CSCC Offers FREE 24/7 Medical and Mental Telehealth Access for Students
As part of Connecticut State Community Colleges’s ongoing efforts to prioritize the health and well-being of the campus community, students now have free and immediate access to medical and mental health support through TimelyMD, the leading telehealth company specializing in higher education. Students can access it at timelycare.com/ctstate.
TimelyMD developed its proprietary TimelyCare technology to offer students a 24/7 extension of campus health and counseling center resources that is as easy and convenient as making a video or phone call. Through the TimelyCare app on their phone or other device, Connecticut State Community Colleges students can now select from a wide-ranging menu of virtual care options from licensed physicians and counselors in all 50 states – at no cost to them and without the hassle of traditional insurance – including:
- On-demand medical care
- Appointment-based medical care
- On-demand mental health support (TalkNow)
- Appointment-based mental health counseling
- Health coaching
TimelyCare allows students to see the profiles, faces and specialty care details of a diverse range of licensed physicians and counselors available to them. They can choose to meet with a specific provider or select the first available. Typical consultations begin within 5-10 minutes – less than the amount of time it takes to walk across campus.
Demand for teletherapy visits skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to be high even as everyday activities resume. Mental health remains the top concern of college and university presidents, and more than 60 percent of students who have sought mental health support from TimelyMD said they would have done nothing if the service were not available to them.
“Similar to food delivery apps or contactless payment, students might not have tried telehealth before the pandemic, and now they can’t imagine life without its ease of use, convenience and immediacy,” said Luke Hejl, TimelyMD CEO and co-founder. “Studies have shown that one of the best ways to keep students engaged, enrolled and on track to graduation is to keep them physically and mentally healthy. Through TimelyCare, we are proud to deliver best-in-class virtual care to help Connecticut State Community Colleges students thrive.”
READ MORECollege Congress Covid Feedback and Response
[mk_page_section bg_image=”https://threerivers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/header-checking-in.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1469639571895{padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”450px”][mk_fancy_title strip_tags=”true” tag_name=”h1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”80″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”Oswald” font_type=”google” el_class=”page-title”]College Congress Covid Feedback and Response
[/mk_fancy_title][vc_empty_space height=”100px” el_class=”page-titlebg” css=”.vc_custom_1469639726224{background-color: rgba(253,181,21,0.8) !important;*background-color: rgb(77,49,142) !important;}”][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1469635777230{padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][ultimate_spacer height=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1631550376203{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Important Update: College Congress COVID Feedback and TRCC Leadership Response
From TRCC President, Mary Ellen Jukoski and Steve Goetchius, Dean of Administrative Services and TRCC COVID-19 Coordinator
September 9, 2021
At College Congress’s September 8, 2021 meeting, feedback was solicited about the return to campus in the context of the pandemic. TRCC Leadership understands and appreciates the concerns of all faculty, staff, and students and looks to provide information and answers as best we can to the concerns raised during the meeting on the document below.
As always, if you have any additional questions or concerns related to TRCC’s COVID-19 campus response, please contact Steve Goetchius anytime. Thank you.
Mary Ellen Jukoski and Steve Goetchius
College Congress COVID Feedback
Three Rivers Community College
COVID-19 Update
September 9, 2021
At College Congress’s September 8, 2021 meeting, feedback was solicited about the return to campus in the context of the pandemic. The discussion was long and concerned. TRCC Leadership understands and appreciates the concerns of all faculty, staff, and students and looks to provide information and answers as best we can.
This document was prepared because of concerns raised during yesterday’s meeting of the College Congress. Responses are based on CSCU mandates/protocols for all CT Community Colleges to implement and actively maintain and improve as needed. CSCU mandates are a result of directives from the Governor’s Office and the CDC.
Three Rivers is committed to ensuring your safety and encourages your help and feedback wherever and whenever you have a concern. If you see something, please say something. Our COVID-19 Coordinator, Steve Goetchius, is available to you 24×7 via email and phone at sgoetchius@trcc.commnet.edu / Office 860-215-9007 / Cell Anytime 860-941-7503.
Below are some of the issues that members raised, compiled by Andrew Marvin, Congress President, along with our responses :
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- Students have been seen on campus wearing masks with valves. These masks protect the wearer, but not others. Can we clarify mask quality and efficacy?
TRCC Leadership response: Security Staff have been made aware of this concern and are requested to look out for entrants wearing masks with valves and tell them that these types of masks are not recommended by the CDC nor an acceptable form of protection at Three Rivers. Security Staff have a supply of acceptable masks at the Security Desk and will provide them with a more acceptable mask without valves. CSCU has mandated the types of acceptable masks. Link to CDC mask guidelines: Your Guide to Masks | CDC and CSCU mask mandate: Covid-19 Student Policy 6-30-20.pdf (ct.edu)
Students who fail to comply with the above rules are subject to immediate removal from the campus and the disciplinary procedures stated in the CSCU Student Code of Conduct. Possible sanctions for disciplinary violations range from a warning to expulsion from the institution. - Students have been seen in the building with masks down while holding beverages or food. Can we clarify that masks should be removed only when, per President Cheng’s memo, “actively eating or drinking,” as in physically putting food or liquid in one’s mouth? Can we also clarify the “designated areas” for eating and drinking?
TRCC Leadership response: We will post signage reminding everyone that masks should only be removed when actively eating or drinking. We will communicate the “designated areas” as the Cyber Café, the Cafeteria, Student Activities Offices, SGA Offices, the OASIS, and outdoors as student group eating and drinking areas. - What do we do when a student tells us or emails us that they are not feeling well? [Note: The college’s Coronavirus Information Hub was shared after the meeting: https://threerivers.edu/student-life/campus-safety-2/coronavirus-2/#latest
TRCC Leadership response: If someone is sick with COVID-19 or think they think might have COVID-19, they should follow the steps below to care for themselves and to help protect other people in their home and community.
➢ Stay at home (except to get medical care).
➢ Separate yourself from others.
➢ Monitor your symptoms.
➢ Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when around others.
➢ Cover your coughs and sneezes.
➢ Wash your hands often.
➢ Get tested for Covid-19.
➢ Follow instructions before returning to campus: COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation | CDC - If we are requiring the unvaccinated to be tested weekly, can we require students who disclose that they’re not feeling well to get tested?
TRCC Leadership response: We can strongly recommend that they get tested and they can get tested on campus when the vendor (Sema4) is on campus conducting testing on Mondays and Tuesdays. Instruct students to contact Dean Goetchius, COVID-19 Coordinator, on where to go for testing. Reminder: due to privacy matters, only the Covid Coordinator, President Jukoski, and Dean Barfield have authority at Three Rivers to ask anyone (faculty, staff, and students) if they are vaccinated. During an interaction with anyone who indicates they are not feeling well, please do not ask about their vaccine status and only advise them to immediately go home and contact the COVID Coordinator for further instructions. - What do we do when a student discloses a positive COVID test? [See note/link above.] TRCC Leadership response: Disclosure by anyone of a positive Covid test result should be directed to the TRCC Covid Coordinator, Dean Steve Goetchius via email to: sgoetchius@threerivers.edu or by calling 860-215-9002. You do not have any further involvement and this disclosure should not be communicated to anyone else. The COVID Coordinator will initiate CSCU mandated procedures that all CT community colleges follow.
- Members want as much detail and clarity about contact tracing and testing procedures as possible. Who is tracking this information? Where and when is it happening?
TRCC Leadership response: Per CSCU mandated procedures for all CT community colleges to follow, Contact tracing is being conducted by the local health districts. See: COVID-19 Contact Tracing | CDC for more information. On-campus testing is being conducted by Sema4 on Mondays and Tuesdays. They are providing statistical information and the results of individuals’ tests to the COVID Coordinator. The statistics will be posted on the college’s website on a weekly basis. The COVID Coordinator actively monitors all COVID testing, communications, on-site protocols and makes adjustments as needed. - Members want as much data shared as possible. How many exemption requests have we received?How many have been granted? How many unvaccinated people are in my classroom? How many positive cases have there been? How were these cases identified? Via weekly testing? Via symptoms? Can we go back to weekly numbers updates?
TRCC Leadership response: We post on our website as much information as we can according to CSCU mandated confidentiality and privacy policies. We are working to ensure that all faculty, staff, and students are vaccinated or are undergoing weekly COVID testing. Our COVID Coordinator actively monitors this daily with numbers changing daily as attestations increase as more students are vaccinated. We encourage all faculty to participate and remind students the value of being vaccinated. Anyone with an exemption is required to undergo weekly testing. We post data on our website and update this information weekly. - TRCC Leadership’s approach was described as “backward,” “hands off,” “relying on people doing the right thing,” “not proactive,” “bureaucratic instead of community-based,” and “needing to be tightened up,” among others. Members feel we are unprepared for a surge that is coming.
TRCC Leadership response: Our goal is to keep everyone safe and informed. TRCC actively monitors TRCC COVID cases, vaccination status, community indicators, and implements new protocols that will keep us all safe. We must follow all CSCU mandated procedures, and we strive to implement any additional procedure we can to maintain a healthy and safe campus. Any decision to pivot to remote learning can be made quickly by TRCC Leadership in conjunction with state, local and CSCU mandates. Any change in class modality must first be discussed and approved by the Dean of Academics. - Are we following the System Office’s guidelines or our own? Can we enact better procedures to protect our community? For example, one representative shared that their department has a dedicated faculty member handling COVID questions, reports, and correspondence with the Department of Public Health. Should we be doing more of this kind of thing?
TRCC Leadership response: Our COVID Coordinator, actively monitors our activities and best practices as we proactively respond to COVID-19. We work closely with CSCU to implement all mandated matters, and we monitor external and community information and best practices to ensure we are doing everything we can maintain a healthy and safe campus for everyone. TRCC’s Covid Coordinator collaborates with all the CT Community College Coordinators, with System Office leaders, and with the Department of Public Health. TRCC’s Department of Nursing and Allied Health has a faculty member who is coordinating Covid related issues due to their direct interaction with the medical community. We prefer all questions, concerns, feedback, and communications come from our TRCC Covid Coordinator to ensure messaging and related data and reporting is consistent, so everyone receives the correct and current information at the same time. - Is there a dedicated feedback outlet for these concerns?
TRCC Leadership response: Concerns can be directed to TRCC’s Covid Coordinator, Dean Goetchius anytime, 24×7. Please review our website which is updated regularly for information. - What is the breaking point for moving a class or the entire community back to virtual operation?One representative shared that they’ve already received emails from two students disclosing positive COVID tests. How many more should it take for the class to be moved online? How many positive cases will it take for campus to move back to remote work?
TRCC Leadership response: There has not been a specific number set for moving classes online or for pivoting to remote working and learning. We actively monitor the situation and can quickly take action as is deemed in the best interests of our campus. Again, our COVID Coordinator collaborates with the CSCU leaders, all other CT community colleges, our local community leaders, the DPH to ensure our safety and will recommend a change if needed.
We hear the concerns from the faculty and staff. There are reports on the national and state news each day of increasing numbers of cases of COVID-19 and its Delta variant. As members of this community, we share those concerns. We are monitoring the situation daily and we are sharing this with our colleagues who are doing the same in their communities. As was done last year when the pandemic first struck, bolder actions will occur if they become necessary. Our decisions regarding shifting classes would include not just an absolute number of cases but compliance with our protective protocols, patterns of progression, the advice of medical authorities (in our region, CDC, and working with BOR), etc. - Many questions were raised about the Wednesday, 9/8 announcement about the A-Wing employee who tested positive. Again, how did we catch this case? Weekly testing? Presentation of symptoms?Was the person vaccinated? The announcement went to the entire college. Was there another email sent to a smaller group of likely contacts? How was that group determined?
TRCC Leadership response: The employee self-reported to their supervisor that they had tested positive and the COVID Coordinator implemented TRCC’s protocols. Since the local health district is doing contact tracing, TRCC does not know if any sub-set of employees have been identified as close contacts of the Covid positive employee.
As throughout the pandemic, our goal in notifying the campus was to provide as much information as we can. Self-reporting was the main mechanism last year for faculty, staff, and students to let us know that they contracted COVID-19, felt ill, or had been exposed to someone who had the virus. It proved to be effective. In the case this week, it also proved effective as the student notified the college. The vaccines have given us a tool that was not available to us during the previous year. That combined with self-reporting should be even more effective. - On Tuesday, 9/7, the power was out on campus for hours. How did that affect the building’s ventilation system? How long were people still in the building without proper ventilation?
TRCC Leadership response: The power outage lasted approximately 90 minutes in duration. The outage did cause disruption to the building air handlers, but these units were quickly brought back in operation once power had been restored. - A member shared that they applied for an ADA accommodation because they are uncomfortable being on campus due to underlying health conditions. This request was submitted to Shaylah Carbone but then had to be reviewed by a committee at the System Office.
TRCC Leadership response: That is the normal process for how ADA accommodations are handled by HR Shared Services at all CSCU community colleges.
- Students have been seen on campus wearing masks with valves. These masks protect the wearer, but not others. Can we clarify mask quality and efficacy?
Coronavirus – COVID-19 – 2020 Updates
[mk_page_section bg_image=”https://threerivers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/1615-1272.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1469639571895{padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”450px”][mk_fancy_title strip_tags=”true” tag_name=”h1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”80″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”Oswald” font_type=”google” el_class=”page-title”]Coronavirus – COVID-19[/mk_fancy_title][vc_empty_space height=”100px” el_class=”page-titlebg” css=”.vc_custom_1469639726224{background-color: rgba(253,181,21,0.8) !important;*background-color: rgb(77,49,142) !important;}”][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1469635777230{padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][ultimate_spacer height=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1618238188116{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Covid-19 Updates from 2020
Find current Covid-19 information and updates here.
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
From President Jukoski, October 13, 2020
Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
As you know, the College follows CDC and the CT Department of Public Health guidelines to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19. After consultation with the local health department, we have determined it is safe to continue our courses and services at this time even while we inform you that individuals at the College have tested positive for the virus. We cannot share names of individuals due to privacy requirements, but the cases will be handled by the local health department who will lead the contact tracing.
If the local department of public health determines you personally have had an exposure risk, they will contact you directly in the coming week. Local public health officials will contact you only if you may have been exposed directly to the positive case.
Exposure is defined by the CDC and CT Department of Public Health as being within six feet of a COVID positive person for more than 15 minutes. If you vigilantly wear your mask and keep a social distance of six feet, whether inside buildings or outdoors, in accordance with the CDC and CT Public Health guidelines, you will have greatly mitigated exposure to COVID.
We will continue to work diligently to safeguard the campus. If you experience COVID-related symptoms, stay home and seek medical attention.
All questions should be directed to the Dean of Administrative Services, Steve Goetchius, who is the college’s COVID Coordinator at sgoetchius@trcc.commnet.edu.
For additional COVID-19 information and resources, please visit our website at https://threerivers.edu/student-life/campus-safety/coronavirus/.
Mary Ellen Jukoski
President
Steve Goetchius
Dean of Administrative Services and TRCC COVID Coordinator
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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Dear Colleagues, I want to welcome you all back to Three Rivers later this month for the start of the 2020-2021 Academic Year. We continue to live and work in these uncertain times of the coronavirus pandemic having hope that we will be back together again soon. Until that time, I would like to provide you with an update on TRCC’s plans to reopen our campus. We have been approved to open TRCC on a limited basis throughout the summer and into the fall. Our plans are designed to comply with State of Connecticut requirements, and include many of the recommendations found in the TRCC Summer Planning report which was submitted to the System Office at the end of June. Everything is subject to change depending on public health conditions and directives from state and federal agencies. At this time, all employees and students must observe current health and safety protocols. All faculty, staff, students and vendors have been informed (through email, social media, website, new building signage) that face masks are required in all campus buildings and at outside locations where social distancing is not feasible. Bandanas, scarves, or stretched shirts are not considered safe alternatives. Masks must cover the nose and mouth and have tension that reasonably seals both the top and bottom of the mask (See attached CSCU COVID-19 Mask & Social Distancing Guidelines). To support this requirement, TRCC has procured personal protective equipment (PPE) to support the mask safety protocol during the fall semester. Beginning on August 24 upon entering the TRCC building at the main entrance, for the FA2020 semester, all students, faculty, and staff will be given 5 face masks, and are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the cleanliness of their issued reusable masks. Of course, faculty, staff, and students are welcome to purchase and use their own face masks provided all are CDC compliant. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html In the event that any faculty, staff, student or vendor forgets to bring in or for any reason cannot bring in a mask or if they have a face mask malfunction while on campus, we have procured a supply (to be maintained and distributed at our security desk) of masks that will be given to anyone who needs one. Everyone is required to wear a facemask and observe social distancing guidelines while on campus. Face masks with exhale vents are not acceptable. All faculty need to be ready to teach using a variety of learning modalities for the fall semester. Courses have been identified in the catalog and on the website with a specific icon to inform students of the modality that the course will be taught, e.g., TRAD, HYBRID, ONLINE, LRON, or OLCR www.threerivers.edu/instructional-methods. Until March, we were an on-ground college with online options for students. This fall, we will instead pivot to an online college with on-ground options for students. The Fall 2020 class schedule was updated to employ a wider variety of instructional modalities to reduce the total number of students on campus. New options include synchronous online courses (LRON) and more hybrid sections to place fewer students on campus at any given time. These changes were recommended and supported by the faculty, under the leadership of Deans Robert Farinelli and Kem Barfield and the Academic & Student Affairs team. I want to highlight a major change for all of us. As you may know, the college will not be open to the general public and we will continue to restrict all arrivals and departures through the one main entrance by the Security Office. All faculty, staff, students and vendors must enter and exit the building at the Main Entrance, near the Security Office. Beginning on Monday, August 24, ID badges will be required for anyone entering and exiting the building; new ID scanning equipment will be located there. If you do not have a badge, please plan accordingly to come in to obtain one. Beginning on Mon., Aug. 17th – No appointment is necessary. Days/hours for badge processing for faculty and staff are Mon-Wed, 8:30-12:00 and 1:00-4:00 in conference room C243 only. Anyone without a badge, including vendors will be required to obtain a temporary badge for the day from the Security Office before you will be allowed to enter the building. Additionally, I will share highlights from the TRCC Phase 3 reopen plans at our next virtual All-College meeting on Tuesday, August 25th from 10:00-12:00 p.m. and again at 6:00-8:00 p.m. We hope you can join us. Zoom details will be sent to employees early next week. In the meantime, if you have specific Phase 3 questions before the meeting, please email Judy Hardy at jhardy@trcc.commnet.edu before 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 21st so that we can develop a list of questions to respond to during the all-college meetings. This fall, we anticipate that employees will continue to have work schedules that combine on-campus and telework. Since the building will also be open on Fridays beginning with the fall semester for classes, supervisors will need to develop a schedule for office staff to rotate working on-ground on Fridays while meeting the contractual workweek for all employees. Campus occupancy levels will be less than half of what they were “pre-COVID-19.” On-campus offices will be staffed daily but again, with reduced staff on any given day. We will continue to have reduced in-person office and service hours across the campus. College meetings, events, and gatherings will continue to be conducted online using approved applications. Please refer to the TRCC website for information about hours of operation for TRCC services and other important information at www.threerivers.edu/reopening. We do, however, want to make you aware of the following:
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, August 25th at our All-College meeting at 10:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. Sincerely, Mary Ellen Jukoski, President Kem Barfield, Interim Dean of Academic and Student Affairs |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
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The Updates to the Higher Education ReOpen report can be found on our website https://www.ct.edu/covid19 along with these weekly updates and additional information from the planning process. |
Latest Update: Three Rivers Reopening Staff Offices on Monday, July 6
From President Jukoski, June 18, 2020
On Monday, July 6, all administrative and student service offices at Three Rivers Community College will be reopening at 50% occupancy with rotating staff schedules and with the creation of staff “teams” to limit the number of people working together at any one time. This capacity may be increased or decreased as public health guidance warrants. Your supervisor will be working with you to determine your schedule with the days and times you will be expected to be in the office. This includes the President’s Office; Institutional Advancement; Marketing and Public Relations; Academic Offices and the Library; Administrative Services, including Facilities, Finance, Payroll and Benefits, Purchasing, and Security; Information Technology; Nursing Administration; and the entire Student Services division.
The main entrance will serve as the only access to and from the building. Face masks are required to be worn to enter the building and while working; exceptions will be determined by your supervisor. All Staff, upon arrival, will be required to log in at the Security Desk (process to be determined). A hand sanitizer station will be available at this entrance. If at any time you become ill or feel sick, you will be directed to leave and follow the CDC/State guidelines. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
Please note that plexiglass shields will be installed at the security desk, welcome center, admissions, financial aid, and library circulation desk; other areas will be evaluated as needed. All work areas and surrounding common areas will be thoroughly disinfected per CDC guidelines.
Students who are seeking services will be permitted in the building starting on July 20; additional procedures are being developed and will be in place prior to July 20. The college will remain closed to the general public and there will be no outside groups using the campus during the summer and fall.
Additional procedures and policies are being developed and will be shared with you as soon as they are final. If you have questions, please contact your Dean or Director, so they can be addressed during our planning.
Mary Ellen Jukoski, President
Three Rivers Community College
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588084575947{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”5/29/20 Update – CSCU Campuses Plan to Reopen this Fall” tab_id=”1602100462990-d056bc7a-1cba”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1590771252806{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Latest Updates: CSCU Campuses Plan to Reopen this Fall
Dear CSCU Community:
Like all other institutions of higher education across the country, we are navigating uncertain times and preparing for an upcoming academic year like no other. Over the past several weeks, campus teams and CSCU steering committees have done great work together to identify opportunities and challenges, and provide recommendations for academic affairs, enrollment management, student life, student support services, logistics, technology, operations, and facilities. We still have a lot of planning to do and more questions need to be addressed in the coming weeks and months.
That said, I am excited to announce that we are planning to return to our campuses in fall 2020 with significant measures in place to make our institutions as safe as possible.
Based on significant guidance from public health experts and in accordance with Governor Lamont’s ReOpen CT Advisory Committee plan, we have determined that the CSCU colleges and universities will reopen their physical campuses to residential and commuter students for fall 2020 with the following protocols in place:
- The four universities can start bringing residential and commuter students to their campuses on Monday, August 24. Classes will follow the common calendar through Thanksgiving, with the balance of the semester and exams online. Arrangements for residential students to move in are still to be determined.
- The 12 community colleges are permitted to offer on ground courses beginning June 1 for those spring semester students who need to complete programs and for new students to enroll in workforce development programs. This summer reopening is allowed under phase 1b of ReOpen CT for Higher Education. Like the universities, community colleges may bring students back for the fall semester on August 24 and courses will follow the common calendar.
- Charter Oak State College will continue to offer its catalog of online classes through summer and fall.
- Plans for the reopening of the campuses for faculty and staff will be developed this summer. Plans for reopening the CSCU system office and Charter Oak State College are being established as well.
- Classes at the colleges and universities will be delivered in a variety of on ground, online, remote, hybrid and flexible course design models.
- The community colleges and universities will be prepared to pivot to offer fully remote courses and services if public health conditions warrant.
Before our physical campuses are opened for the next academic year, each campus must write a plan that meets all standards outlined in the ReOpen CT Higher Education phase three framework as well as incorporating recommendations from the CSCU Steering Committees. The ReOpen framework provides guidance on the planning of repopulating campuses with the re-entry of students; monitoring the health of students, faculty and staff; containment of the virus should an outbreak occur; and preparing to shut down physical campuses and transition as seamlessly as possible back to a remote-only model if it becomes necessary.
As I said at the outset, we have many questions to answer and arrangements to make before we reopen. We will share additional details in the coming weeks as we prepare for the fall. These plans will be communicated to the campus communities and I encourage you to monitor your email over the summer. Updates will also be posted soon on the www.ct.edu website along with other ReOpen CT and CSCU planning documents for your information.
Our priority has been and will continue to be the safety of our students, faculty and staff. That will not change as we move forward in our thoughtful and deliberative planning process to welcome students back to our campuses in August.
Sincerely,
Mark E. Ojakian
President, CSCU
CARES ACT Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting: Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
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From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
May 15, 2020
Announcing Three Rivers VIRTUAL Commencement on Saturday, June 13 at 2:00 PM
Dear Three Rivers Graduate,
During the month of May, the Three Rivers campus is usually bustling with energy as we begin to prepare for the end of the semester and attend to final details for our annual Commencement Exercises held on our College Green. Our Faculty and Staff would have been dusting off their commencement regalia, our lawns would have been perfectly manicured, tents and chairs would be popping up overnight, but mostly the atmosphere would have been crackling with excitement as our graduates picked up their caps and gowns and readied themselves and their families to all arrive here on that one special day … when the skirl of the bagpipes calls us together and the majestic rhythm of Pomp and Circumstance notes the steady march toward a goal achieved.
COVID-19 changed all of that. We all will be forever changed by the unprecedented events that began early in 2020. We are profoundly aware of the changes in our world now. We offer our respect for the loss of so many and send our heartfelt gratitude to those working everywhere to help those in need.
You, our graduates, are living through times like we have never seen before and your strength and determination to persevere through these times to finish your coursework so that you can graduate is inspiring for all of us to witness.
And so, we will celebrate!
Together but separate, we will celebrate your accomplishments via a virtual commencement with all the “pomp and circumstance” that you deserve. On Saturday, June 13 at 2:00 p.m. we invite you and your families and friends to join us virtually as we offer you COMMENCEMENT 2020!
Here’s how …
First, as with Three Rivers commencements in the past, we have created a web page dedicated to Commencement 2020. It will be updated with the latest information and can be seen at www.threerivers.edu/commencement.
Second, for the first time, we are creating Graduate Profiles on our website. These individual profile pages will feature your photo and information about you, as well as provide a Guest Book for friends and family to write greetings and well-wishes. You can fill out the information form and upload your photo here: https://threerivers.edu/graduate-profile-form/. The deadline to submit your information and upload your photo is May 29, 2020. We will also use your photo during our virtual commencement when your name is announced.
Next, we will let you know when you will be able to pick up your Commencement package at Three Rivers in one of our designated parking lots. Please keep checking your Three Rivers email for this important information. Your commencement package will consist of:
- your cap, gown, and tassel (Available only for those who request this. Requests can be made at https://forms.gle/PzVT8reAtC2Kss6Q7)
- Commencement Program listing all graduates
- Letter from President Jukoski
- Three Rivers Alumni Decal
- Commemorative gift from Three Rivers
Finally, Commencement 2020 will go live on Saturday, June 13 at 2:00 p.m. You will be able to watch it live at www.threerivers.edu/commencement. It will also be live streamed on our Three Rivers Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/ThreeRiversCC/. We hope that you will join the virtual celebration, wearing your cap and gown, and invite your family and perhaps friends to celebrate with you, while still practicing social distancing. Our ceremony will last about an hour and will include Three Rivers traditions, brief remarks from me, and from Matt Fleury, chair of the Board of Regents for Higher Education, and Mark Ojakian, President of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, and we will read the name and show the photo and profile of each and every Three Rivers graduate. Questions? Please email: commencement@threerivers.edu.
While safely celebrating with your family and friends, we hope that you will take photos to commemorate this milestone in your life. Please take pictures and/or videos to commemorate your celebration and share them with us on social media, using the hashtag #TRCC2020.
Your alumni community extends to you an invitation to begin this life-long relationship with your alma mater. Stay in touch. Let our Advancement Office know where you are and what your latest accomplishments are.
We know you’ve worked hard for this moment in time, and so we would like to make you one last promise. We will invite you to attend and “walk” as the Class of 2020 at our next Commencement in 2021. Be sure to stay in touch with us so that we can find you and contact you for that day!
Congratulations graduates. You did it!
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen Jukoski, Ed.D.
President
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588084575947{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”5/6/20 Update – UPDATE-CARES ACT EMERGENCY GRANTS TO STUDENTS” tab_id=”1602100466450-516c9d9b-a864″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1589570996858{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
May 6, 2020
Dear Students,
We are writing to inform you of our plans to distribute CARES Act emergency grants. The U.S. Department of Education recently issued guidance on distribution of these emergency grants to students, requiring that all recipients be Title IV eligible. This means that students must have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application for the 2019-20 academic year. To satisfy the Department of Education’s guidance, we will only be issuing grants to students who have met the Title IV eligibility requirements by completing a FAFSA and have satisfied all outstanding requirements related to completing a FAFSA. Completing a FAFSA does not mean a student has to be in receipt of financial aid. A completed FAFSA is one that fully determines a student’s eligibility for a Pell Grant, including the federal Expected Family Contribution calculation.
In addition, the following students will not be eligible for the CARES Act emergency grants:
- Students exclusively enrolled in non-credit courses
- CSCU employees attending classes for free (not student workers) and students on dependent waivers
- Second Chance Pell students
- High School Partnership/Dual Enrollment students
- Undocumented, DACA, International students
We plan to begin issuing payments to eligible students next week. If you have not already done so, please sign up for Direct Deposit to expedite distribution of funds at https://my.commnet.edu.
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From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
April 27, 2020
Dear Students,
I write today in frustration.
You may have heard that Congress recently passed the CARES Act, which includes money intended to help colleges and universities navigate these difficult times. A significant portion of that money – at least half – is supposed to be awarded as emergency grants to students. After the legislation was passed Secretary Betsy DeVos of the US Department of Education, stated unequivocally that colleges and universities would have the flexibility to distribute the funding to students as they saw fit. In keeping with the secretary’s statements, and the flexibility in the CARES Act itself, our colleges and universities had planned to distribute funding widely, sending checks to all eligible students.
However, without warning, and in apparent contradiction with the secretary’s promises, the Department of Education released guidance last week severely restricting which students are eligible to receive CARES Act payments. Specifically, the guidance has the effect of limiting assistance to those who have filed a FAFSA. As you know, there are myriad reasons an eligible student and their family would choose not to complete a FAFSA. The complexity of the process prevents many students from completing the form. Likewise, a large number middle class families – many of whom have experienced the loss of one or more incomes – did not file a FAFSA and will now miss out on these payments. In addition, undocumented students, international students, and many noncredit students, are ineligible under the department’s guidance.
In total, it could disqualify up to 30,000 students across our institutions.
This is unconscionable to me, and I have already reached out to Secretary DeVos to encourage her to reverse this decision. We all hope that she will agree to allow payments to more of our students, and I will keep you updated on any response we receive.
In the meantime, our team is going forward with processing payments for students who remain eligible, so if you haven’t already done so, please sign up for direct deposit in MyCommnet.
· Enroll in direct deposit (MyCommnet)
We understand the urgency of the situation, so we are working on processing payments as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Mark E. Ojakian
President, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities
P.S. If anyone is interested in sharing their thoughts or concerns about this sudden decision to make up to 30,000 students at Connecticut’s public colleges and universities ineligible for much-needed emergency funding with Secretary DeVos, she can be reached at betsy.devos@ed.gov.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588084575947{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”4/24/20 Update – Get your federal CARES grant money faster” tab_id=”1602100468963-5457553b-dee9″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588090292815{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
April 24, 2020
Dear Students,
As you may have seen, the recently enacted federal CARES Act includes a distribution of funds to institutions of higher education, including Three Rivers Community College. A significant portion of this funding will be reserved to provide students with grants to help cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to Covid-19.
To avoid delays in receiving the grant: Please consider immediately enrolling in direct deposit by signing into myCommNet (https://ssb-prod.ec.commnet.edu/luminis/login.html) and clicking on the “Direct Deposit” box in the center column on the homepage of myCommNet. Please also review the accuracy of your address and any direct deposit information already on file.
Please note the following important terms of the CARES Act grant:
- This grant is to be used as direct assistance for your expenses related to the disruption of your studies during the spring 2020 semester, such as: food, housing, materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses.
- Even if you have an outstanding balance on your college account, your grant will go directly to you, and will not be automatically applied to reduce your financial obligation to the College.
- This funding does not impact your financial aid award.
Eligibility: The U.S. Department of Education has put in place a number of eligibility requirements in order to receive the funding. We are in the process of reviewing the federal requirements and will provide further communication in coming days.
For questions on direct deposit enrollment, please contact the Three Rivers Business Office at TR-Businesslink@trcc.commnet.edu.
We are working as quickly as possible to process the funding. We currently estimate the money to be disbursed in May, but the timing is subject to change. Students on direct deposit can expect the grant to be deposited sooner than those receiving checks. So enroll today on myCommNet at https://ssb-prod.ec.commnet.edu/luminis/login.html.
I will continue to provide you with information as it becomes available.
Be well. Be safe.
President Jukoski
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From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
April 22, 2020
Dear Students,
We know that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented you with a new set of challenges as you pursue your education. Three Rivers is committed to doing everything in our power to help you succeed. That’s why I am happy to report that, at Connecticut State Colleges and University President Mark Ojakian’s direction we, along with all other Connecticut community colleges, have adopted a pass/fail (credit/no credit) procedure for the spring semester.
That means you now have the option to convert any of the grades you earn in your spring 2020-semester courses to Pass (Credit) / Fail (No Credit) grading so that the courses do not affect your GPA.
Please go to the Spring 2020 Grade Conversion website for more information and instructions about how to apply for the option.
I hope this option gives you some peace of mind as you approach the end of the spring term.
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen Jukoski
President
Three Rivers Community College
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
April 15, 2020
Dear TRCC Community,
We just received word from President Mark Ojakian regarding the CSCU System Office’s decision about summer classes. Please read below.Here at Three Rivers, we are quickly making plans to comply with these changes. If you have questions, please contact your advisor or the Registrar’s Office at Registrar@threerivers.edu.
Be well!
President Jukoski
******************
Dear Students,
I am writing today to provide you with an update on the community colleges’ plan for the summer session. As you know, while there have been some encouraging signs that social distancing has slowed the spread of the virus, the Covid-19 outbreak in Connecticut continues to disrupt our daily lives and threaten the health of individuals and communities. While I know all of us crave a return to normalcy, it is clear that the re-opening of our campuses will need to be a well thought out and deliberative process in line with the state’s recovery framework.
To that end, summer classes will be offered online-only until at least August 1 with the exception of some of the on-ground courses for students almost ready to enter the workforce in immediately critical non-credit and credit programs – such as CNA, Paramedic, Nursing, Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy, Respiratory Care, Radiologic Technologists, Advanced Manufacturing and Electro-Mechanical courses – which could begin as early as July 20.
All other on-ground/skills-based courses should be scheduled for the hands-on components/ lab classes after August 1, including hands-on laboratory courses that were not completed in the spring. The lecture portion of the course can be scheduled online prior to August 1 with the hands-on component scheduled starting August 1. If the pandemic prevents the colleges from being opened by August 1, we are exploring options for the hands-on portion to be offered in condensed sessions at the start of the fall semester. Additionally, the number of students allowed in a laboratory classroom may be limited by social distancing guidelines. This may necessitate offering multiple laboratory sections with a small number of students.
This was a difficult decision, and please know that it was not taken lightly. At CSCU Provost Gates’s direction, we convened a Remote Teaching and Learning Crisis Team to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations, which our campuses will adopt.
Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Mark E. Ojakian
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
April 9, 2020
Dear TRCC Community,
We understand that these are difficult and uncertain times for many of our students, but I want to assure you that TRCC remains focused on helping you achieve your educational and career goals. There are a number of important steps that we have taken to be more accommodating and flexible as you enroll for the summer and fall semesters.
Financial Difficulties with Payments – We know that the pandemic is greatly impacting many of our students. If you are concerned with meeting your payment obligations, here are some ways we might be able to help you.
- Payment Plans – If you have issues with existing payment plans, please reach out to the Business office at TR_BusinessLink@trcc.commnet.edu or (860) 215-9312.
- Outstanding Balances – Students with an outstanding balance on their account who have a hold and wish to register for Summer or Fall courses should contact the Business Office at TR_BusinessLink@trcc.commnet.edu or (860) 215-9312. Our staff will work with you on creating a repayment and/or financial aid solution to help you resolve your current balance and meet your educational goals. Please note that we have relaxed our hold policy during this public health crisis.
- Emergency Assistance – If you need emergency assistance, please reach out to Associate Dean Jodi Calvert at jcalvert@threerivers.edu.
- Scholarship Money – Each Spring, the Three Rivers College Foundation awards over $400,000 in student scholarships and awards. The Foundation has extended its scholarship deadline to May 1st. The application process is entirely online at www.threerivers.edu/scholarships. Simply follow the instructions. Scholarship money will be deposited directly into student accounts. We encourage all students to apply.
If you are experiencing hardship during this pandemic, please make note in the space provided in the scholarship application. If you have any questions, please contact Betty Baillargeon at bbaillargeon@threerivers.edu or Meghan LaCasse at mlacasse@threerivers.edu.
Registering for Fall or Summer Courses – If you have questions or concerns with registering for Summer or Fall, you can find detailed instructions and contact information here.
We want you to succeed at TRCC so we’re here to help you. Remember, your goals are our goals.
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen Jukoski, President
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 24, 2020
Dear Students,
We realize that this is a stressful and uncertain time. All of us in the CSCU system are committed to supporting you as we finish out the semester.
We have currently placed a hold on processing withdrawals. This is a temporary measure to make sure you have the time to speak to the right staff on campus to determine the best move for you. Should students receiving federal financial aid withdraw from classes, they may be on the hook to repay the funds awarded to them, and we want to make sure you understand if that will be the case.
You will be able to withdraw from classes effective on the date you wish, but no withdrawals will be processed before April 3.
Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, please reach out to your faculty for help and support as we make the change to our learning environment.
As always, we will continue to email updates of the latest information to your TRCC email, so be sure to check it on a regular basis.
Information will also be
Please continue to practice vigilance and stay healthy.
Mary Ellen Jukoski
President
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From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 20, 2020
Dear Students,
I am following up to messages from earlier this week with additional details on our transition to becoming a fully online institution for the remainder of the semester. Such a rapid move of course presents a number of challenges, but after continuous discussions with our faculty, staff, and students, I am confident that we are in great position to deliver the high-quality education you deserve. Please carefully read the following information, as it is important for the next phase of our educational conversion.
Online Classes
I continue to work with our regional president, campus leaders, academic deans, and faculty to determine how many courses can continue in an online format. The good news is that the vast majority of classes – a higher number than initially expected – will be able to continue remotely.
Classes that cannot be delivered entirely online.
In the event that one or more of your classes cannot be completed online, we will reach out to you directly.
Refunds
Three Rivers will not refund tuition and fees because we are converting to an online instruction model for the remainder of the term, enabling our students to complete the coursework that they have begun this semester. In the unlikely event that a class is cancelled by the college, we will provide further information about refunds to impacted students.
How to receive critical services such as academic support, advising, and disability services.
Following are contacts and additional information to help you through this transition.
Three Rivers Office Contact Information
- Academic Advising: TR-Advising@threerivers.edu
- Tutoring and Academic Success Center: TR-Tasc@threerivers.edu
- Admissions: Admissions@threerivers.edu
- Advising and Counseling: Advising@threerivers.edus.edu
- Cashier: TR-businesslink@threerivers.edu
- Disability Services: see below
- Financial Aid: FinancialAid@threerivers.edu
- Financial Aid Help: FinancialAidHelp@threerivers.edu
- Library Services: TRCCLibrary@threerivers.edu
- Manufacturing: WCEInfo@threerivers.edu
- Registrar’s Office/Records: Registrar@threerivers.edu
- Student Programs: StudentPrograms@threerivers.edu
- Workforce and Community Education: WCEInfo@threerivers.edu
- Additional email contacts can be found in our online Directory.
Resources for Students
If you need help with technology while continuing your studies online, the following resources are available:
The CSCU Connecticut Community Colleges Online Help Desk
This should be your first stop if you need a NetID password reset or if you are having issues with myCommNet and Blackboard. They offerphone and chat support 24/7/365 with contact details at the link below.
https://cscu.edusupportcenter.com/
If the CSCU Help Desk is unable to assist you, the TRCC IT Service Desk is here to help
Email – Please open a ticket with our IT Service Desk by emailing
[TR-ServiceDesk@trcc.commnet.edu ]TR-ServiceDesk@trcc.commnet.edu from your CSCU email account. Emails from personal email accounts often get marked as Junk and do not get through. Including as much detail as possible will help us to resolve your issue as quickly as possible.Phone – If you cannot access your student email due to account access issues (unknown NetID, expired or unknown password), please contact us via phone at 860-215-9049. We will be monitoring voicemail continuously during this time and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Please leave your full name, a contact number, and a brief description of your issue.
Web Chat with IT support – If you have basic IT questions you can chat with an IT support staff member by visiting https://www.trcc.commnet.edu/IT/ during normal operational hours.
E-Tutoring Services
“Ask TASC” is our online tutoring service. It utilizes TASC’s own staff, so you’re getting the same high-quality service that you would get by visiting TASC in person — the same tutors, the same subjects, and the same familiarity with course content. Visit Ask TASC by clicking here: https://www.trcc.commnet.edu/learning-resources/tutoring-tasc/online-tutoring/
Disability Services
If students with documented disabilities have any questions or concerns related to your academic adjustments, connect with Matt Liscum (learning disabilities) mliscum@threerivers.edu or Elizabeth Willcox (physical disabilities) ewillcox@threerivers.edu
Distance Learning (online class resources)
Distance Learning staff can provide more specialized support at
TR-DistanceLearning@trcc.commnet.edu. Distance Learning staff are available Monday – Friday during business hours.
Library Services
Students can connect with a reference librarian for research assistance, and access library resources including electronic books, full text journal articles and streaming videos by clicking on the following link: http://trcc.commnet.edu/learning-resources/library
Sexual Misconduct and Intimate Partner Violence Resources
Please click on the following link to access TRCC’s Title IX resource page:
https://www.trcc.commnet.edu/student-services/sexual-misconduct-resources-and-education/
Three Rivers College Foundation Scholarship Information
The Three Rivers College Foundation is currently accepting applications for their scholarships for TRCC college and high school students. Application information can be found at the following link: www.threerivers.edu/scholarships/. The deadline for scholarship applications is May 1.
Community Mental Health Resources
Please click on the following link to access a list of community-based agencies that can assist with concerns related to behavioral and mental health:
https://www.trcc.commnet.edu/student-services/community-resources/[http://]
As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, please contact 9-1-1.
Food Insecurity
While the TRCC Full Plate Food Pantry is closed through the end of the semester, we want to make sure you are aware of other resources to address food insecurity within the community.
- Most towns are participating in COVID-19 Community-wide Emergency Meal Programs for children 18 years or younger, regardless of whether they are a student or resident. Visit the website and social media pages of your local school district and municipalities for further information.
- Additionally, you can find food bank information at either
Information on free internet offers for those who don’t have access at home.
Comcast, Cox, and Charter are all currently offering some form of free internet service for students.
- Internet Essentials (Comcast)
- Cox Coronavirus (COVID-19) response (Cox)
- Charter (Charter Communications)
As always, we will continue to email updates of the latest information to your TRCC email, so be sure to check it on a regular basis. Information will also be posted on www.threerivers.edu/coronavirus, which will have a link to a new student information and support page later today.
Please continue to practice vigilance and stay healthy.
Mary Ellen Jukoski
President
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 13, 2020
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
While there is no additional information about closings and online classes, we have learned some things that you might find useful.
Free WiFi Offer from Internet Essentials from Comcast
Internet Essentials from Comcast, which works to provide affordable home WiFi for eligible households, has announced that:
“As the country deals with the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Comcast is taking immediate steps to help connect more low-income families to the Internet at home. Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, anyone who signs up for Internet Essentials will receive two free months of Internet service.”
After the two months, users can cancel or continue with paid service. Learn more at https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19
State of Connecticut Response to Covid-19
In addition to the State’s Coronavirus portal, they will also shared news on its new Twitter account at @COVID19CT and on Facebook at CT COVID-19 Response, where you’ll be able to keep up with the latest information.
Social Distancing – What’s up with that?
Senator Chris Murphy shared an excellent article from The Atlantic on the The Do’s and Don’ts of ‘Social Distancing’. It offers advice on everything from going on dates, getting your haircut to visiting elderly relatives.
As always, we will continue to assess the situation and communicate as often as needed.
Enjoy the weekend and Spring Break.
Mary Ellen
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 12, 2020
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
Here are the latest updates.
Three Rivers is closed effective today at 5:00 pm through Sunday, March 22.
Three Rivers will close the campus effective 5:00 pm, Thursday, March 12, and will remain closed through Sunday, March 22. We will continue to assess the situation and communicate as often as needed.
All employees who can are directed to begin teleworking tomorrow. All supervisors will connect with their employees today, including work study students, to determine individual work arrangements.
Here is some additional information:
- For Everyone Planning Out-of-state Travel – Important –Everyone (students, faculty and staff) travelling out of Connecticut, including internationally, must fill out this Out-of-State Travel Information Form. This is being required by CSCU so that we have the background knowledge we need to keep our campus safe and healthy for all.
- How to tell if you have coronavirus – We’re all wondering if our sniffles and sneezes could be the coronavirus. CNN has posted an informative article called Is it allergies, the flu or the coronavirus? How to tell the difference. It provides helpful details to distinguish your symptoms.
- For the latest Connecticut information, visit the official State of Connecticut Coronavirus portal at https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus.
These updates will continue to be sent to your TRCC email, so be sure to check it on a regular basis. By tonight, you will also be able to check www.threerivers.edu for additional information.
Please continue to practice vigilance and stay healthy.
Mary Ellen[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”3/11/20, 3:30 pm Update – Details about 3/23 – 4/3 Online Classes” tab_id=”1602100476442-2eafa19b-ff51″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588084175249{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 11, 2020, 3:30 p.m.
Dear Three Rivers community,
As you have no doubt heard, the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak is spreading globally and has now been designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. I want to emphasize that there are no known cases associated with Three Rivers faculty, staff, or students. We are working closely with the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities President Mark Ojakian to keep our University community as safe and healthy as possible and continue to take every precaution to mitigate potential impact on campus. Today, we are announcing the following new precautionary measures:
- Following Spring Break, all classes will be moved to an online-only format until at least Sunday, April 5.
- The campuses will remain open for day-to-day functions, and all non-teaching faculty and staff are expected to continue to report to work as scheduled.
- For students who don’t have access to the internet, Computer Lab – Room E112 Open Lab and the Library will remain open. The hours will be Mondays-Thursdays from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm and Fridays from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. Additional cleaning protocols are being implemented for your safety.
- Students who engage in off-campus clinics, internships, and similar experiential activities, may continue to attend them if their respective facility remains open. Please check with your supervisor, if necessary.
- All faculty, please take every opportunity this week and next to learn WebEx, MS Teams, Blackboard, and other tools to assist your online teaching, scheduling and hosting of online meetings.
- All campus events scheduled between March 14 and April 5 are canceled (no matter the size), including those sponsored by external clients.
As one might expect, the situation and conditions are changing by the day—sometimes by the hour. Be assured that we continue to work closely with President Ojakian, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and the Governor’s Office to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment for all members of our campus community.
I thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding as we work through all necessary adjustments. I urge you to continue to follow CDC guidelines for staying healthy.
Sincerely,
President Mary Ellen Jukoski[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”3/11/20, 2:00 pm Update – Announcing 3/23 – 4/3 Online Classes” tab_id=”1602100477298-389b536a-e0dc”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588084204912{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 11, 2020, 2:00 p.m.
Dear Students and Colleagues,
We will be moving to online classes for the two weeks following Spring Break, from Monday, March 23 through Friday, April 3.
- Students – you will access your class online via Blackboard. We will provide more details as they become available. Please remember that all official communications and updates will be sent to your TRCC email so be sure to check it regularly.
- Faculty – You have already received information from Dean Farinelli via email regarding moving your class online.
Staff will still report to work during this time.
Students who do not have access to computers or WiFi can use computers here at Three Rivers in Computer Lab, Room E112 and the Library.
We will be sending further updates as soon as they are available.
Remember, if you have questions, please call the hotline at (860) 215-9011.
Mary Ellen[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”3/10/20 Update – to Students – Travel, Virus Spread, Symptoms” tab_id=”1602100478162-f2333aeb-5ccc”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588084264920{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 10, 2020
Dear Students,
On March 4 and March 6, I sent Coronavirus Updates to students, faculty and staff. We just found out these accidentally did not get sent to students. Below is a special edition that will catch you up on the information from those two Updates.
President Jukoski
_________________________________________________________________________________
As the global COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak continues to intensify, I will be issuing updates via email on a regular basis to all Three Rivers students, faculty and staff. These updates will keep you informed on our planning here at Three Rivers and at CSCU (Connecticut State Colleges and Universities) for dealing with the possibility of it spreading to our community. We are taking every precaution to mitigate any potential impact on you and the campus.
TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.A.
Avoid travel to countries designated Level 2 and Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At this point, the countries designated Level 2 or Level 3 are China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, and Japan, but continued transmission of the disease means that the CDC’s list is likely to grow in coming days and weeks. We strongly discourage all students, faculty, and staff from traveling to those countries.
If you travel to a country that is Level 2 or 3 today, or a country that is designated as such while you are there, you are required to remain off-campus for a period of 14 days from when you arrive in the United States and are asked to self-quarantine during that period. Please continue to monitor the CDC’s guidance Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel (CDC)
If you must travel abroad, alert Three Rivers of your plans. We are doing everything in our power to prevent the coronavirus from spreading on campus. If you plan on traveling abroad during spring break, we are asking for your cooperation in sharing your information with us. In our next Update, we will provide you a link to a form that you should fill out.
PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
All students, faculty, and staff can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases by:
- Hand Hygiene –
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using a restroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. To learn more about proper handwashing, visit the CDC’s website, When and How to Wash Your Hands (CDC).
- Handwashing is most effective, however If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizers, that are made of at least 60% alcohol to work against the corona virus.
- Respiratory Etiquette – Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw it in the trash can.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick;
- Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. The CDC provides detailed information on Home Cleaning and Disinfection. The CDC site on Preventing COVID-19 spread in Communities is also extremely helpful.
IF YOU EXHIBIT FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS
Anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms is required to remain at home, and those who become sick during the day must go home.
- We will use the CDC definitions of flu or flu-like symptoms: Flu Symptoms & Complications (CDC)
- In the event a student or employee arrives to work with flu or flu-like symptoms, they will be instructed by management to go home due to the symptoms they exhibited. They will be advised that they should see a health care provider as soon as possible.
- Anyone who has the flu or flu-like symptoms but cannot self-transport home will be directed to wait for their ride in an Isolation Room on campus. This room is C102. Dean of Administrative Services Steve Goetchius at (860) 215-9002 or sgoetchius@threerivers.edu should be notified of anyone using the room..
- If they are diagnosed with the Coronavirus, we ask they contact (860) 215-9011 as soon as possible.
- Students are not to return to campus until they are symptom-free.
- The academic dean and faculty will work with the student to ensure a learning plan is in place. They are developing plans to access courses via Blackboard online. We will provide additional information when plans are finalized.
More details on this will be made available as soon as we receive them. We are in the process of creating a webpage that will be our information central for coronavirus.
As you know, this is a new experience for all of us, but the health and welfare of our students, faculty and staff are our priority. As I stated earlier, we will keep you informed on a regular basis.
If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call (860) 215-9011. We are working hard to ensure that we all have a safe working environment.
Thank you.
Mary Ellen[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”3/6/20 Update – Isolation Room, Travel, Precautions” tab_id=”1602100479108-211765ca-9701″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1643216763698{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 6, 2020
Dear Students and Colleagues,
As the worldwide COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak continues to grow in intensity, I am reminding you to do everything you can to avoid putting yourself and our campus community at risk. Here are the latest updates.
ISOLATION ROOM AT THREE RIVERS
As mentioned in the Wednesday, March 4 Update, anyone who has the flu or flu-like symptoms but cannot self-transport home will be directed to wait for their ride in an Isolation Room on campus. This room is C102. Dean of Administrative Services Steve Goetchius at (860) 215-9002 or sgoetchius@threerivers.edu should be notified of anyone using the room.
TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.A.
Avoid travel to countries designated Level 2 and Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At this point, the countries designated Level 2 or Level 3 are China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, and Japan, but continued transmission of the disease means that the CDC’s list is likely to grow in coming days and weeks. We strongly discourage all students, faculty, and staff from traveling to those countries.
If you travel to a country that is Level 2 or 3 today, or a country that is designated as such while you are there, you are required to remain off-campus for a period of 14 days from when you arrive in the United States and are asked to self-quarantine during that period. Please continue to monitor the CDC’s guidance Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel (CDC)
If you must travel abroad, alert Three Rivers of your plans. We are doing everything in our power to prevent the coronavirus from spreading on campus. If you plan on traveling abroad during spring break, we are asking for your cooperation in sharing your information with us. This will help us have the information necessary to protect the campus community. Call (860) 215-9011 with the following information. (Please be sure to spell out your name and email.):
- Your Name
- Whether you are a Student, Faculty, or Staff
- Destinations during your travel (Include all)
- Departure and return date
A REMINDER TO TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS
Wash your hands and avoid people who are sick. All students, faculty, and staff can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases by regularly washing hands for at least 20 seconds. Handwashing is most effective. If using hand sanitizers, they must be made of at least 60% alcohol to be work against the corona virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. The CDC provides detailed information on Home Cleaning and Disinfection. The CDC site on Preventing COVID-19 spread in Communities is also extremely helpful.
Above all, please be careful and stay vigilant.
If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call (860) 215-9011.
Thank you.
Mary Ellen
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”3/4/20 Update – Suspended Travel, Spread, Symptoms” tab_id=”1602100480011-0c52155a-8381″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588084351314{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
From President Mary Ellen Jukoski
March 4, 2020
Dear Students and Colleagues,
As the global COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak continues to intensify, I will be issuing updates via email on a regular basis to all Three Rivers students, faculty and staff. These updates will keep you informed on our planning here at Three Rivers and at CSCU (Connecticut State Colleges and Universities) for dealing with the possibility of it spreading to our community. We are taking every precaution to mitigate any potential impact on you and the campus.
Suspended Travel to Designated Countries
Last week, CSCU suspended institutionally sponsored travel to countries designated Level 2 or Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That list of countries now includes China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, and Japan, but that list is likely to grow in coming days and weeks.
Students, faculty, and staff returning from Level 2 or 3 nations, regardless of whether or not they are showing symptoms, will be required not to return to campus for a period of 14 days from when they arrive in the United States. During those 14 days, we are asking those returning to self-quarantine and seek medical attention if symptoms develop.
Preventing the Spread of COVID-19
All students, faculty, and staff can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases by:
- Hand Hygiene –
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using a restroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. To learn more about proper handwashing, visit the CDC’s website, When and How to Wash Your Hands (CDC).
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60%-95% alcohol.
- Respiratory Etiquette –
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw it in the trash can.
- For additional information, see attached pdf of the poster, Stop the Spread of Germs. Feel free to share this poster with others and to print it out. These posters have been placed in every bathroom in the main building on campus. If anyone needs additional posters for campus, please stop by the Marketing Office in Room C211.
If You Exhibit Flu-like Symptoms
Anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms is required to remain at home, and those who become sick during the day must go home. Here is the process that will be implemented by Friday of this week (3/6/20).
- We will use the CDC definitions of flu or flu-like symptoms: Flu Symptoms & Complications (CDC)
- In the event a student or employee arrives to work with flu or flu-like symptoms, they will be instructed by management to go home due to the symptoms they exhibited. They will be advised that they should see a health care provider as soon as possible.
- Students
- If a student is unable to self-transport home, staff members should direct them to the campus isolation room and notify Dean of Administrative Services Steve Goetchius at (860) 215-9002 or sgoetchius@threerivers.edu. We will announce the location of the isolation room by the end of day Friday, March 6.
- If they are diagnosed with the Coronavirus, we ask they contact (860) 215-9011 as soon as possible.
- Students are not to return to campus until they are symptom-free.
- The academic dean and faculty will work with the student to ensure a learning plan is in place. They are developing plans to access courses via Blackboard online. We will provide additional information when plans are finalized.
- Employees
- If an employee is diagnosed with the Coronavirus, we ask they inform their manager as soon as possible.
- They will be instructed not to return to work until they are no longer symptomatic.
- Employees are to use their accrued paid time off for this purpose (where applicable) unless they and their supervisor agree to a temporary telecommuting arrangement.
More details on this will be made available as soon as we receive them.
As you know, this is a new experience for all of us, but the health and welfare of our students, faculty and staff are our priority. As I stated earlier, we will keep you informed on a regular basis.
If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call (860) 215-9011. We are working hard to ensure that we all have a safe working environment. Thank you.
Mary Ellen[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1594835157331{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Disclaimer
Beginning March 2020, Connecticut along with the rest of the United States suffered the effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Day-to-day life as it existed before the pandemic changed drastically, and individuals and institutions adapted to new practices and behaviors. Normative actions now include wearing facial masks, maintaining social distance, and working and learning remotely. Learning about and adherence to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance has become a way of life. As we plan for the next academic year, so much is uncertain, including the continuing threat of COVID-19.
The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) must adapt to meet this reality. Going forward, it is up to all of us – faculty, staff and students – to do our part to ensure our campus community stays as healthy and safe as possible. This is a shared responsibility, and every member of our community must adhere to national, state, and local health guidelines and requirements, and adhere to those measures Three Rivers Community College deems safe and appropriate for the campus. This will include social distancing, wearing masks or other facial coverings, not reporting to class or work if sick, and isolating when required.
Although Three Rivers Community College is readily developing a schedule of courses that include some in-class and on-ground instruction, no one knows what the future may hold. In the case of an outbreak of the coronavirus or other illness, the institutions reserve the right to adapt the format of any class to an entirely online/distance learning modality as public health conditions warrant. Such change will not result in any increase or decrease of tuition and fees. We all understand that tuition and fees are in exchange for learning, academic credit, and certain non-academic services regardless of whether taught on-ground, in a hybrid environment or entirely remotely.
Most important to CSCU and Three Rivers Community College is the health, safety and welfare of every member of its community. Yet, despite campus efforts to comply with health and safety guidelines, it is not possible to guarantee a disease free environment, or to guarantee that campuses will not close and return to an online-only learning environment. These are the realities of working and learning during a pandemic. If you choose to return to campus during the pandemic, you accept that you are willing to do your part to keep the campus safe and acknowledge that you may be required to complete your course work in a remote learning environment.
The Three Rivers Community College community is looking forward to welcoming you back.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][mk_custom_sidebar sidebar=”sidebar-19″][mk_custom_sidebar el_class=”programpage-sidebar” sidebar=”sidebar-25″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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Three Rivers College Foundation Awards Additional $250,000 in Scholarships for Spring Term to help with Pandemic
The Three Rivers College Foundation is excited to announce that it will give out an additional $250,000 in scholarships and awards for the 2021 Spring Semester to assist current Three Rivers Community College students with the many difficulties they are facing due to the Pandemic. The monies will be used to remove financial barriers such as tuition, books, fees, online learning codes, and technology needs.
Current Three Rivers students can complete a brief online application at www.trcc.commnet.edu/student-support, which will be reviewed by a small committee of administrators, faculty, and staff. Funds will be awarded until the monies are exhausted.
According to the TRC Foundation Scholarship Chair, Nikki Gullickson, “The TRC Foundation recognizes the need to expand our current scholarship offerings to assist students in registering for and completing the Spring term. This funding will complement our current Summer and Fall program that awards over an additional $400,000 annually. Many of our most vulnerable students have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, and now, more than ever, students need this financial assistance to achieve the education they have been working hard to attain.”
In March, when COVID-19 hit, the Three Rivers College Foundation Board also enacted emergency funding and purchased 60 laptops to assist students and faculty during the crisis. The laptops remain on-loan for students in need. Students can apply for a laptop at www.trcc.commnet.edu/computer-loan.
As the College works in new ways to provide educational opportunities for success, the TRC Foundation will remain flexible in providing additional support to students as they build a brighter future for themselves, their families and our shared community.
Those would like to contribute to the fund, can visit www.threerivers.edu/giving to donate today.
READ MOREIn The News | Three Rivers Community College opens differently for fall semester
Norwich, CT (The Day, August 26. 2020) — Three Rivers Community College student Grace Carlos of Montville started the fall semester Wednesday with optimism, feeling everyone is better prepared for online lessons and ready to work together.
“I’m still confident going into this semester, because I feel like my professors have my back,” said Carlos, who hopes to graduate next spring and transfer to a four-year state college. “They’re really helping me out.”
The 20-year-old started an internship in the office of Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz on Tuesday, handling constituent services, answering emails and doing social media postings.
Three Rivers students were thrust into remote classes suddenly in March, when the coronavirus pandemic arrived here. Carlos said some students familiar with online learning ended up teaching their teachers how to do it.
The fall semester started Wednesday at Three Rivers, 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich. Labs and a few other classes are in person, but most classes will be online, some with lessons students can log into at any time. Some are LRON — Live Remote Online — classes, with students watching live as a professor teaches either in front of students or in an empty classroom.
LRON was developed by Three Rivers as a pilot program before COVID-19 hit and now is being used at all Connecticut community colleges, said Kem Barfield, interim dean of academics and student affairs.
Security guard Susan Cocco, left, helps students check in as they return to the Three Rivers Community College campus Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020 in Norwich. Classes with a lab component are meeting in-person on campus to start the year, while other classes are held online. (Sean D. Elliott/The Day)
Students trickled onto campus Wednesday morning, stopping at the security desk at the entrance to check in and pick up the updated student handbook.
For contact tracing, anyone in the building must check out when they leave. Faculty picked up a packet of five masks and a pack of sanitizing wipes. Foot-pump sanitizing stations are located throughout the building.
The library is open by appointment only, Three Rivers President Mary Ellen Jukoski said. There is a book drop-off at the main entrance.
The cafeteria is closed, except for vending machines, and water drinking fountains have been replaced with water bottle filling stations. The campus store is open and can take online orders for curbside pickup.
Over the summer, hundreds of community college faculty across the state participated in online workshops on online learning platforms, Jukoski said. Faculty and staff also participated in “water cooler” sessions to discuss numerous issues and to help one another with problems, Barfield said.
A crisis response team with faculty, staff, administrators, technology experts, Three Rivers Foundation members and students meets remotely every week to discuss issues and how to support students, Barfield said. “That’s just been an incredible team,” he said.
“We recognize that people really needed some additional help,” Jukoski said, “because we had to pivot so fast in spring, and some had not taught online before. Over the summer, there were over 432 people who participated in workshops.”
Jukoski said she was surprised that Three Rivers enrollment, at about 3,200 students, is down by an estimated 12% at the start of this semester. Normally with widespread layoffs, community college enrollment increases as people consider career changes and job training, she said, including the popular manufacturing pipeline classes at Ella T. Grasso Technical High School in Groton.
Students are continuing to enroll, Jukoski said, and final enrollment might not be known for several weeks. Three Rivers has not had to cancel classes yet, college spokeswoman Alexa Shelton said.
Student Lorenzo Enderle, 24, of Groton has had a busy summer helping the entire college get ready for the fall semester. An environmental engineering technology major, he is president of the student government and is on several college clubs and committees, including the crisis response team.
Enderle has one chemistry lab class on campus and the rest of his classes are online. He said students and staff have the same concerns: health and safety. He said the crisis response team has been focusing on how to open campus safely, and he said he’ll try to make sure students are kept informed of changing protocols.
“I think they’ve been handling it very well,” Enderle said of campus administrators. “I serve on a couple of reopening committees. This is something no one has faced before. They really have focused on making sure every student is looked out for.”
Adjunct professor Ron Picoli said he volunteered to host one of the few in-person lecture classes. His intermediate algebra class has an optional one-credit computer lab component, as well.
“I am old-school,” Picoli said before class started Wednesday morning. “I think the best way to educate kids is in person. Online is a great thing, but there’s nothing better than in person.”
Picoli, 70, a retired engineer who worked for 36 years at Electric Boat, has been teaching math at Three Rivers for 22 years.
About 10 students entered his lecture hall Wednesday morning. More than half of the 30 theater-style seats were taped off to keep students apart.
Picoli brought a Stop & Shop canvas grocery bag and the weekly Shop Rite flier to class. He said he prefers practical examples to drive math lessons home. With in-person classes, he can see if students are getting the point or if he has to backtrack.
“It’s all part of life’s experiences,” he said of his approach to math teaching. “And the other half of college is learning to be with people. Social interactions.”
— By Claire Bessette, Day staff writer
The original article can be found here: “Three Rivers Community College opens differently for fall semester.”
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Fall 2021 Reopening at TRCC
[mk_page_section bg_image=”https://threerivers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/header-checking-in.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1469639571895{padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”450px”][mk_fancy_title strip_tags=”true” tag_name=”h1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”80″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”Oswald” font_type=”google” el_class=”page-title”]Fall 2021 Reopening at TRCC
[/mk_fancy_title][vc_empty_space height=”100px” el_class=”page-titlebg” css=”.vc_custom_1469639726224{background-color: rgba(253,181,21,0.8) !important;*background-color: rgb(77,49,142) !important;}”][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1469635777230{padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][ultimate_spacer height=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1629916155840{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Welcome to the Fall Semester at Three Rivers
The TRCC community looks forward to working with you as we plan for the Fall 2021 semester. Please continue to reference this page for important updates and resources regarding our re-opening plans.
Additional Information for Students
We have created a dedicated page to help Three Rivers students as we transition into a “virtual campus.” Visit the Coronavirus – Information and Support for Students page for information about logging into classes, advising, tutoring, library, registering, career resources, and more.
Additional Information for Faculty and Staff
Please see the Coronavirus – Information for Faculty and Staff page for information and links that may be useful to Three Rivers faculty and staff transitioning to working and teaching remotely as well as information on how to access resources on campus.
Do you feel ill?
Contact the TRCC Covid-19 Coordinator Steve Goetchius at 860-215-9002. Whether you are a student, faculty or staff, he will take your information and take next steps. Please fill out this online form and follow the steps provided if you feel ill.
Vaccinations Required for Students on Campus
On Thursday, June 24, the Board of Regents voted to require all students who participate in on-campus activities this fall to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That means if you plan on attending class or extracurricular activities in-person, you must first get vaccinated.
The vaccines that are currently authorized in the United States are safe, highly effective, and critical to resuming normal operations at our campuses this fall. If you have not already done so, now is the time to get vaccinated. With more infectious, more severe variants becoming more and more prevalent, getting your shot is the best way to protect yourself and your family.
Declare your vaccination status before the semester starts at MyCommNet.edu.
View the Connecticut Vaccine Portal to find a FREE vaccine provider near you (ct.gov)
Students who need to seek a medical or non-medical exemption, please follow these directions:
- Non-medical exemptions: Visit this link and apply here: https://cscu-gme-advocate.symplicity.com/surveys/index.php/pid265064?sid=exemption
- Medical exemptions: Visit the link and fill out this form (your doctor must sign/stamp): https://threerivers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/trcc-covid19-medicalexemption-request.pdf
More information is available on the CSCU website. View Vaccine Requirement FAQs (ct.edu)
TRCC 2021 Coronavirus Pandemic Disclaimer
If you have questions or concerns, you can contact the TRCC Covid-19 Coordinator Steve Goetchius at 860-215-9002 or at sgoetchius@trcc.commnet.edu.
We will follow up with additional information on how students can document their vaccination status prior to the beginning of the semester.
Campus Open at Limited Capacity
The campus is still running at a limited capacity and there are specific protocol for coming to campus. Please read it thoroughly here.
The Health & Wellness Center is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
The college is open to the public. All employees and students are expected to always wear face masks when they are on campus.
Fall Business hours will be Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am – 10:00pm and Friday 7:00 am – 7:00 pm. These hours are subject to change as needed.
The Main and Clock Tower entrances to the building will be open. The Main Entrance is the only entrance/exit for faculty and staff and public use. Middle College Staff and Students will continue to use this entrance/exit. Students will be encouraged to use the South Lobby Entrance at the Clock Tower. All other building doors will continue to be locked and not used as either entrances or exits.
Thank you for your adherence to these procedures.
Scheduling an On-Campus or Virtual Appointment
Appointments for On-Campus Meetings.
Please note, enrollment staff will be available as we re-open our campus. No appointment is needed to access student services in the A-Wing, appointments are strongly encouraged.
To schedule an on-campus or virtual appointment with a member of our team, please use the following contact list to initiate your request. Please make sure to include your full name and TRCC Student ID# on all email correspondence:
Admissions@threerivers.edu for questions regarding Three Rivers and the application process
Advising@threerivers.edu for advising and/or registration questions
Registrar@threerivers.edu for registration and/or student record questions
FinancialAidHelp@threerivers.edu for financial aid questions
TR-businesslink@threerivers.edu for payment questions
On-Campus Appointment Protocol
Select classes will be offered on campus. Enrollment staff will be available. It is strongly encouraged that you make an appointment. When you arrive at the TRCC campus for your appointment, please enter the building via our Main Entrance, located at the back of the building. The main and Clock Tower entrances to the building will be open with the start of fall classes on August 26. From there, a staff member will meet and escort you to your assigned appointment area. Please note the following:
- You will be required to wear a mask the entire time you are in the building, following CSCU Mask and Social Distancing Guidelines. Please also read this Interim Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings in Schools during COVID-19 from the Connecticut State Department of Education;
- We ask that you use the hand sanitizer station located at the Main Security desk upon entry to the building;
- You are expected to follow social distancing guidelines while in the building;
- You are encouraged to bring your own note-taking materials such as paper, pens, and/or technology, as we will not supply these items during your visit;
- We will promote the use of paperless interactions whenever possible;
- Friends or family members will not be allowed to accompany you for your appointment, unless prior arrangements have been made; and
- Social/common areas will not be available for use.
Following your appointment, you will be directed back to the Main Security desk to log out.
On-Campus Protocol for Faculty, Staff and Students
The College is open to the general public beginning. All faculty, staff, students and vendors must use only the Main Entrance, near the Security Office in the back of the building, to enter and exit the building.
The Main and Clock Tower entrances to the building will be open with the start of fall classes on August 26. The Main Entrance is the only entrance/exit for faculty and staff and public use. Students will be encouraged to use the South Lobby Entrance at the Clock Tower. All other building doors will continue to be locked and not used as either entrances or exits.
ID badges will be required to enter and leave the building; new ID scanning equipment will be located there. If you do not have a badge, please plan accordingly to schedule an appointment to come in to obtain one.
- Faculty and staff — please contact Chris Marceau at 860-215-9268 or cmarceau@trcc.commnet.edu.
- Students who will have classes on campus this fall can contact Student Services at welcomecenter@threerivers.edu for an ID badge.
- Anyone without a badge, including vendors, will be required to obtain a temporary badge for the day from the Security Office, before you will be allowed to enter the building.
General Information on Campus Resources
Due to the pandemic, some of the amenities of the College will be unavailable or have different accessibility.
- Restrooms are all open. Facilities has established frequent cleaning/disinfecting schedule.
- The TRCC Food Servery will be open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am – 6:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am – 12:00 pm.
- Vending machines will be available in both the cafeteria and the Cyber Cafe.
- Water fountains throughout the building have been converted to water stations for no-touch bottle filling.
- The Health & Wellness Center is open Monday through Thursday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.
- Use of “touch” Equipment on Campus: Printers, Vending Machines, ATM, microwaves, refrigerators, etc. – Personal accountability is required for self-cleaning before use and after use with disinfectant supplies located at these areas.
- Library Services: The library is fully staffed and open to the public Monday through Thursday 8:30 am – 8:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am – 3:00 pm, no appointment needed. Virtual assistance will continue throughout the semester. Please see a complete list of all library services at the following link. https://www.trcc.commnet.edu/learning-resources/library/.
- IT Services – IT help is available remotely. Please follow the instructions at https://www.trcc.commnet.edu/it/.
- Manufacturing Apprenticeship Center (MAC) – We will continue to offer workforce classes at the MAC at Grasso Technical High School in Groton.
Health and Safety Protocols
In addition to our Facilities Cleaning Procedure, a stringent daily system of disinfecting and cleaning based on CDC and CT Department of Public Health guidelines, the following measures will be implemented:
- Partitions and Plexiglas shields (and other enhanced safety measures) will be installed;
- Hand sanitizer stations are located at the main security entrance and other accessible portions of the campus;
- Wipes and/or disinfectant spray will be available for use in high contact and frequently used areas;
- Signage will help to remind the campus community of social distancing requirements, the mandatory wearing of masks, and other health and safety protocols.
- CSCU Mask and Social Distancing Guidelines must be followed.
Procedures for Social Distancing
- Please do not enter the building if you feel sick or have a temperature, please go home and follow these CDC Guidelines.
- The main entrance will be the only entrance/exit for anyone (staff, faculty, and students) to enter the building.
- For contact tracing purposes, everyone will be required to log in at the Security Desk and identify their destination.
- Students will be met at the Security Desk by someone from the Student Services Division.
- A hand sanitizer station will be available at this entrance, and all entering are expected to sanitize their hands.
- Face masks are required to be worn at all times in the building and while working; exceptions will be determined by your supervisor.
- A social distance of 3 feet must be maintained at all times.
- Upon departure, all staff and students are required to log out according to communicated procedures.
For Faculty and Staff
- Faculty and staff should continue to offer remote services wherever possible, i.e., continue to offer online advising, tutoring sessions, admissions, etc.
- When in the building, please do not schedule any in-person meetings. Staff should place phone calls to one another or utilize TEAMS when collaboration is needed.
- Covid-19 awareness safety signage will be posted at the entrance/exit and throughout the building along with hand-sanitizing stations.
- Employees who have an ADA or FMLA accommodation request related to COVID-19 should contact Kim Carolina, CSCU Capital East Regional HR Manager at kcarolina@commnet.edu or 860-343-5715. College supervisors, Deans, and the President are not authorized to discuss your request in any detail, ask you for documentation, or render any decision your request.
- Classroom and lab furnishings have been carefully placed to maintain 6-foot distancing. Please do not move any of these furnishings.
- Plexiglass shields will be installed at the security desk, welcome center, admissions, financial aid, and library circulation desk; other areas will be evaluated as needed.
Facilities Cleaning Procedures
TRCC will incorporate a thorough cleaning policy as per the CDC and State guidelines listed here.
Facilities personnel are using approved disinfectant products for the following usage throughout the building:
- All high-touch areas in buildings (doorknobs, handles, railings, entrances, elevator buttons, service tabletops, bathroom touch knobs and sanitizer pump stations) are disinfected multiple times throughout the day.
- All bathrooms are cleaned and disinfected every time they are fully serviced.
- All hard floor surfaces, especially in the bathrooms, are damp mopped with disinfectant, killing any germs produced by human waste and/or sick people.
- During Spring Break, a full disinfection process took place in all buildings.
- Cleaning will be completed by qualified cleaning staff and will be done between classes and at the end of every day. If there is any reason to believe that there needs to be additional cleaning for a contamination issue, there will be an additional cleaning of that area or entire space.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Disclaimer
Beginning March 2020, Connecticut along with the rest of the United States suffered the effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Day-to-day life as it existed before the pandemic changed drastically, and individuals and institutions adapted to new practices and behaviors. Normative actions now include wearing facial masks, maintaining social distance, and working and learning remotely. Learning about and adherence to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance has become a way of life. As we plan for the next academic year, so much is uncertain, including the continuing threat of COVID-19.
The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) must adapt to meet this reality. Going forward, it is up to all of us – faculty, staff and students – to do our part to ensure our campus community stays as healthy and safe as possible. This is a shared responsibility, and every member of our community must adhere to national, state, and local health guidelines and requirements, and adhere to those measures Three Rivers Community College deems safe and appropriate for the campus. This will include social distancing, wearing masks or other facial coverings, not reporting to class or work if sick, and isolating when required.
Although Three Rivers Community College is readily developing a schedule of courses that include some in-class and on-ground instruction, no one knows what the future may hold. In the case of an outbreak of the coronavirus or other illness, the institutions reserve the right to adapt the format of any class to an entirely online/distance learning modality as public health conditions warrant. Such change will not result in any increase or decrease of tuition and fees. We all understand that tuition and fees are in exchange for learning, academic credit, and certain non-academic services regardless of whether taught on-ground, in a hybrid environment or entirely remotely.
Most important to CSCU and Three Rivers Community College is the health, safety and welfare of every member of its community. Yet, despite campus efforts to comply with health and safety guidelines, it is not possible to guarantee a disease free environment, or to guarantee that campuses will not close and return to an online-only learning environment. These are the realities of working and learning during a pandemic. If you choose to return to campus during the pandemic, you accept that you are willing to do your part to keep the campus safe and acknowledge that you may be required to complete your course work in a remote learning environment.
The Three Rivers Community College community is looking forward to welcoming you back.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1595013157370{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
Additional Resources
- Spanish Language Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 Overview
- Official State of Connecticut Coronavirus Portal
- CSCU Covid-19 Updates including CSCU Plans for Reopening.
Fall 2021 Reopening Page Directory
- Welcome to Students
- Procedures for Social Distancing
- Faculty and Staff Information
- Facilities Cleaning Procedure
- Disclaimer
- Additional Resources
- Register Now
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Student On-Campus Appointments
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[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”80″][mk_custom_sidebar el_class=”programpage-sidebar” sidebar=”sidebar-25″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1595021048229{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1595256911662{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}”][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] READ MOREThree Rivers Offers Virtual Information Sessions for Prospective Students
The Three Rivers Community College campus may be closed temporarily due to COVIOD-19, but staff is still virtually available to answer questions from prospective students. In addition to email and phone calls, Three Rivers staff members are now hosting group video chats and one-on-one meetings, keeping everyone safely distanced in their own homes while providing crucial information about enrolling, classes, financial aid, as well as how to take advantage of Connecticut’s new debt-free college plan.
Credit degree and certificate admissions staff are available to chat about everything from specific programs, what it’s like to be a Three Rivers student, and applying to the College, to the nursing program, enrolling for classes, PACT – Connecticut’s debt-free college plan, and more. To arrange a meeting with an advisor, visit www.threerivers.edu/enroll, or email admissions@threerivers.edu.
The non-credit Workforce and Community Education staff is ready to answer questions about job training programs, the registration process, financial support, and more. They will help you achieve your career goals. To arrange a meeting with a staff member, visit www.threerivers.edu/workforce or email WCEinfo@threerivers.edu.
Both credit and non-credit staff offer one-hour group WebEx meetings that students can join and leave at any time during the hour. Staff is also available via email as well as for individual video meetings or phone meetings from 9 am – 4 pm, Monday through Friday.
Registration is now open for both credit and non-credit summer classes – which will only be offered online – as well as for Fall 2020 credit courses, and applications for both semesters are currently being accepted.
READ MOREIn the News | For some local colleges, COVID-19 is now part of the curriculum
New London, CT (The Day, April 11, 2020) — Whether teaching about microbiology or media, some professors at local colleges and universities have shifted their now-online curriculum this semester to include the coronavirus, but Steven Szczepanek was ahead of the curve we’re trying to flatten.
Professor Sarah Selke teaching Microbiology.
After all, he teaches a course called Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The University of Connecticut professor had been reading reports since the beginning of December, and with UConn classes starting in late January, he was ready to “seamlessly integrate the topic into the course” on day one. This is the fifth time he has taught the class, and information about SARS and MERS were already major topics.
For years, he would preach to his class in a lecture at the end of the semester “that it was only a matter of time before another outbreak with one of these viruses was going to cause a devastating global pandemic,” Szczepanek said in an email to The Day. “Welcome to 2020.”
From what he’s heard from students, the class helps them deal with difficult emotions that come with the pandemic. He thinks it gives them peace of mind to study how diseases emerge from an objective point of view.
Szczepanek also teaches a course on vaccines, and he’s one of multiple professors teaching a recently developed interdisciplinary, free, one-credit undergraduate course on COVID-19.
Peter Diplock, assistant vice provost for excellence in teaching and learning, said this past week that the course, The COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts on Health, Business and Society, has 4,000 students enrolled. He developed the course, which is running April 6 through May 1.
It brings together professors in public health, public policy, pharmacy, finance and more. Diplock said a similar course for faculty, staff and graduate students begins Monday.
“Learn from UConn experts the science behind COVID-19, how to recognize stress and adopt coping mechanisms, and gain insight into the business and financial implications of the pandemic,” the undergraduate course description reads.
At Three Rivers Community College, Sarah Selke considered making the rest of the semester a COVID-19 case study in her microbiology class, but she opted to stick with her normal curriculum and weave the coronavirus in as examples.
“I think there’s a balance that I want to strike,” she said, “because knowledge is power, and I hope that learning more about the biology of COVID-19 actually reassures my students, but at the same time, the pandemic is inescapable.”
One time she used the coronavirus as an example was in talking about how alcohol is used to control microorganisms, and how alcohol can break apart the outer layer on some viruses.
“It’s called an envelope, and if you destroy the envelope, a virus particle cannot infect,” Selke explained. She ordinarily might use a bacterial example, but now, she explained to her students that people are using hand sanitizer because its alcohol content would destroy the envelope of the coronavirus.
Selke also will tie in the coronavirus to the chapter she’s teaching on how viruses replicate, one she said is always very challenging for her students.
“I am thinking that the fact I will be tying it to COVID-19 will make them more invested in the hard work they have to do to understand a difficult concept,” Selke said.
At Connecticut College, the courses don’t even have to be on health or science to tie in the coronavirus: Two English professors are incorporating it in their curriculum.
Jeff Strabone teaches Media Rhetoric and Communication, a course designed to teach students “to recognize the interests that influence journalism and public speech,” he said.
Earlier in the semester, students analyzed parts of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address and Rep. Adam Schiff’s closing speeches in Trump’s impeachment trial. Strabone had them read primary documents on the impeachment and then read articles from slanted sources, from Jacobin to Breitbart, to see how those organizations interpreted the same documents.
Before spring break, Strabone already had started incorporating examples of coronavirus misinformation.
With the class online since spring break, students have talked about the Defense Production Act and about the dynamic between Trump and Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
He gave his students 55 accounts to follow on Twitter — including elected officials, news organizations and advocacy groups — for them to consider which ones they should unfollow for spreading misinformation.
“COVID-19 is an epidemic, but it’s also a media event, so we need to think critically about the media that accompanies the epidemic,” Strabone said, adding, “Misinformation can kill you.”
Julie Rivkin is incorporating COVID-19 into her course on narrative medicine, an interdisciplinary field centered on patients voicing their experiences, thus improving health care services.
Some of the readings have included “Floating Bridge” by Alice Munro, “The Aquarium” by Aleksandar Hemon and “The Interior Castle” by Jean Stafford. After the mid-term, Rivkin decided to change the name of her course to Living in a Pandemic in Real Time.
“Both our public and our personal narratives are undergoing radical and extraordinarily rapid changes day by day and hour by hour,” Rivkin said. So, she’s having students share personal reflections that are guided by previous readings.
One assignment was for students to write about how their sense of time has been altered by the pandemic, and another was to respond to poetry that New York Times readers had written in response to the article “The Doctor and ‘The Apocalypse,'” in which a Boston emergency room doctor wrote a poem about the coronavirus crisis.
“The students have been wonderfully responsive, and I think they make it clear this work is helping them,” Rivkin said. “It’s kind of a space for them to make sense of what they’re going through.”
— By Erica Moser, The Day staff writer
The original article can be found here: “For some local colleges, COVID-19 is now part of the curriculum”
READ MORE
In the News | Bagpiper serenades neighbors during pandemic
Willimantic, CT (The Chronicle, March 30, 2020) — Gov. Ned Lamont’s urgent request to stay safe and at home has left area residents a bit stir crazy.
For some locals, a quick solitary walk around the neighborhood can uplift their spirits immensely during the coronavirus pandemic.
But upon starting his walks last Wednesday, Willimantic resident William O’Hare probably did not expect to amass a following to rival Forrest Gump of movie fame.
O’Hare has been walking, and playing bagpipes, around his neighborhood almost every night since March 18, when it became clear neighbors would need to self-isolate for the foreseeable future.
“I think it helps people get out and be somewhat social, but maintain our social distancing, and do what we need to do to flatten the curve,” O’Hare said.
O’Hare said he will walk around his neighborhood every evening, weather permitting, until he can end his self-isolation and get back to his normal routine.
Since March 18, he has only missed this past Monday and Wednesday evening because of inclement weather.
O’Hare said he ventures out for about a 30-minute walk at 5 p.m. every evening. His route centers about four or five blocks around his Lewiston Avenue home.
He said he chose 5 p.m. as it is the traditional time for military posts to have their retreat or their end-of-day ceremony. In addition, O’Hare said he has started to play one “goodnight” tune at 8 p.m. from a street corner.
“I think it just helps there to be some sort of sign of life in the neighborhood,” O’Hare said. “It’s something to tie everybody together. It’s been fun to see that happen.”
In addition, O’Hare joked it gives him his own routine to get off the couch, shower, shave and get dressed in the traditional uniform. O’Hare said he first got the idea to play for the community during this difficult time from a bagpiping friend in Boston.
The friend played Celtic tunes up on Beacon Hill after the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations were canceled.
The Thread City musician has attracted several audience members and even some followers. Willimantic resident Shirley Mustard said she usually takes her evening walk around 4 or 5 p.m. Mustard said when she first heard the bagpiper March 20, she was eager to continue hearing the Celtic music during her evening exercise.
“Sometimes I say ‘Will, I’m going to come along with you, but keep a few paces behind,'” Mustard said. “Then I go back home following him, just to listen to his music.”
Mustard said the atmosphere around O’Hare’s travels is truly festive. “I give him all kinds of credit for pulling the community together during this awful time,” she said.
O’Hare said he has gotten requests to travel into other neighborhoods around Willimantic. “I’m not sure I’m going to meet all those requests,” O’Hare said. “It gets pretty tiring playing for that long.”
O’Hare said he is interested in playing for Windham Community Memorial Hospital or the Willimantic Public Safety Complex, for when the workers at the “front lines” change shifts.
O’Hare said he has played bagpipes for around 25 years. Recently, he has not played much ofthe Scottish and Irish instrument, as he has been studying flutes and whistles. According to O’Hare, he previously played bagpipes for the Eastern Connecticut State University commencement ceremony.
He continues to play the pipes for the Three Rivers Community College commencement, where he teaches. O’Hare said he will post updates on his Facebook page, “Will O’Hare Music.”
— By Claire Galvin, Chronicle Staff Writer
READ MOREIn the News | World responding to Lebanon man’s design increasing capacity of ventilators
Lebanon, CT (The Day, April 2, 2020) — Robert Conley’s exhausted.
His phone hasn’t stopped ringing since news reports this past weekend of his role in designing the Ventilator Quad Splitter, a device that can connect a single breathing machine to as many as seven or eight COVID-19 patients at the same time.
Robert Conley of Lebanon, owner of Interactive CAD Solutions, on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, holds the ventilator quad hose splitter, the white piece, that he designed attached to a stock HEPA filter and a stock coupling that connects to a ventilator (Dana Jensen/The Day).
Conley, 56, an associate professor at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich and owner of Interactive CAD Solutions, an engineering design company in Lebanon, said Wednesday he’s had inquiries from Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Pakistan in the last couple of days from people interested in his splitter design, which can be produced on 3D printers.
With ventilators in notoriously short supply, the invention’s impact could be far-reaching.
Conley said he got involved in the project last week by responding to another small businessman’s plea. Kevin Dyer, chief executive officer of InterPRO Additive Manufacturing Group in Deep River, a 3D printing firm, was looking for help designing a valve that could increase a ventilator’s capacity. Dyer had answered the call of a pulmonologist at Manchester Hospital, Dr. Saud Anwar, a Democratic state senator from South Windsor.
Conley sent Dyer his first design last Thursday. Dyer printed a prototype the next day, and he and Conley promptly presented it to doctors at Manchester Hospital.
The doctors had some initial issues with the valve, saying the air pathways to and from each patient had to have air-purifying filters, Conley said.
It took him a couple of hours to redo his design.
“Kevin (Dyer) printed it overnight and on Saturday, they tested it at the hospital,” Conley said. “It worked pretty good.”
Anwar demonstrates the device in a YouTube video at bit.ly/CVventilator.
“We want to show how you can actually use one ventilator to give breathing capacity and help to not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but actually seven people, and we can go up to eight if we need to,” Anwar says in the video. “We’ve been working collaboratively together … people of all different backgrounds.”
A Navy veteran who served on the USS Dallas, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, Conley said he has no intention of profiting from sales of his design, should the Ventilator Quad Splitter gain regulatory approvals.
“I’m not going to patent it,” he said of his design. “Anybody with a 3D printer can print it out and start making these.”
A diabetic, Conley said he’s emulating the doctors who discovered insulin, the treatment for diabetes, who he said declined offers of financial reward.
“That was such an important discovery, they wanted to share it with the world,” he said. “This is my gift to the world.”
— By Author Brian Hallenbeck, Day Staff Writer
The original article can be found here: “World responding to Lebanon man’s design increasing capacity of ventilators”