Guidance on COVID-19 Executive Order No. 8

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Dear CCC Community:

City Colleges continues to move to remote learning, and that move is consistent with the state’s new executive order found here.

As you know, we are working quickly to transition to remote learning, and we will continue to work to decrease the number of essential workers needed to make this transition.

All City Colleges facilities are closed to the public, including students.  With the exception of essential staff, no faculty or staff are permitted to work on campus through, at least, April 20.  Currently, essential staff has been identified as: engineers, janitors, security, IT personnel, mailroom/central stores personnel, accounts payable, treasury and other key administrators.  Everyone else is working remotely.

As a reminder, no classes will be held in-person through April 20th.  No student services will be offered in-person through April 20th.  Instead, starting Monday, March 23rd, classes will be delivered remotely online, with the exception of the classes on pause. A list of credit classes on pause can be found here.  For classes on pause, an instructor will reach out to students with more information.  Free adult education classes (GED, ESL, and adult basic education classes) were on pause until March 30th, per the Illinois Community College Board and will remain so until further notice. Most student services will be available remotely online, with more information to come.

Spring Break will be held the week of April 6th, as originally scheduled.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility in this rapidly changing situation.

Chancellor Salgado & Provost Potter

IMPORTANT: Summary of City Colleges Class & Operational Status

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Students, Faculty and Staff:

To ensure there is no confusion, we would like to reiterate the following:

1. No classes will be held in-person through April 20th. No student services will be offered in-person through April 20th. With the exception of classes on pause, which can be found here, classes will be delivered remotely online. For classes on pause, an instructor will reach out to you with more information. Adult education classes (GED, ESL, adult basic education) remain on pause until March 30th, per the Illinois Community College Board. Most student services will be available remotely online, with more information to come.

2. With the exception of essential staff, no faculty or staff will be permitted to work on campus through, at least, April 20. Currently, essential staff has been identified as: engineers, janitors, security, IT personnel, mailroom/central stores personnel, accounts payable, treasury and other key administrators. Everyone else is working remotely.

3. Spring Break will be held the week of April 6th, as originally scheduled

Please continue to consult www.ccc.edu/coronavirus for updates. We look forward to starting remote credit classes this Monday.

Thank you,

Juan Salgado
Chancellor

Mark Potter
Provost

Protect your work and personal assets from hackers

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Dear CCC Community:

Global events such as COVID-19 make all of us attractive targets for cybercriminals. Cyber actors may send emails with malicious attachments or links to fraudulent websites to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or donating to fraudulent charities or causes.

There has been a significant increase in phishing emails and new scams which are meant to take advantage of employees or students who are concerned about their health and safety during this challenging time.

City Colleges’ Office of Information Technology encourages individuals to remain vigilant and to take the following precautions:
• Do not give away your password to anybody! Our IT team can help you reset your password, but we shouldn’t know what it is.
• Do not reveal personal or financial information in email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information.
• Do not click on unexpected links or attachments in email. If in doubt, before you click, forward those emails to infosec@ccc.edu to inquire if the message is legitimate.
• Use trusted sources—such as CCC’s website https://prepare.ccc.edu
Your IT support team, similar to other service providers like Microsoft, Apple or your bank, will not call or contact you unless you requested help.

Stay safe,
Jerrold
Jerrold Martin | Chief Information Officer
City Colleges of Chicago

Moving to Remote Learning Next Week: An Update from Chancellor Salgado & Provost Potter

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Dear CCC Community:

We are working to move to remote learning next week.

Starting March 23rd, all credit classes, with the exception of lab and applied learning courses, will move to remote learning and will remain on remote delivery for the rest of the semester.

Lab and applied learning classes will be delivered remotely for the week of March 23rd, except for those that are listed here. Classes on this list remain on pause, and an instructor will reach out to students to discuss next steps. We ask students in lab courses to please check back daily for updates to this course list.

Faculty involved in remote learning will be working remotely. Other staff will receive further information pursuant to policies set forth for teleworking here.

Free adult education courses (GED, ESL, adult basic education) remain paused through March 30th. More information will be forthcoming for continuing education (non-credit) classes.

CCC faculty, staff and administrators are working diligently to be prepared for remote learning next week and we look forward to interacting with you through our technology tools.

For the latest CCC updates, keep checking your CCC email and www.ccc.edu/coronavirus. If you have general questions or comments, you can reach out to us via covid19@ccc.edu.

Thank you,

Juan Salgado
Chancellor

Mark Potter
Provost

Technology supports for students

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Dear students,

As you know, City Colleges is planning a move to remote learning in response to the coronavirus situation.

In the meantime, below are some resources to help minimize the disruption to your education. You can also see these tools on our updated website: www.ccc.edu/coronavirus.

Technology needs survey
– It is essential that you complete the survey you were sent on Sunday, March 15th about your technology needs.
 The message was sent to your CCC student email with the subject: Important Message from City Colleges: Please tell us your technology needs
– It was sent from this email address: noreply@qemailserver.com

Loaner Laptop Program
– If you have a smartphone, tablet, desktop computer or laptop of your own, you will already be able to access CCC’s tools for online learning such as Brightspace and Zoom.
– CCC is expanding the laptop loaner program. More information about the loaner laptop request process is coming soon.

Internet Access
If you do not have internet access in your home, here are some options:
 – The Chicago Public Library is open. Some public libraries may have WiFi hotspots and Chromebooks available to borrow. You can learn more here.
 – Comcast is doubling internet speeds for free for low-income residents here in Chicago and nationally as more workers are asked to work from home. If you already have Comcast through their Internet Essentials Program, no action is necessary – this will happen automatically.
– New Comcast Internet Essentials customers will receive their first two months of service for free. You can learn more here.

Online Course Tools
– If your classes move online, your professors will be using tools like Zoom and Brightspace. You can prepare by familiarizing yourself with these platforms before remote classes resume on March 23rd:
– To learn more about how to use Zoom and Brightspace, please visit www.ccc.edu/keeplearning.

For the latest CCC updates, keep checking your CCC student email and www.ccc.edu/coronavirus. If you have general questions or comments, you can reach out to us via covid19@ccc.edu, but if you have specific questions about your class, please reach out to your instructor. If you have a health concern, please reach out to your healthcare provider.

Thank you,
City Colleges of Chicago

City Colleges to Close Child Development Lab Centers Starting Wednesday, March 18th

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Effective Wednesday, March 18th until further notice, City Colleges of Chicago’s child development labs (childcare centers) will be closed.

This includes child development lab centers located at: Truman College, Olive-Harvey College, Malcolm X College, Richard J. Daley College, Kennedy-King College.

Thank you,
City Colleges of Chicago

Reminder: All classes are cancelled for this week, except fully online courses; and further details…

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Dear City Colleges students, faculty and staff,

Please remember there will be no City Colleges classes this week, except for fully online courses. If your class is already fully online, it will continue this week as usual.

All advising or testing appointments scheduled for Monday, March 16th should still take place. Students who do not plan to attend Monday appointments should notify their advisor or testing coordinator ASAP. For appointments already scheduled between Tuesday, March 17–Sunday, March 22, an advisor, testing specialist, or instructor will reach out to students to hold appointments remotely or to reschedule.

City Colleges services, including the library, computer labs, cafeterias, wellness centers, food pantries will be closed Monday, March 16–Sunday, March 22. More information will be forthcoming on these services going forward.

Child development labs (day care centers) will be closed starting Wednesday, March 18th.

Per the Illinois Community College Board, free adult education classes (GED, ESL, adult basic education) will not take place from Monday, March 16th — March 30th.

Please note the upcoming academic schedule:
• Monday, March 16 – Sunday, March 22: No City Colleges classes, except for fully online classes.
• Monday, March 23rd: Classes resume (with the exception of adult education classes), but most will be offered remotely (online) until further notice. A list of which classes will be offered online and which will be face-to-face is coming soon.
• Tuesday, March 31: Adult education classes are anticipated to resume.
• April 6th – April 12th: Spring Break as originally scheduled

We know this is a stressful time, but we are continuing to monitor the changing COVID-19 situation and will keep you updated. Be sure to continue checking your CCC student email and www.ccc.edu/coronavirus. Please continue to send questions to covid19@ccc.edu to inform our planning and communications.

Thank you,
City Colleges of Chicago

Guidance to Faculty, Staff, Student Workers on COVID-19 Work Arrangements

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Current City Colleges students: complete this important tech needs survey

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Dear students,

If you are currently taking classes at City Colleges, you have been sent an important student survey about technology. This is important for you to complete as we plan for remote learning in most classes in response to the coronavirus situation.

If you received the following email, please take the survey:

Subject: Important Message from City Colleges: Please tell us your technology needs
Sent from this email address: noreply@qemailserver.com

Thank you,
City Colleges of Chicago

Guidance on Travel, Group Activities, Contact Info Update

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Dear CCC Community:

To ensure the health and safety of the community, under the guidance of Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot, City Colleges of Chicago has prepared restrictions for events, group gatherings and travel. These restrictions are effective immediately.

Guidance on Travel

All Domestic Travel Conducted on Behalf of City Colleges Is Cancelled Through At Least April 12:

All college sanctioned trips outside of Chicago city limits, including sports, are canceled through Spring Break (April 12). Additional guidance will be issued for travel post Spring Break in the upcoming weeks.
For personal domestic travel, employees should closely monitor CDC Travel Guidance for up-to-date travel restrictions and necessary health precautions. There are not currently domestic travel restrictions. However, you may be at higher risk of exposure if you travel to areas that have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks. If you or your travel companion(s) are at higher risk of severe illness, you should avoid all nonessential travel. We urge caution and the exercise of personal judgment. If you return from travel and experience fever and respiratory symptoms, please contact your medical provider immediately.
All international travel on behalf of City Colleges is canceled until further notice.

Guidance on Group Activities

We are limiting group activities and events. Athletics will be suspended until further notice.

All sports, including games and all practices, are cancelled until further notice.

Essential college activities involving students, faculty, and staff can proceed as usual.

Non-essential activities with more than 50 participants must be rescheduled to a later date, held virtually or canceled.

We are limiting visitors to CCC facilities

Colleges must limit any non-essential visitors. Vendors, service providers, and any other essential personnel who are required for the daily functioning of the college can continue to provide services as usual. Colleges must follow the guidance on group gathering restrictions for visitors in all circumstances. CCC staff should only travel between colleges, if essential.

All use of College facilities by external organizations is suspended through April 4 or until further notice.

Rely on trusted information.

As the situation with COVID-19 develops, CCC will continue issuing updates. For the most reliable information about COVID-19, please visit:

Chicago Department of Public Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CCC Updates
Please be assured that if there is a positive case concerning an individual who has entered a City Colleges facility, CDPH will immediately notify us, and City Colleges will immediately reach out to the community with next steps as directed by public health officials.

The best measures you can take at this time is to ensure your emergency contact information is up to date and stay informed about how to keep you and your family healthy. Please refer to the instructions below.

To make sure your contact information is up-to-date:

Students:
Log in to my.ccc.edu
Click on the “Profile” section on your home page
In the left hand column, click on “Contact Details”
There, you will see your email and phone number listed. You can update any information on that page by clicking on what you’d like to change.

Faculty/Staff:
Log in to HR Self-service here.
Click on “Self-service,” then “Personal Information”
Check to see that your phone number(s) and email address(es) are up-to-date. Be sure to click “save” if you make any changes.

Thank you,

City Colleges of Chicago