Merritt College Return to Campus Update
Good afternoon, Merritt College.
I am writing to provide you with an update to the communication I sent on Thursday, October 7, 2021 regarding plans to return to campus. In the days since that announcement, several questions and concerns have been raised, and I appreciate your patience and understanding while we sorted through the issues. I believe that by proceeding judiciously, we are now in a better position to take sensible and effective steps to come back to campus.
Over the past several weeks, the District has addressed several key items pertaining to campus readiness. Air filters across the campuses have been replaced, debris has been removed from around HVAC units and equipment, and the campus rooms that are designated for use meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards. At Merritt College, Forensic Analytics did an HVAC Assessment (random sample) of eight campus buildings: Child Care Center, Landscape Horticulture, D Building, F Building, L Building, Q Building, R Building, and the S Building. Of all the spaces tested, only two rooms (D-165, which is a storage area and L-140, which is a computer lab) failed to meet the threshold for sufficient air circulation.
Forensic Analytics explained, however, that the situation would be remediated by bringing in a portable air filter (which we will do). These rooms will remain “offline” until we provide that remediation. Out of an abundance of caution, we will be doing
extensive HVAC assessments of over two dozen additional spaces throughout campus. Our hope is that this will assuage concerns and continue to underscore our commitment to complying with health and safety standards.
Let me also share some recent information with you regarding the enforcement of the vaccination policy. The District is now partnering with Bright Star Care to oversee our vaccination/screening requirements for students. They will be providing us with Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) support to check the vaccination status and verify exemptions for students taking face-to-face classes and/or seeking in-person student support services.
Virtual Health Services will be the company working with us to coordinate weekly on-campus COVID-19 testing of those students and employees for whom it is mandated. With regard to those employees who remain unvaccinated (some of whom were waiting for a decision on their Exception Requests), you are directed to work from home and begin weekly testing until such time as you are contacted by the Office of Human Resources regarding next steps.
The new designated return to campus date for Merritt College is Tuesday, November 2nd. The following hours of operation will be in effect once we return to campus:
Tuesday: 9am to 4pm
Wednesday: 9am to 4pm
Thursday: 9am to 4pm
Managers will be sending out the required two-week notifications in accordance to the guidelines agreed upon by the SEIU and the District. An early November return will allow for us to be here for those students who will come to campus seeking registration and financial aid support in anticipation of the Spring 2022 semester.
Please note that there may be circumstances that warrant flexibility in terms of scheduling one’s work hours, and in those instances managers will work with classified professional staff members (and SEIU through “meet and confer”) to make appropriate adjustments.
In closing, I want to reiterate that we will not have anyone return to an area that does not meet OSHA/ASHRAE guidelines. We are also committed to providing PPE and other necessary safeguards to returning employees (managers will work with the Business Office/VPAS to get that done). We understand the value of having people back to campus to meet the needs of our students, but we also are committed to doing it as responsibly as possible.
Best.
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.