Expanded, but Controlled, Access to Campus
Updates Will Be Ongoing Based on State and Local Directives
The College Spring Semester begins Monday, February 1, 2021, and runs through Friday, May 21, 2021. Access to the College campus will be made available to registered students for a limited number of classes. Prospective students are encouraged to make appointments in advance of coming to campus or to use existing virtual services. Please visit https://www.carrollcc.edu/covid-19/ for additional information on College resources that are available during this unprecedented time. The College will be closed to the general public. The College will encourage students to leave campus after completing course work for the day. The College will utilize less than 35% capacity (employees/students) throughout any given day. These guidelines have been developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and are designed to promote safety and mitigate risk for students, faculty and staff while supporting the need to continue education for a limited, targeted student population, including healthcare workers and first responders needed to support the State and County’s pandemic response and recovery efforts. PURPOSE Our purpose is to provide a safe, structured and innovative approach to continue required in-person / hands-on skill development necessary for student success, and to provide at least one section of most courses for students who may not be successful learning remotely, and completion of preapproved programs. This approach will minimize on-campus classes and exposure for students, faculty, and staff. The focus of on-campus courses will be limited to providing focused learning exercises to demonstrate physical skill development and competencies required by accreditation, which cannot be accomplished online or virtually. All Spring semester courses taught on campus will be organized to limit student and faculty face-to-face contact, while also implementing best practices from federal, state, local, and professional agencies to promote physical distancing safety.

Dear Carroll Students,

Today, we wrap up our very busy Fall semester and come one day closer to the culmination of an unprecedented year. You have been receptive to on-going change and persistent in pursuing your goals for higher education. You have been an integral part in our collective efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of our College community. I offer you my deep appreciation, and I thank you sincerely!    

As we break, I remind you of a few important safety tips from Governor Hogan and the Carroll County Commissioners. Stay Home for the Holidays. Do what is best for you and your loved ones. This holiday season could present our most challenging time – parties and groups are the highest transmission times:

• You are safer at home for the holidays
• It will help our hospitals and will save lives
• Dept. of Health issuing an advisory limiting groups to 10 and avoid parties involving people outside the home
• Governor issuing an Emergency Order that limits travel to essential purposes only
• Testing before and after travel is required, or quarantine for 10 days (College policy is still 14 days. We will revisit for Spring.)

People are at highest risk of catching the virus if they are in close contact of a person with COVID-19. Based on current research, you are a close contact if:

• You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period while the person was infectious (2 days before illness onset or testing)
• You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
• You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
• You shared eating or drinking utensils
• They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you

Please enjoy your time with family and take time to rest and recharge. On behalf of our Board of Trustees, Executive leadership, faculty and staff, we look forward to seeing you in the new year!

My best to everyone,

Jim Ball

James D. Ball Ed.D.
President

Dear Lynx students, 

As we approach Thanksgiving Break I send a very important message. Please read in full: 

1. In concert with Governor Hogan’s travel notice, we encourage all students to avoid all travel outside of Maryland (excluding those living in PA).
2. Those who travel to a state with a Positivity Rate of 10% or above or a Case Rate per 100,000 of 20 or higher consider self-quarantining for 14 days upon returning to Maryland. View State Positivity Rates and State Case Rates.   
3. This quarantine should also applies if you are exposed to individuals from a state in the “red zone.”
4. The quarantine applies even if you have tested negative during the 14 days of quarantine. According to the Health Department, the average incubation period is 4 to 5 days, and it’s possible for a person not to exhibit symptoms or become infectious for up to 14 days.
5. Exposure guidelines are provided on our website. Visit What To Do If You Have Symptoms or Have Been Exposed
6. If you have any questions about attending your face-to-face or hybrid classes on campus, please consult with your instructors.
7. For behavioral health resources please visit the Carroll County Health Department’s website for available Behavior Health Services.
8. For additional information and safety tips visit the Maryland Department of Health Expanded Travel Advisory for all out-of-state travel and the CDC Celebrate Thanksgiving Safety Guidelines.

Please, let’s all do our part. I wish you a safe and healthy Thanksgiving!

Rosalie V. Mince, Ph.D

Provost
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Standard Operating Procedures Beginning July 6, 2020 

Student Update

These standard operating procedures have been developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and are designed to promote safety and reduce risk for students, faculty and staff while supporting the need to continue on-campus education for a small, targeted student population. All activities will be organized to minimize face-to-face contact, while also implementing best practices from federal, state, local and professional agencies to promote safety through physical distancing and the wearing of masks or face coverings that cover the mouth and nose.

Access to Campus

• Access to the campus by students will be made available only for pre-approved courses and by appointment only for registration assistance and testing
• The College will not be open to the general public.
• Courses that have been pre-approved to begin on July 6 as on-campus instruction include the following:
  • Designated Allied Health courses for both credit and non-credit Instruction.
  • Designated Technology courses.
  • Motorcycle Safety Courses will be held outside on campus.
• Testing for students, by appointment only, will be coordinated as follows:
  • Testing Center – by appointment only for proprietary test proctoring. Faculty will continue to conduct their own course test proctoring.
  • Adult Education Testing coordinated by Continuing Education and Training.
• Campus Police, IT, and Facilities will be on campus to provide support.

Hours of Operations will change from week to week based on required course offerings. 

• Testing Center hours and Adult Education hours will be allowed within the approved operating schedule.
• Designated staff will be allowed to schedule appointments with students, as needed, within the approved operating schedule.

Access to College Facilities

• All individuals authorized to come to campus will enter through the T Building Entrance.
• Those in need of handicapped parking spaces should park in front of the T Building.
• All entrants to the campus must have a personal mask or cloth face covering which covers the mouth and nose and meets CDC guidelines.
• Physical distancing requirements will be adhered to and are based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Screening Procedures

• All staff and students will be subject to a no contact thermometer reading to assure they do not have a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher.
• Entrance will be set up to accommodate confidentiality as much as is feasible with respect to the numbers of people needing to enter the building.  Anyone who feels the need for a private screening can request to step out of line to a private area. This may delay the timeliness with which they are able to enter the building.
• If a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher is detected, the individual will be offered an oral temperature screening in an isolated room to protect privacy.
• If a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher is detected with the oral screening and/or other risk factors are reported, the individual will be asked to leave the facility. They will also be giving an instruction sheet on recommendations to follow before they will be permitted to return to campus.

Safety Precautions

• All faculty, staff and students will be required to wear a face mask or cloth face covering which covers the mouth and nose, in line with CDC recommendations.
• All faculty, staff and students will also wear the additional appropriate protective equipment required as a previous standard practice defined for each specific lab session.
• Hand washing/sanitizing protocols should be followed by everyone each time they enter a classroom or Lab.
• All standard safety procedures associated with lab activities will continue to be followed.
• Protocols for removing face masks, or other protective equipment, at any time will be established and communicated by the instructor for each course. 
• At the conclusion of instructional activities, instructional faculty, staff, and students will follow standard cleaning procedures using provided, approved sanitizers.
• Each lab session will be designed to promote six feet of physical distancing recommendations.
• Instructors will be requested to dismiss students from the classrooms 1-2 at a time with 30-45 seconds between them, to reinforce physical distancing in the hallways.

Cleaning

Facilities staff will thoroughly clean all instructional spaces and common areas used each evening.

Designated COVID-19 Point of Contact

In the event a student has been exposed to COIVD-19, please contact Trish Carroll, Chief Communications Officer, at pcarroll@carrollcc.edu. All follow-up communication will be limited to a need to know basis. 

Dear Carroll Students,
 
As we approach the end of the Spring semester, I hope all of you and your families continue to remain safe and well. I write to update the College community regarding operations for the Summer and possible dates for reopening campus.  Please review this important information in its entirety. 

This announcement rescinds the prior announcement that Carroll Community College will reopen operations on campus as of May 26, 2020. Instead, all College facilities will remain closed and all operations will continue to be delivered remotely until conditions allow otherwise.  

Future re-evaluation of resuming campus operations, including instruction, will be made in conjunction with the Carroll County Health Department and in compliance with Governor Hogan’s ‘Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery’. All decisions will be made with student and employee safety as our top priority.

Please see the details below:

Summer Classes: 

1. Summer Credit Sessions 1-3 will remain fully online.
2. Credit Summer Session 4 and non-credit classes that begin on July 6 (or later during Summer semester) will remain fully online or mostly online. If able to do so based on changes in State/County restrictions, the College will consider holding limited face-to-face instruction on campus for classes that require hands-on learning. Safety measures including physical distancing practices will be maintained. A final decision will be communicated no later than Friday, June 15.
3. Most CET career training will continue to be held online, only a few programs requiring hands-on skills training will be postponed per item 2 above.  
4. Adult Education (GED Prep and ESOL) will continue to be held online. 
5. Motorcycle Safety has been cancelled for June.  Decisions regarding July classes will be made on June 1, and decisions regarding August classes will be made on July 1.
6. Personal enrichment classes will be delivered online if conducive to the online format. Those that are not will be cancelled.

Operations:

1. College facilities will remain closed through Sunday, July 5. If deemed safe, we will begin a phased transition to resuming campus operations on Monday, July 6, 2020. Confirmation of reopening, or any change in re-entry date will be communicated by Friday, June 15, 2020.
2. Strict adherence to physical distancing and other increased safety measures will be required of anyone on campus until further notice.
3. Individuals who are considered higher risk may continue to learn and work remotely until it is deemed safe for these individuals to return as determined by the Carroll County Health Department and the Maryland State Department of Health. If you believe you are high risk, please talk with your advisor and or supervisor.  
4. All on campus events are canceled through July 6, 2020.
5. The Child Care Center, Café, Bookstore, Gym and Fitness will remain closed through July 5 at a minimum.

Kids@Carroll+Teen College: 

1. All June camps scheduled to take place on campus have been canceled.
2. New online camps have been added to the schedule for June 22-July 3.
3. If possible, camps scheduled to be on campus during July and August will meet as scheduled; however, final decisions for July camps will be made no later than June 1, and final decisions for  August camps will be made no later than July 1.  
4. A complete list of camps can be found at: www.carrollcc.edu/CETregistration

I wish all moms a very happy Mother’s Day!  And, I thank you once again for your continued patience and flexibility as we navigate this unprecedented time. I will communicate as additional decisions are made.
 
Dr. James D. Ball
President, Carroll Community College

We miss seeing you all on campus and hope everyone is adjusting well to remote learning for the balance of Spring Term.  We are also sure you may have several questions regarding your current and future course materials, so we have compiled the list below to assist you. 

Spring 2020 Term:

1. Textbook Rental Return deadline is Saturday, May 23.
2. Follett is providing FREE shipping to return your course materials.  The shipping labels can be found online https://www.bkstr.com/carrollccstore/home or via the email you will receive directly from Follett regarding your Rental items.
3. We are also offering “Drive Thru” Rental Returns and Book Buy Backs during the week of Monday, May 18 – Friday, May 22, from 12 Noon – 4pm each day!

• Customers will drive around to the rear of the A Building, following the map below, and remain in their vehicles. (Campus Police will be onsite to direct traffic)
• Customers are asked to wear a protective face covering while in the process of the returns/buy backs.
• From your vehicle, Rental materials and/or Buyback Books will be given to Bookstore and College staff who will observe social distancing safety precautions.
• Reservation times are not available, all customer transactions will be processed on a drive-in, first come, first served basis.
• *Note: Book Buyback prices are not guaranteed and are subject to the demand/need determined by individual title.

Summer 2020 / Fall 2020 Terms:

1. Summer Term 1 begins Monday, June 1.
2. Fall Term begins Monday, August 31.
3. Course materials can be ordered in advance, online, https://www.bkstr.com/carrollccstore/home with FREE shipping direct to your home!
4. Financial Aid may be used as a payment option when ordering online.  (For questions regarding Bookstore vouchers, please contact Financial Aid directly, 410-386-8437.)

All questions and concerns can be sent to us directly:

Bookstore@CarrollCC.edu

410-386-8447, option 2, to leave a voice mail

We value your business and are here to answer any questions and assist in whatever ways are possible to help you continue to be successful in your courses!

Stay safe, and be well,

Maria M. Jefferson, Bookstore Manager
Follett / Carroll Bookstore
410-386-8447, option 2
Bookstore@CarrollCC.edu
https://www.bkstr.com/carrollccstore/home
https://www.carrollcc.edu/About/On-Campus/College-Bookstore/  

FROM:  Rosalie Mince, Ph.D., Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Dear Carroll Students,

I hope that after three weeks of fully online instruction, you have become accustomed to the change in course format and are successful with your studies. Several students have inquired recently about whether Carroll is going to allow students to select Pass Grades in lieu of letter grades for Spring 2020. You have no doubt heard that some four-year institutions, including McDaniel College, Towson University, University of Maryland, College Park, and the other University System of Maryland (USM) schools (Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Frostburg State University, Salisbury University, University of Baltimore, University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore) are temporarily allowing students to select pass/fail grades. Carroll Community College has made the decision not to offer the same option.

There are many reasons for this decision; foremost among them is that the option of pass/fail grades is not in students’ best long-term interests. Most other Maryland Community Colleges concur. The institutions that are allowing students to select pass/fail grades do not do so during normal circumstances. They are making this exception because they were forced to very quickly convert to a fully online learning environment. Carroll has the tools to provide high quality online learning and accurately assess students’ learning, so adhering to our current grading practice is the right decision for our students.  The consequences of having a pass/fail grade on your permanent transcript can be particularly problematic if you plan to transfer to a four-year institution, which most of our students plan to do.

We know that some Carroll students do not have an ideal learning environment or reliable internet access at home and many are struggling with other significant challenges due to the COVID-19 virus and other life events. However, the overwhelming majority of students have been able to successfully progress, and we are confident that the number of students who can pass their courses with a letter grade of C or better will be very similar to past semesters.  

Carroll faculty and staff stand ready to support all of our students. Our top priority is your success. If you are struggling with your course work, I urge you to email your professor and take full advantage of the multitude of services we offer, including online tutoring and virtual advising appointments. To access these service and more please visit: https://www.carrollcc.edu/Student-Life/COVID-19-Resources/Credit-Student-Resources/

As always, students who have exceptional circumstances can seek advice, support, and guidance from the Advising Office, and students who believe they have justification to do so can appeal their grades to the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Kristie Crumley.  We are always available to work with students individually, which is a better solution than offering an option that students may select without understanding all of the potential negative ramifications of a pass grade versus a letter grade.

While the ability to elect a pass grade versus a letter grade may sound like a great way to alleviate the stress associated with striving for a grade higher than a C, doing so comes with some risks, which we want to help you avoid.  Below is an excerpt from the official letter from the University System of Maryland (USM), March 30, 2020, about pass grades:

“I am especially concerned about the long-term academic consequences of these events for our students as we find ourselves choosing among “the lesser of all evils” when it comes to creating optimally effective learning environments and assessment of learning outcomes…

Item 5.  The USM institutions reserve the right to require additional, diagnostic evaluations of students’ preparedness before placing them in certain, upper-level courses.

Item 6.  This arrangement will be reconsidered in the Fall of 2020 for extended use if the public health crisis has not ended.”

This language makes it clear that the USM schools do not look favorably on pass grades, that they are only allowing them for a short period of time, and that they reserve the right to make students prove their mastery of course content prior to allowing them to register for certain classes.  These are risks that we do not advise you to take.  It is especially important to show your mastery with a letter grade if you want to apply for any type of selective admissions program and if the courses you are taking are prerequisites for other courses. One student that I spoke with told me that the graduate schools she applied to would not accept a pass grade and that if an application with a pass grade was compared to another person’s that had a letter grade, the person with the letter grade would definitely be the one selected.

If you have read the instructions from four-year schools that are allowing their students to opt for pass grades, you saw that there were warnings to students about the downsides of pass grades, such as:  some pass grades do not count towards graduation, some do not fulfill requirements for specific program majors, and some accredited and accelerated programs of study do not allow pass grades.  In addition, pass grades are not calculated into semester or cumulative GPAs (grade point averages), and only courses that have a letter grade can be counted towards Dean’s list and other honors.

These problems are exacerbated for Community College students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution. The bottom line is that a pass grade will likely be assumed to be a low C. If you can earn a higher grade, you are much better served by having that letter grade on your transcript. If you do not believe that you can earn a C or higher, you should make an appointment with the Academic Center to seek support, and speak with your Advisor as soon as possible. Your success at Carroll, and beyond, is our foremost consideration. 

Sincerely,
Rosalie Mince, Ph.D.
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Welcome Back Email to Credit Students - Sent 3/30/2020

Dear Students,

Welcome back to our virtual campus! Faculty and staff at Carroll Community College stand ready to support you through this challenging time.  We have the utmost confidence in your ability to succeed this semester. We’re going to send you an email every Monday, to update you on resources and opportunities for you. Future emails will be through the Carroll Claw from News@carrollcc.edu.

Student Affairs offices will be open virtually from 8:30 am-4:30 pm Monday through Friday via email and phone.

Student Affairs includes the Admissions, Advising, Career & Transfer, Disability Support Services, Financial Aid, Records & Registration, Testing Center, and Student Life Offices. Please note the email addresses and preferred phone numbers below.  If you don’t get an immediate answer when you call, leave a voicemail message--you’ll receive a response within 24 hours. Voicemail messages are immediately emailed to us.

Additionally, tutoring services are still available in an online format. You received an email from Marsha Nusbaum on Friday, 3/27/20. Please refer to that email for details, or email her at MNusbaum@carrollcc.edu

Advising and Transfer Office - Advisors will meet with students virtually to create and review academic plans, plan and schedule summer and fall classes, and answer questions regarding advising, transfer and career. Students should contact their advisor to set up an appointment. Check Starfish for your advisor’s direct contact information.
** Phone number: 410-386-8435; Email: Advise@carrollcc.edu

Disability Support Services Office - If your learning is directly impacted by a physical or mental health condition, even in an online learning format, either currently or AT ANY POINT moving forward, you may be eligible for accommodations through our office.  Students already working with our office can expect to be contacted directly with updates from disabilitysupport@carrollcc.edu in the near future and throughout the semester.
**Phone number: 410-386-8329; Email: disabilitysupport@carrollcc.edu; Web: https://www.carrollcc.edu/disability

Financial Aid Office - The office is open virtually for all Financial Aid services.
You may also login to your Lynx portal at https://www.carrollcc.edu/MyCarroll/ to view, track, and identify what documents have been received and are missing to complete the financial aid process.
**Phone number: 410-386-8437; Email: financialaid@carrollcc.edu

Admissions Office- Admissions Counselors are available to assist students daily. A ‘Real-Time chat’ and appointments are available. Please call or email to schedule.
**Phone: 410-386-8430; Email: admissions@carrollcc.edu

Career Development Center - Career Counselors are available to review resumes and provide career assistance virtually during this time of online instruction. Call or email to schedule.
**Phone: 410-386-8523; Email:  careerdevelopment@carrollcc.edu; Web https://www.carrollcc.edu/My-Carroll/Career-Development/

Student Life Office - There will be online engagement activities that you can access through the Student Life Blackboard page. Clubs will also post information to their Blackboard pages. Stayed tuned for more information about the Leadership Challenge, Student Government elections, the club budget process Lynx-to-Lynx mentoring program, and our Leadership Banquet!

Stay connected on the Student Life Blackboard page (in Bb, go to My Carroll, then find Student Life in the Organizations list) and follow us @CarrollCCStudentLife on Instagram for information, tips, and contests for students.
**Phone: 410-386-8500; Email: studentlife@carrollcc.edu.

Records Office - Evaluation of incoming transcripts and facilitation of outgoing transcripts will continue this spring. Visit www.carrollcc.edu/transcript for directions. Current Carroll students should log in through the Lynx Portal and click on Request an Official Transcript. Any student can go directly to the Parchment website and create a Parchment account to send official documents.
**Phone: 410-386-8440; Email: Records@carrollcc.edu

 

Technology - As the college begins using online instruction and remote work, the IT Team will be providing support using standard office hours:

IT Help Desk: 7:30am - 9:00pm (Monday -Thursday) and 7:30am - 4:30pm (Friday)

Students should email ITHelpdesk@carrollcc.edu for assistance.

All students are automatically enrolled in our Teams software. To access Teams, please go to https://www.carrollcc.edu/mycarroll/ and click to go into Office 365 and log in.
You’ll see Teams (purple icon) as one of your Office 365 software choices.

The IT Team will support all college licensed products.
Please note: We recognize that some faculty might have chosen to use other software under these extraordinary circumstances, but IT is not prepared to support unlicensed applications.

 

If you’re in need of internet, check out the resources that we’ve found so far https://www.carrollcc.edu/Student-Life/COVID-19-Resources/Free-Internet-Resources/. We’ll update this page as new resources become available.

COVID-19 Update #7 - 3/26/2020

Continuing Education and Training Registration and Contact Information 

Online registration for Continuing Education and Training classes including Summer! Kids + Teens @ Carroll, is available 24/7 at https://www.carrollcc.edu/CETregistration

Inquiries about a particular class can be emailed to cet@carrollcc.edu

Student support services such as tuition assistance/scholarships, assistance with career choices, and specific career training program questions can be emailed to blee@carrollcc.edu. Phone advising will be available by appointment only between 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. beginning Monday, March 30. To request an appointment, email our Manager of Student Support Service, Beth Lee at blee@carrollcc.edu. 

For more information: 

• March 21 update for CET Students (PDF)
• March 21 updated for CET Adjunct Faculty (PDF)

COVID-19 Update #6 - sent 3/20/2020

Dear Students,

On March 19, 2020, Governor Hogan issued several new Emergency Orders that impact higher education. He issued directives to limit public gatherings to 10 people; and, he asked the University System of Maryland (USM) institutions to remain in remote status through the remainder of the semester. With that directive to USM institutions, the responsible action we at Carroll must now take is to comply with his intent.

Faculty and staff are prepared to launch online instruction and remote services effective Monday, March 30 until the end of spring semester, May 22. All College facilities will also be closed as of March 30.

Our Goals:

1.    Comply with the Governor’s directives as issued yesterday and with any changes that may occur in weeks to come.

2.    Avoid exposing students and employees to COVID-19.

3.    Maintain continuity of instruction and provide student support services in remote format through the end of the Spring semester.

4.    Assure that students have all necessary resources to accomplish their semester goals and classes remotely.

5.    Do everything possible to maintain student attendance and completion this semester.

6.    Preserve student momentum toward degree completion and retain all students heading into Summer and Fall semesters.

 Our Commitment to You:

1. All Student Services are ready to launch remote resources beginning on Monday, March, 30. You will receive an email outlining how to connect with these resources on that date. These resources will include online Tutoring, Advising, Career Development, Financial Aid, Records, Student Life, Disability Support Services, Veterans Resources, and even online Library support.
2. We would like to know if there are any students who do not have access to a computer or tablet, or internet service at home. If you are in need of a device or internet service, please fill out the brief survey at this link immediately.  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TechneedsSpring2020
3. If your learning is directly impacted by a physical or mental health condition, even in an online learning format, either currently or AT ANY POINT moving forward, you may be eligible for accommodations through our Disability Support Services Office. Please email Joe Tatela jtatela@carrollcc.edu or Kiersten Meyers kmeyers@carrollcc.edu or refer to www.carrollcc.edu/disability for further information.
4. Students already working with the Disability Support Office can expect to be contacted directly with updates from disabilitysupport@carrollcc.edu in the near future and throughout the semester. 
5. We are planning strategies for student engagement with the campus community. Be ready for online meetings, chats, resources, and events.  We are all here to support you!

 

Commencement:

1. The Commencement Ceremony at McDaniel is cancelled. The Commencement Planning Team is developing alternative ways to celebrate. We will communicate those plans to you when they are finalized.

More will be communicated to you by your instructors. I ask for your creativity and your positive spirit as we navigate the rest of the semester together. While this is indeed a challenging time for us all, I feel very strongly that we’ve got this!

So, “Stay Calm and Thrive On”

Thank you,

Jim Ball

President, Carroll Community College

COVID-19 Update #5 - sent 3/16/2020

Dear Students,

As you know, the COVID-19 virus continues to evolve and new decisions are being made as we become aware of Maryland and County mandates. Governor Hogan held a press conference earlier today with several new directives. His comments were streamed online.

To that end, College has made the following decisions:

1. The College facilities will now officially close at Noon on Tuesday, March 17.
2. The College plans to reopen on Monday, March 30, this includes the launch of online instruction and support services for all credit and non-credit students.  The College may have to revisit this date based on emerging conditions in the region.                                                                                                                                                                      
3. The facilities team has already begun a deep clean of classrooms. Offices and common areas will be thoroughly cleaned tomorrow through Wednesday. A separate College-wide email will be sent out with additional information.
4. All on campus and off campus College events will be canceled effective immediately through May 15^th. The College will revisit extending this based on emerging conditions in the region. 

Dr. James D. Ball
President

COVID-19 Update #4 - sent 3/13/2020

Dear Students,

The fluid nature of the COVID-19 Pandemic has once again become more turbulent. Governor Hogan announced yesterday that an individual in Prince George’s County contracted the virus through “community transmission” or no directly known source of exposure. As a result, Governor Hogan moved alert status to its highest level, and he issued several Executive Orders to delimit public exposure to the virus. Among those orders, all Maryland Public Schools Pre-K-12 will close Monday, March 16 through March 27, 2020.  

To stay in concert with the State’s effort to take stronger measures to delimit exposure to the virus, Carroll Community College will:

Credit Students: 

• Close for Spring Break for Students Monday, March 16 through Sunday, March 29, 2020.  

• All classes will resume in remote online learning beginning Monday, March 30 and will continue through April 12. The College reserves the right to extend online learning past this date if conditions warrant. We will communicate any changes in advance. 

• Beginning March 30, the College will be open to students 8:30 am to 7:00 pm to if they prefer to access student support services on campus. All services including the testing center, open computer labs, the library, business office, tutoring etc. will be available on campus and remotely.

• Off-site clinical and internship learning will continue as scheduled, unless students are contacted by their instructor with alternative arrangements.
• Credit Students enrolled in 7 week (Spring 2) courses need to follow the directives provided by their instructors via email since guidelines for next week are different. 
• Please note All Travelers information at the bottom of this message.  
• Student and employees will practice appropriate social distancing while on campus until further notice.
• This is an evolving situation, please check your emails and Blackboard/Canvas often including over Spring Break.

Continuing Education Students:  

• Close for Spring Break for Continuing Education Students Monday, March 16 through Sunday, March 29, 2020.  

• Beginning March 30 through April 12 some Career Training classes may move to an online format. Classes that are not able to move to an online format will be rescheduled. Students will be contacted via email with additional details. 
• Personal Enrichment/Lifelong Learning classes will be canceled Monday, March 16 through April 12. Classes will be rescheduled.  
• Contract training clients will be contacted regarding alternative arrangements.  

• Non-credit ESOL and GED classes will not meet from March 16 through April 12. Make-up sessions will be scheduled; those students will be contacted via email with additional details. 
• Please note All Travelers information at the bottom of this message.  
• Student and employees will practice appropriate social distancing while on campus until further notice.
• This is an evolving situation, please check your emails often including over Spring Break.

Faculty and Staff:  

• College operations will continue through 4:30 pm on Wednesday, March 18, so that employees can finalize preparations for remote operations. All employees will observe appropriate social distancing while on campus.  

• Employees will be on Spring Break and the College will be closed, Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 29 as scheduled. 
• Employees will return to campus to work their normal schedule beginning Monday, March 30. The possibility for teleworking is under review. Additional information and direction will be forthcoming to all staff. 
• Please note All Travelers information at the bottom of this message.  
• Student and employees will practice appropriate social distancing while on campus until further notice.
• This is an evolving situation, please check your emails often including over Spring Break.
• Further guidance and information for employees is forthcoming.

Events:  

• All College related events, on and off campus, in March are canceled. Events scheduled in April and May are being evaluated. Decisions will be forthcoming.

All Travelers: 

• Per recently revised CDC guidelines any employees returning from a country designated by the State Department Travel Advisory as Level 2, 3, or 4 because of COVID-19 will be expected to self-quarantine off-campus for a 14-day period. Please contact your area Vice President for further direction. The State Department Level designations are subject to change so please be mindful of all personal travel. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/locations-confirmed-cases.html 

• If you have traveled to Washington State, California, or New York since February 26^th or plan to travel to these highly impacted areas of the U.S., please contact your area Vice President to determine if upon return you should consider self-quarantine for 14 days. 

• We also recommend you view the CDC Travel Guidelines and risk assessment for locations in and outside the United States. For more information https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html. 

We are all dealing with an unprecedented situation. We appreciate your patience and flexibility. Your safety and well-being remain our top priority. For additional information and updates, visit https://www.carrollcc.edu/covid-19/.

   

Dr. James D. Ball
President

Important Message from Carroll Community College, COVID-19 Update #3 NEW DECISIONS MADE - sent 3/12/2020

Dear Students, 

Carroll Community College remains fully committed to keeping our students, employees and visitors safe and healthy. The College takes this responsibility seriously and has already taken several measures to minimize the risk of exposure. To date our efforts and decisions have included close coordination with the Carroll County Health Department who has reported there are no known cases of COVID-19 in Carroll County or at the College. 

While this continues to be an evolving situation, the College has decided the following:

Credit Students:

1. College instruction will continue in its current format through Wednesday, March 18.
2. All classes will be canceled Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20.
3. Spring Break for students is now Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 29.
4. All classes will move to online learning beginning Monday, March 30 and will continue through April 12. The College reserves the right to extend online learning and will communicate any changes in advance.
5. As of March 30 when instruction resumes in an online format, the College will be open to provide all student support services as well as the testing center, open computer labs, the library, business office, etc.
6. Off-site clinicals and internships will continue as scheduled, unless students are contacted by their instructor with alternative arrangements. 
   

Continuing Education Students:

1. College instruction will continue in its current format through Wednesday, March 18.
2. All classes will be canceled Thursday, March 19 through Saturday, March 21.
3. Spring Break for students is now Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 29.
4. Career Training classes may move to an online format following Spring Break. Classes that are not able to move to an online format will be rescheduled. Students will be contacted via email with additional details.
5. Personal Enrichment/Lifelong Learning classes will be canceled March 19 through April 12. Classes will be rescheduled.
6. Contract training clients will be contacted regarding alternative arrangements.
7. Non-credit ESOL and GED classes will not meet from March 19 through April 12. Make-up sessions will be scheduled; those students will be contacted via email with additional details. 

Faculty and Staff:

1. Though classes will be canceled on Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20, College operations will continue through Friday, March 20 so that employees can finalize preparations for fully online delivery of instruction.
2. Employees will be on Spring Break, Monday, March 23 through Sunday, March 29 as scheduled.
3. All employees will return to campus to work their normal schedule beginning Monday, March 30. The possibility for teleworking is under review. Additional information and direction will be forthcoming.

Events:

1. All events scheduled in March and April are being evaluated. Decisions will be forthcoming.

All Travelers:

1. Per recently revised CDC guidelines any employees returning from a country designated by the State Department Travel Advisory as Level 2, 3, or 4 because of COVID-19 will be expected to self-quarantine off-campus for a 14-day period. Please contact your area Vice President for further direction. The State Department Level designations are subject to change so please be mindful of all personal travel. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/locations-confirmed-cases.html

2. If you have traveled to Washington State, California, or New York since February 26^th or plan to travel to these highly impacted areas of the U.S., please contact your area Vice President to determine if upon return you should consider self-quarantine for 14 days.
   

3. We also recommend you view the CDC Travel Guidelines and risk assessment for locations in and outside the United States. For more information https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html.

The College will continue to closely monitor the evolving COVID-19 health crisis along with the Carroll County Health Department. The conditions are changing rapidly so we will continue to evaluate the situation daily. All future decisions will be communicated as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and flexibility during this challenging time.

James D.Ball
President

Important Message from Carroll Community College, COVID-19 Update #2 - sent 3/11/2020

Dear Students, 

As you know the COVID-19 virus is a very fluid situation that requires our procedures to align with recommendations of public health experts in response to on-going developments. The safety, health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff remain our top priority. Amid a flurry of COVID-19 virus responses by other higher education institutions across the State, I write to provide an update to Carroll students. The College remains fully operational and all classes are proceeding as scheduled. In close coordination with our community partners, we are taking the following actions:

1. Although there are no reported COVID-19 cases in Carroll County, out of an abundance of caution the College may ask a student, faculty or staff member to self-quarantine to minimize risk to the College community. The following decisions have been made:
   • Based on Governor Hogan’s decision to move Maryland to Level II - Flexible Operations to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and to cancel out of state travel for all state employees, Carroll Community College has decided to follow the State’s directive to cancel all student out-of-state trips organized by the College effective close of business Friday, March 13th through April 30th. Students who have paid for a trip will be reimbursed in the manner in which they paid. More information will be sent to those students.
   • The College is evaluating all scheduled events being held at the College during March, April and May. Any change to an event will be communicated as soon as possible.
   • Per recently revised CDC guidelines any students returning from a country designated by the State Department Travel Advisory as Level 2, 3, or 4 because of COVID-19 will be expected to self-quarantine off-campus for a 14-day period. Please contact the College’s Dean of Students at studentaffairs@carrollcc.edu for further direction. The State Department Level designations are subject to change so please be mindful of all personal travel. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/locations-confirmed-cases.html
   • If you have traveled to Washington State, California, or New York since February 26th or plan to travel to these highly impacted areas of the U.S., please contact the College’s Dean of Students at studentaffairs@carrollcc.edu to determine if you should consider self-quarantine for 14 days upon your return.
   • We also recommend you view the CDC Travel Guidelines and risk assessment for locations in and outside the United States. For more information https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html
2. The Carroll County Health Department has opened a call center to answer all COVID-19 questions. The line will be staffed M-F from 8 am-5 pm. After hours, individuals can leave a message and calls will be returned. The Hot Line can be reach by calling 410-876-4848.
3. Should you or a family member have symptoms including fever, cough or difficulty breathing, you should seek treatment at your health care provider’s office or an urgent care center where you will likely encounter fewer people and thus reduce the chance of transmission. If you are experiencing an emergency and call 911, please alert them of the possible exposure to COVID-19.  If you are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days please contact the College’s Dean of Students at studentaffairs@carrollcc.edu.
4. As a general reminder, if you are feeling ill, let your instructor know and you should remain home until fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
5. We continue to recommend that students “buddy up” with someone in class with whom they can share notes and communicate in the event that one or the other is absent from class.

As new information becomes available from our County partners, State government and other educational institutions, I will send out another update. The College is currently discussing our operational and instructional plans for after Spring Break. I will provide an update on those matters as decisions are made but at this time all students should plan for classes to continue as scheduled either in person or online. Please check your College email regularly for updates. If you have additional questions, please contact the College’s Dean of Students at studentaffairs@carrollcc.edu.

James D. Ball
President

Important Message from Carroll Community College #1 - Sent 3/4/2020

Dear Students,

As I know you are aware, the nation is gearing up for a possible health crisis.  Carroll Community College (Carroll) is monitoring this situation carefully with the help of information provided by the Carroll County Health Department (CCHD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO).  In compliance with State requests, Carroll has updated its emergency plan in case the situation becomes more dire in the region. Should there be an extensive number of reported illnesses, health officials may require that we significantly alter access to campus to prevent the spread of the virus or close the College for a period of time. Should either of these requests happen, the College will move credit instruction to a fully online delivery mode.  Faculty members are currently preparing their course sites on Blackboard or Canvas, to accommodate fully online delivery as a contingency.  If missed instructional time cannot be accommodated via online instruction, we may need to extend the semester through final exams week, as Carroll has done in the past in similar situations. Additionally, we may need to decrease the transition time in between classes by 5 minutes to extend teaching time. Such decisions will be carefully thought out and communicated. 

Further, students, faculty, and staff are asked to carefully assess their own health. The College advises everyone to stay at home when they are sick, especially if they have a fever.  We require you to be fever free without the use of medication for 24-48 hours before you return to campus. We realize that asking you to stay home if you are unwell could have a large impact on learning course material.  We recommend that students “buddy up” with someone in class with whom they can share notes and communicate in the event that one or the other is absent from class.  We suggest that if you need to miss class for illness that you stay in communication with your instructor. As is always the case, you can use our available resources on campus (office/student hours with your instructor, tutoring in the Academic Center) when you return to campus.  Faculty and staff will remain flexible throughout this time and will communicate any special instructions regarding classes as the need arises. Please monitor your College email often from now until the end of the semester.

Our hope is that this situation does not become a crisis.  We always put the health and wellness of our students, faculty and staff above all else.  The best precautions include washing your hands frequently and avoiding others who are ill, whenever possible.

We will continue to keep you informed as we know more. Thank you for your cooperation.

James D. Ball
President

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information

• Vaccination Information
  
• Carroll County Health Dept.
  
• COVID-19 Testing
• coronavirus.maryland.gov
• Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery
  
• Small Business Assistance
• Coronavirus Daily Testing Trends for Each State
• Coronavirus Positivity Rates for Each State
• State Case Rate per 100k
  
• MarylandUnites
  
• Center for Disease Control
• Maryland Dept. Health
• MD Dept. Health FAQ (PDF)

CDC Fact Sheets:

• What You Need to Know about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus
• Stop the Spread of Germs Like Coronavirus and Flu
• Get Your Household Ready for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 

Travel Related Links:

• U.S.
• Global

Information For Carroll Faculty

• Emergency Remote Teaching Guidelines