Campus Planning Task Force – Six work teams researched and developed recommendations in the following areas with staff from several departments:

1. Workplace Safety: Facilities, Environmental Safety, Public Safety, HR, Library, Events;
2. Infection Prevention and Control: Health Center, HR, Residence Life, Student Affairs, Public Safety;
3. Employee Relations: HR, Employee Development, Academic Affairs, Facilities, Auxiliary Services;
4. Communication & Training: Marketing, Employee Development, Academic Affairs, Environmental Safety, Facilities;
5. Remote Technology Needs: IT, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Auxiliary Services;
6. Residence Life/Housing: Residence Life, Auxiliary Services, Public Safety, Health Center.

Leadership in all five of MVCC’s collective bargaining units was consulted while the Responsible Restart Plan was still in draft form. Additionally, full-time faculty were asked what courses they could deliver via Brightspace or Zoom to help determine what should be offered remotely and what had to be offered on campus while optimizing safety and quality learning.

Regional Alignment: The Coordinator of Health & Wellness is the primary point of contact with the Oneida County Health Department and the two local hospitals. President VanWagoner is the primary contact with the Regional Control Room and the County Executive. Both are in regular contact with local leaders to maintain alignment between regional guidelines and College decisions and operations.

As screening and monitoring are paramount, the College has developed an electronic survey for all employees and students to complete. The survey will be managed by the Information Technology (IT) Department in collaboration with the Human Resources Office (employees) and the Health and Wellness Center (students and visitors). Survey questions will include individual identification; if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive or exhibited symptoms; if they have test results pending; if they have any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19; if they’ve recently traveled out of state; among others. The electronic survey data will be available to produce various reports as needed to provide staff with information to conduct appropriate follow up with individuals of concern on a timely basis.

Barring any unforeseen change for the fall semester, all of our locations will restart operations with many of our technical programs delivered completely on campus or for specific modules along with some science and lab-based courses, as well as other courses where the student success disparities with online delivery warrant them being offered on campus. Otherwise, courses will be delivered online via Brightspace, Zoom, or a combination of both. We intend to offer credit and non-credit classes on both the Utica and Rome Campuses, the Educational Outreach Center, and the MVCC Broad Street location.

All spaces have been analyzed by facilities and operations in conjunction with our Office of Curriculum, Assessment, and Scheduling with schedules developed under the following guiding design principles:

• Ensure alignment with social distancing protocols of six-feet or more.
• Balance requirements to migrate learning to a virtual platform with the well-established needs of certain student populations and programs.
• Create a “conservative” scheduling scenario that has a large buffering capacity for guidance from Federal, State, and/or County officials.
• Control on-campus class proximity and timely access to classrooms if health check protocols are required at building entrances. 

Schedule Summary—Highlights and Overarching Themes

• With very few exceptions (outlined below), it is recommended that lecture course sections be migrated online wherever possible.
• While some lab sections will be offered fully online, many will either run in-person or in a hybrid manner (explored further below).

• Based upon faculty input and historical data, students in developmental courses perform statistically better when enrolled in in-person classes as compared to distance learning courses and therefore will be delivered primarily on campus.

In order to conform to social distancing protocols (six feet plus spacing), a minimum of 40 square feet of space are required per classroom occupant. The above-mentioned classes will never have more than 17 people in a classroom at any given time (15 students, one instructor, and possibly one aide for accommodation purposes). Based upon a review of available classrooms, there are adequate existing spaces to accommodate the current and anticipated course offerings.

Laboratory Sections

Few laboratory sections lend themselves well to online instruction. However, for those that do, MVCC plans for them to be fully migrated. It is also anticipated that most laboratory sections run in a hybrid manner. In this situation, the registered students for a specific laboratory section would be subdivided into two smaller cohorts. To keep the number of people in lab space as low as is possible, during any given scheduled laboratory day, one cohort would have an on-campus experience with the other cohort engaged in an online learning environment.

For those laboratory sections that are unable to migrate any of the required learning online (e.g. machining, HVAC, masonry, welding, etc.). It is the intention that all students be required to report to laboratory class on each day that class is scheduled.

The laboratory spaces are large enough to accommodate social distancing protocols of six-feet or more without decreasing course caps. In situations where laboratory spaces are smaller (e.g. electronics labs) other classroom spaces will be temporarily re-purposed into laboratory space to increase overall capacity, thus enabling conformation to social distancing protocols.

Access to non-use spaces will be monitored by public safety and only scheduled for use through a central location where social distancing guidelines of six-feet or more can be monitored.

Social distancing of six-feet or more will be maintained in instructional laboratory sections by decreasing the number of people per laboratory room. This will avail enough laboratory equipment so each person has his/her own, preventing the need for lab groups. The lab equipment in each instructional lab will be arranged to allow proper distancing between people to provide spacing of six-feet or more between individuals.

For computer labs, half of the computers will be removed from or restricted within each lab and where feasible reallocated to a different room to ensure proper distancing between machines or disabling them to only allow the correct number of users in each lab. All labs will have staff assigned to monitor the space and ensure safety and correct usage of the facilities. 

Learning Commons & Library

• The math lab occupancy will be limited to 12 students at a time. The room has 6-foot diameter tables that will allow two students to sit at a table at one time. The tutor will work with the students at the table by using a common white board that is in close proximity to all of the tables.
• The writing lab will utilize video conferencing to a greater extent due to the nature of the tutoring.
• One-on-one tutoring will occur in study rooms (normal occupancy is 10-students) and in temporary designated locations around the learning commons.
• Since the total occupancy of the learning commons will be drastically decreased, resources will be reallocated to create a more robust online tutoring system.
• The library will open the common lab and remove every other station to maintain social distancing of six-feet or more between users. They will utilize the existing swipe machines for no-contact sign-in. The study rooms will be limited to groups of two, and the smaller spaces will be blocked off. All library services, outside of open lab time, will be conducted remotely. 

Athletics

• With nearly 20 intercollegiate athletic teams, MVCC is very interested in supporting our student-athletes in an appropriately safe and thoughtful manner. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has determined that the decision to offer intercollegiate athletics should be made at the regional level. We are engaged with other community colleges in our region to identify the extent to which there will be enough teams to compete in each sport. If we are able to compete in one or more fall sports, MVCC will follow all NJCAA and regional guidance for all athletic programs and all State and SUNY guidance regarding outdoor activities and crowd size.

Faculty Development

• The Educational Technology staff are holding synchronous and asynchronous sessions, in conjunction with our library staff and instructional designers to train on best practices in design and delivery. Group and individual sessions are held for technical support and course enhancement. MVCC will expand on this effort and stand up a Center for Inclusive Instruction that will consist of experts from Educational Technologies, Library staff, administration, and the faculty ranks. It will be tasked with implementing professional development workshops and providing primary support for individual faculty in the quest to hone their inclusive instruction strategies.

Student Success and Support Online

• The Educational Technology staff will be offering several web casts on online success as well as understanding the technical expectations of working in a remote setting. They will be conducting orientations and have a real time tech support chat line for immediate responses to technical and operational questions. The library staff, including an instructional designer, and the Learning Commons staff, with full and part-time professional and peer tutors, will be available both online and in-person for orientation, remote learning, and technical assistance.

More information for faculty (please also see "Academic Plan" and "Additional Instructional Considerations" sections above):

Zoom Stations

The College has several Zoom Stations set up at each campus. This is to allow a student to meet with certain offices via Zoom while on campus if social distancing is a challenge in a face-to-face situation. These also can be used by students who have an on-campus class immediately followed by a remote, synchronous instruction class where travel home would be difficult because of timing.

Using Classrooms for Remote Content Creation

Faculty members who would like to use a classroom space to create remote content for your classes should make your dean aware of the preferred dates and times, and a room will be scheduled for you. Please provide at minimum 72 hours lead time for such requests to ensure a space can be identified and reserved.

Student Meetings on Campus

For faculty who would like to meet with students on campus outside of scheduled on-campus class times, the College has reserved some rooms for this purpose, which may be scheduled by contacting Kathryn Nolan (knolan@mvcc.edu). It is important that meetings of this nature are scheduled. Though each individual is screened for clearance, the College needs to know what rooms are being used so they can be cleaned and disinfected properly. If you are coming on campus to enter your office as an individual, you do not need to schedule that, but if you are meeting with students, please be sure to schedule those meetings.

COVID Classroom Management

The “Classroom Management in COVID” document outlines the rules for students in learning environments at the College, including the wearing of masks and social distancing protocols, as well as whom to contact if issues arise.

Student Access to Classroom Technology

The “Student Access to College Technology Resources” document outlines the efforts the College has put into place. The College will continue to add to these efforts as new ideas/needs come forward.

Online Printing Requests

• The MVCC Print Shop now has an online submission system. Documents can be sent directly to the Print Shop via this link: https://www2.mvcc.edu/forms/printshop/index.cfm. Please bookmark the link for your convenience.
• The Print Shop will still accept documents sent via email to jsalsberg@mvcc.edu, or through inter-office mail.
• Please allow at least two days for print jobs to be completed. 

Faculty and Advisor Resources

• Instruction guide for using the New Banner 9
• How to Email Your Students, Class
• Library Newsletter

The College plans to balance a critical mass of residential students with density reduction and safety measures. We intend to only offer single room options for students in our North Halls and Bellamy Hall for a maximum capacity of 176 potential students living on campus. This will allow us to keep our South Halls available for quarantine purposes.

All of our Residence Halls have bathrooms shared by up to four students. A placement approach that places students who intend to leave the area at times during the semester in the same suite will be considered.

We will screen students using the MVCC electronic survey assessment prior to arrival and again upon arrival to identify risks. Residential students will need to provide proof of testing negative within the 10 days prior to returning to campus. Students who develop a temperature of 100.0°F or other symptoms or risk after check in will be managed in accordance with CDC recommendations by either returning home or being housed in the quarantine Residence Hall (86 total beds are designated for isolation or quarantine).

Although most classes will be delivered remotely, we will have several technical and other lab-based classes offered on campus that will create activity on campus. Physical facilities will be adjusted to encourage social distancing of six-feet or more to avoid congregations of large numbers of students. Signage will help direct traffic to align with stated protocols. Bathrooms will be cleaned daily and providing students with personal cleaning products is being considered. Staffing patterns will be adjusted accordingly as well. With a Health Center on campus and Holistic Support Services, wrap-around supports will be available for students should they have the need to quarantine.

Dining and food services will be adjusted along with student activity programming to more appropriately serve such a lower number of residential students in the halls. Strict protocols will be established regarding student traffic off campus as well as visitor protocols and violation consequences will be integrated into our Code of Conduct. The Room and Board Agreement will contain a force majeure clause regarding no refunds for pandemic related closures (credit for future semester).

Out-of-State and International Students

Any student whose travels to MVCC originated in a State under a travel advisory will adhere to a 10-day self-quarantine, off-campus. The costs associated with the self-quarantine are not sponsored by the College, however, if the self-quarantine delays arrival to the Residence Halls, the room cost will be adjusted accordingly. The College has identified a local suite-style hotel who can accommodate the students, and this information will be provided to students upon request. In addition, students will be required to complete the New York State online health form which can be found here: https://forms.ny.gov/s3/Welcome-to-New-York-State-Traveler-Health-Form. This health form must be completed online but the student can take a screen shot of the last page and submit a copy to the College Nurse, Karen Sabonis at ksabonis@mvcc.edu  

There is no New York State directive for international travelers unless they have also visited a restricted state. They are not under a mandated quarantine order and can be outside and in public as long as they maintain safe distancing and use face coverings where needed. Specific protocols are subject to change pursuant to CDC guidelines. As noted above, all international students will be required to complete the New York State online health form found here: https://forms.ny.gov/s3/Welcome-to-New-York-State-Traveler-Health-Form. This health form must be completed online but the student can take a screenshot of the last page and submit a copy to the College Nurse, Karen Sabonis at ksabonis@mvcc.edu.

Student Activities

Student Activities at MVCC will resume on a modified scale. Virtual events will continue to be scheduled to augment live, in-person events with social distancing of six-feet or more and safety protocols initiated. It is the College’s plan to plan additional, duplicate events to ensure that the participant numbers do not exceed established guidelines. Clubs and Organizations will resume adjusted activity to ensure a vibrant and safe student engagement experience.

Our operational plans are based on the academic plan to offer the vast majority of classes remotely while still making some exceptions for technical and other classes to be offered on campus to maintain a high-quality student learning experience. With a residential plan to house as many as 176 students on our Utica Campus, we will have all student-facing offices open for regular hours of operations with reduced staffing on campus, but 100% of student services also available via remote delivery.

We intend to restart operations on both the Utica and Rome Campuses, the Educational Outreach Center and the MVCC Broad Street location. All aspects of our Responsible Restart Plan are intended to apply to all of these locations unless a need for exceptions are identified as we get closer to implementation.

Workplace Safety

The workplace safety work team has established protocols for facilities cleaning (particularly high-use areas) and PPE acquisition (with a guide of maintaining a 90-day inventory supply). Their recommendations have guided the following plans for workplace safety to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Facility Systems Restart and Ventilation

The only systems that need to be restarted are the air conditioning systems in each building. The air conditioning systems are naturally shut down in the fall and need to be restarted in the spring. All other systems have remained operational and do not need restarting or additional maintenance. When restarting the air conditioning systems it is required that the cooling towers are sanitized and tested. The sanitizing and testing was completed in June 2020 prior to restarting those systems. In addition we are increasing the air mix to bring in 20% fresh air from the current 10%.

 Cleaning and Sanitation Standards

• Implement strict cleaning and sanitation standards that includes encouraging handwashing and promoting good personal hygiene.
• Maintain logs that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection of all rooms at all locations. Identify cleaning and disinfection frequency for each facility type and assign responsibility.
• Spread general classrooms across campus to the extent possible and schedule classes at staggered times to minimize hallway and campus density between classes, allowing Facilities staff to clean used classrooms.
• Provide hand sanitizer stations throughout all locations and maintain supply levels where handwashing is not readily available.
• Provide necessary supplies and protocols for staff to disinfect personal office space to allow facilities staff to follow a more aggressive schedule to clean classrooms and high-use areas.
• Signs that state “occupied” / “unoccupied” will be hung on the doors before entering.
• Limit bathroom availability and clean hourly on the Utica and Rome campuses.
• Maintain a 90-day supply of PPE inventory.
• Monitor HVAC ventilation in all buildings for any abnormalities or concerns.

Density Reduction

In addition to limited academic offerings and reduced occupancy in the residence halls, density reduction of the workforce will be a priority.

• While many staff will remain working remotely the majority of days, offices will begin increasing on-campus staffing beginning Monday, July 20 with no more than 33% of full-time staff on campus at any given time.
• The College will resume normal on-campus hours of operation (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) with few exceptions and increase on-campus staffing to no more than 50% beginning Monday, August 3 .
• Staffing will be increased to no more than 66% of full and part-time staff beginning Monday, August 24 and shall remain at that level through the remainder of the fall semester.
• Maximum capacity guidelines will be established along with the tracking of visitors with software to scan/swipe ID cards in the library, learning commons, and fitness center to make data accessible to tracing afterward, if necessary.
• Physical work space will be adjusted to accommodate social distancing standards of six-feet or more and/or facemasks (e.g., 1:1 student advising) and install plexiglass barriers at all service windows and other workstations that require modification.
• Meetings will continue to use virtual meetings, even when on campus, to reduce the amount of people in one room.
• Available seating will be reduced along with reconfigured carrels and computer desks available to students in order to observe the six-foot distancing social distancing protocol.
• Protocols with landlords for leased space will be clarified for all locations (e.g., Broad St., EOC).

We continue to refine our established plan to monitor and limit the spread of coronavirus and, very importantly, mitigate the risks of second or third waves.

Reporting and Monitoring

Our College Nurse and Health and Wellness Center staff will provide leadership for our infection prevention and control efforts. Since COVID-19 began, the Health Center staff has established strong communication channels with the Oneida County Health Department and created effective both internal and external reporting and communication protocols.

Monitoring and Testing

At this time, the College intends to issue CDC and NYS guidelines related to monitoring. Employees and students will be trained and educated to self-monitor symptoms on a daily basis through information provided in a “Return to Campus Guidelines” document that will be shared with all employees.

All employees and students will have to complete an electronic survey form every day prior to activity on campus. They will have to retake the survey if their symptoms change. Survey questions will include individual identification information; if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive or exhibited symptoms; if they have test results pending; if they have any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19; if they’ve recently traveled out of state; among others. The data from the electronic survey will be available to produce various reports as necessary for staff to conduct appropriate follow up with individuals of concern in a timely manner.

If an employee or student screens with an item of concern:

• The individual will be directed to leave the premises immediately.
• The College Nurse in the Health and Wellness Center will be automatically notified with the individual’s information so that she can follow up in a timely manner.
• Individuals will be directed to see their personal medical professional.
• Residential students will be contacted by staff from the Health and Wellness Center and will be directed to go to a local testing site to get tested.

Any community members and campus visitors will be screened through established check points on campus prior to entry to buildings. If they present with any symptoms, they will be directed to leave the premises immediately.

College administration and key staff will actively engage with supervisors, employees, and students to maintain and promote an active system of monitoring symptoms and activating protocols to increase compliance with established procedures.

Contact Tracing

The College nurse will be responsible for tracing potential exposures of infected employees. Tracing includes, but is not limited to, interviewing employees, supervisors, and students. Following CDC, NYS, and Oneida County guidelines, College tracing protocols will be activated in coordination with the Oneida County Health Department.

Prevention Measures

• Each full-time employee will be provided two reusable MVCC-branded, three-layer face-covering and each part-time employee and all students will be provided with one. Additional masks and face coverings will be available throughout all locations if needed as all employees, students, and visitors will be required to wear a face covering in any public spaces.
• Anyone unwilling to wear a face covering in public spaces shall be asked to leave the premises or be escorted off campus by Public Safety if they refuse to comply.
• Social distancing protocols of six-feet or more will be established and enforced in all college locations, classrooms, labs, offices, and shared spaces.
• The only college-sponsored transportation includes bus trips for our athletic teams and our inter-campus shuttle between our Utica and Rome campuses. In collaboration with our shuttle bus provider, all seats will be taped off so that only those which are at least six-feet apart with face-coverings required will be used during operation of any bus.

Accommodations for Vulnerable Populations

Students who are uncomfortable with attending face-to-face will have the option of taking coursework online or in asynchronous formats. All services will be available remotely. Students that present a concern to the College Nurse will be referred to the Office of Accessibility Resources and staff that present a concern to the College Nurse or their supervisor will be instructed to have a conversation with Human Resources. Reasonable accommodations will be provided on an individual, as needed/documented, basis with the goal being to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

Isolation Protocols

If employees are required to isolate awaiting test results or other reasons, they will not be allowed on campus. Employees in isolation will work remotely if possible and otherwise use leave time as appropriate. For any student that needs to isolate, the instructor will work with the student remotely where possible. If that is not possible, upon the student’s return, a course completion plan would be designed with the instructor. This plan could include the use of an incomplete grade, where necessary, to allow the student the opportunity complete the missing work during the Winter Intersession prior to commencing the Spring Semester.

All commuter students that need to isolate will not be allowed on campus and directed to isolate at home. For any student living on campus, Residence Life has reserved 64 rooms in separate residence halls to serve as quarantine spaces for individuals who contract tracing determines were exposed. They are able to remain in those rooms for the required number of days contract tracing determines. There are also reserved 22 rooms for isolation rooms. These short term rooms will house students who have tested positive or who are symptomatic while they are awaiting private transportation home. Students who arrive from a State with a travel ban to NYS will remain in these rooms for 10 days upon arrival.

The Employee Relations work team has reviewed various scenarios and issues associated with COVID-19 and implications for employees returning to campus. Their recommendations comprise an Employee Relations Action Plan that is summarized as follows.

• All business travel will be suspended until further notice. Employees who travel for personal purposes may be required to be tested or isolate in a precautionary quarantine before they return to campus. Any travel exceptions will be reviewed by the President’s Cabinet and be considered for approval.
• All collective bargaining agreements with the five unions at the College will be reviewed to inform any protocols or changes to working conditions.
• All policies will be reviewed with refinements to existing policies and development of new policies completed as necessary.
• All related legal issues will be reviewed to ensure compliance with any changes to the work environment.
• Attention will be given to EEOC guidance and reasonable accommodations for employees as necessary.

Additionally, leadership in all five of our collective bargaining units have been engaged in reviewing the Plan while still in draft form to ask important questions and help shape the final document.

The Communication and Training workteam has reviewed various scenarios and communication and training issues associated with COVID-19 with implications for returning to campus. Their recommendations comprise the Communication and Outreach Action Plan that is summarized as follows.

• Long-established community relationships will be leveraged as necessary with leaders in local governmental, healthcare, non-profit service providers, private industry, and educational partner organizations.
• Communicate our restart plans with employees, students, vendors, and community members openly and clearly as necessary.
• Significant concerns will be immediately communicated to relevant SUNY leaders and the Governor’s Office, as appropriate.
• Coordination and collaboration with other educational institutions will occur wherever possible.
• Protocols will be established for “return to work” communications so employees are empowered with timely, relevant, and accurate information to inform their personal decisions and actions.
• A workplace signage plan will be developed to provide clear direction throughout all MVCC facilities and intentionally shape individual behaviors and campus traffic to comply with established guidelines.
• Liability processes will be developed to mitigate College exposure with COVID-19 issues.
• Training and documentation will be provided for employees regarding new work conditions once employees return to the workplace (policies, procedures, monitoring, reporting non-compliance, responding to suspected cases, etc.).
• Training and documentation will be provided for employees regarding new work conditions when employees return to the workplace (policies, procedures, monitoring, reporting non-compliance, respond to suspected cases, etc.).
• Communications will be prepared in anticipation of various scenarios including incidents of active cases with employees and students.

Community Interactions

The College is in regular contact with the County Executive’s office regarding public use of College facilities. MVCC is the largest postsecondary institution in our six-county region and serves as an anchor institution and regularly hosts scores of community events on campus, both large and small.

Our Responsible Restart Plan includes a strategy to have clearly established and communicated protocols with regard to our interactions with the community. We currently have open lines of communication with our local hospitals and will engage with them as necessary. Our events staff is acutely aware of social distancing protocols of six-feet or more and all external requests are provided to the President’s Cabinet leadership team for consideration to remain within established event guidelines from the CDC, State and County.

Remote Technologies for Students and Employees

The Remote Technologies workteam has reviewed various scenarios and related issues associated with COVID-19 and implications for returning to campus. Their recommendations comprise a Remote Technologies Action Plan that identifies internet access solutions for both students and employees in both urban and rural settings. Since early April, the SUNY student laptop loaner program has been extremely successful and very well-received. MVCC plans on continuing the program for the fall. In addition, our Information Technology Department is inventorying the office technology equipment of all employees to assess and address the remote-working needs to support operations through the fall semester.

Workforce Development

Mohawk Valley Community College is continuing to remain responsive to the needs of the community and the business industry. At each phase of the return to work plan, we are closely aligning with best practices and guidelines as we deploy the necessary classes and/or staff that are needed to continue to meet the training needs of our community and businesses. For example, in Phase I, Apprenticeship efforts in Manufacturing continued by offering our related instruction classes for our NYS registered apprentices. All coursework delivered on campus will be implemented with social distancing of six-feet or more and proper COVID-resistant facility protocols to maintain a safe workplace. Staff continues to work remotely for the majority of the time.

If the circumstance should arise where a surge in COVID-19 cases occurs in the County or Region and the College must transition to a completely remote operation, evacuation strategies will be implemented similar to last spring. With a conservative density-reduction plan, employees will already be well-positioned to work remotely and more than 75% of instruction will already be offered through remote delivery. Technical classes using specialized equipment will be temporarily suspended until it is safe to return to campus. Residential students will be evacuated through processes similar to those used in March, 2020, with special circumstances being considered to house and feed those students who have needs dictating on campus as their most viable option. If the campus becomes the hotspot, we will work with the county health department to plan and coordinate an appropriate evacuation. Additionally, if MVCC Residence Halls sees specific benchmarks (+25% of isolation rooms in use or +75% of quarantine rooms in use), we will contact the Oneida County Health Department for direction.

If circumstances should arise that requires the College to “return to shutdown,” the College would suspend on-campus technical classes; move the other on-campus classes remote; close all buildings at all locations; have all staff work remotely; and evacuate the res halls as we did in the spring, allowing only those with special circumstances to remain.