and advising/counseling must be accessible remotely and at extended hours, including evenings and weekends, as appropriate.
Such services should be accessible to students, regardless of the location of their home campus. These services should be coordinated with campus/department supervisors.
- Supervisors must ensure that their campuses and departments are able to effectively support student learning and college operations. To accomplish this, supervisors may ask direct reports to return to work for some, most, or all of their weekly work hours.
