Merritt College Back to Campus Update
Good evening, Merritt Community:
First, let me begin by saying that I hope that your winter break has been safe and enjoyable. It has been a little while since I have seen most of you so I hope that you are doing well.
I am writing to give you an update regarding our efforts to ensure that you return to a safe and effective working and learning environment. You may have received some of this information from earlier emails or by attending the Safe Peralta Return to Campus Town Hall meeting (Click Here to View). But we want to communicate as frequently and broadly as possible, as we recognize that the concerns are shared, real, and ongoing.
CAMPUS ACCESS:
Merritt College re-opened on Monday, January 3, 2022, with classified professional staff, faculty, students, and managers all being allowed to come to the campus. Those who arrive on-site are expected to check in daily with BrightStar staff members to show proof of their vaccination status (Bright Star is the company that is providing screening services for the District). Heretofore, the BrightStar screeners have been stationed in the lobby of Building L (library). Starting on Monday, January 10th, however, BrightStar personnel will be stationed at four different checkpoints around campus:
Outside of the Child Care Center
Outside of Building D
Outside of Building R
Outside of Building S
Signage is going up throughout the College (parking lots, campus points of entrance, building exteriors) to direct people to check in at one of the four screening areas. Marina Security has been instructed to assist with ensuring that those who arrive on campus go through a screening checkpoint before entering our buildings (we plan to funnel access by designating one point of entrance for each building). We are also working with our Administration of Justice program to employ Student Safety Aides to post outside of buildings throughout campus to confirm that everyone has been screened. Finally, we expect Marina Security and our Student Safety Aides to monitor the screening areas to offer support to BrightStar as needed.
As part of our collective efforts to keep everyone as safe as possible, please adhere with the following guidelines:
Before arriving on campus please perform a daily screening using the Company Nurse website and be prepared to show your device’s green screen to the screeners posted at campus entry points. Please follow all directives and signage regarding ingress and egress for your campus.
If you have not already done so, please also upload your proof of COVID-19 Vaccination to the Company Nurse website prior to returning to campus.
For those who have an approved medical, disability or religious exemption, please note that you are required to submit weekly negative COVID-19 tests. The test results should be uploaded to Company Nurse by Friday of each week. At Merritt College, testing is available every Wednesday from 8am to 12pm in the Huey P. Newton Student Lounge.
All persons are required to always wear a mask over both their nose and mouth while on Peralta property unless you are alone in an office with the door closed, eating and/or drinking. Masks and PPE are available to you upon request made to your supervisor.
Instructions on how to use the Company Nurse website (as well as information and resources regarding the safe return to campus) can be found at the Safe Peralta website.
ON CAMPUS WORKING HOURS FOR CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS:
The Return to Campus notices were sent out to classified professional staff before the break, with Tuesday, January 11, 2022 being the targeted date of return. The set working schedule is Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 9am to 4pm. There will be instances where some classified staff members are adhering to a different scheduled, but those exceptions have been determined on a case-by-case basis. The main goal is to ensure that our students are able to access face-to-face services during these hours of operation (with the ability to access online support throughout the week as well).
VACCINATION POLICY:
Students accessing in-person courses (including hybrid) and face-to-face services (for example, the library, counseling, tutoring, etc.) are required to upload proof of full vaccination (unless they have a pre-approved medical or religious exemption on file with the District). After much consideration and discussion, we have determined that students who are only taking online classes will not be required to upload vaccination proof unless they step foot on campus. In new that may prove to be helpful for our international students, the District is now accepting alternative vaccines approved by the World Health Organization for compliance with the District's vaccination policy. The list of those vaccines are available here.
The Office of Human Resources has reached out to employees to confirm that everyone is adhering to the vaccination policy. Non-compliance will be handled appropriately and those who have been granted exemptions have been notified and apprised of the guidelines that they need to follow.
AIR CIRCULATION/HVAC:
The District has completed its assessment of the office/working spaces at Merritt College. I am pleased to report that for the overwhelming majority of our spaces (80%), there was sufficient air flow (which is critical in minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission). For those areas where the air circulation needed to be augmented, the District provided filters so as to ensure adequate remediation. The final report is available at Safe Peralta but I am attaching it here as well for your review and convenience
OTHER RESOURCES:
Here are a few links that you may find helpful:
Guidelines for Staff in the Event of a Suspected or Confirmed Student COVID-19 Exposure
Guidelines for Employees in the Event of a Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Case or Flu
Peralta CCD COVID Prevention Program
In closing, I want to reiterate that the circumstances related to the COVID-19 are constantly changing so we are being as vigilant and thoughtful as possible in our assessment of the situation. As such, we appreciate your support and partnership in our efforts to contend with the pandemic, serve our students, and keep each other safe. This is our plan for now, but please know that we will keep you apprised should anything change in the days/weeks to come. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any questions you have and I will do my best to answer them.
Take care and be safe.
David
David M. Johnson, Ph.D.
President
Merritt College
(510) 436-2501
Merritt College puts students first. Through our rich educational programs, we foster a culture of equity and inclusion that empowers students to achieve their greatest potential and make meaningful contributions to their respective communities and our global society.