Virtual Student Services
Each City College will continue to offer many student services virtually via www.ccc.edu/VSS. You can check hours and services on your college’s page.
Now that City Colleges is back on campus, current and future students have two ways to access resources and services.
Student FAQs
- What should students do if they are feeling sick?
- If you are feeling sick, please stay home and contact your instructors. Remember that your first goal should be to return to health. Individuals that test positive for COVID-19 must stay home (except to get medical care) for 10 days since symptoms first appeared and at least 24 hours with no fever and improved symptoms (without use of fever reducing medications). For more information, please refer to the City of Chicago’s COVID-19 website for the latest guidance on what to do if you are sick and managing your health. If you need academic support due to extended absence, please contact your Dean of Student Services.
- You can also utilize the CDC’s COVID-19 self-checker tool.
- What is the CCC protocol if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19?
- In the event an individual that has been on campus tests positive for COVID-19, CCC Security will contact that person and conduct a contact tracing interview to determine if close contact (defined as within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more within a 24 hour period) occurred with other members of the CCC community while the individual was infectious. If close contacts are identified, they are contacted by CCC Security and provided quarantine guidance (while also maintaining the privacy of the infected individual). Security will also inform HR or Student Services of quarantines to ensure appropriate work arrangements, leave or academic support are provided. Affected areas are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
- What is the process for COVID-19 testing?
- Individuals that are participating in on-campus work or learning that are not vaccinated are required to get tested for COVID-19 once per week. The testing schedule varies by college and can be viewed at ccc.edu/testing.
- Where can I get vaccinated?
- The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated. Please use the City of Chicago Vaccine Finder to find a convenient vaccination option for you. You may also call the City of Chicago helpline at 312-746-4835 for additional assistance.
- When do I need to wear a mask?
- For the time being, all persons must continue to wear masks when entering and exiting CCC buildings, in all common areas, including lobbies, elevators, hallways, and restrooms, and when people cannot maintain six feet of distance. Unvaccinated persons should wear a face covering at all times. Our Security teams will continue to maintain a stock of disposable masks at facility entrances for individuals that may have forgotten to bring their own and need one for the day.
- What are the current cleaning protocols?
- Classrooms and conference rooms that are in use will be cleaned and disinfected a minimum of once per day. High-traffic areas may have additional cleaning as determined by each college. In the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case on campus, affected areas are cleaned and disinfected thoroughly in accordance with CDC guidelines.
- What has been done to address air quality and filtration?
- All CCC facilities’ HVAC systems are put into operation an hour before occupancy and are run for an additional air exchange after occupancy. We follow the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) guidance on air exchanges per hour (target goal is two air exchanges per hour). CCC systems use a variety of different filters across the district, each with its own specifications and requirements to match the manufacturer recommendations for the equipment. Outside air and return air are filtered before being supplied to public areas. We have increased outside flow and enhanced filtration to keep impurities out of the air at a higher efficiency down to the micron level.
- You can watch this video to learn more.
- When should an individual quarantine?
- If you have been mandated to quarantine due to exposure to a person that has tested positive for COVID-19 or have tested positive yourself for COVID-19, stay at home and contact your Dean of Student Services and supply them with contact information to call you back. Also, please consult with your medical provider and obtain a COVID-19 test.
- If you have been in close contact with a person with COVID-19 and are fully vaccinated, you do not need to quarantine as long as you remain asymptomatic. If you are not fully vaccinated, please contact your Dean of Student Services and supply them with contact information to call you back. We will discuss your specific situation to determine steps going forward.
- You can also utilize the CDC’s COVID-19 self-checker tool.
- Can I travel? If I do travel, do I have to quarantine?
- All CCC students, faculty, and staff should abide by the latest guidance from the City of Chicago’s Department of Public Health (CDPH), which can be viewed here. The CDPH updates the guidance regularly in response to COVID-19 metrics. Individuals are responsible for understanding the current status of the guidance in relation to their own personal travel and must be abide by that status upon their return.