Coronavirus communications

Student instruction: With the limited exception of certain health care courses, all instruction remains online during the Spring 2021 semester. Classes will continue to be primarily online during the Summer and Fall 2021 semesters, with a gradual return to in-person learning. Face-to-face classes have restricted enrollment, with required use of face coverings and physical distancing.

Student services: A supervised in-person study area is available from 12-4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays in the Main Campus Gymnasium. Online reservations are available here. Participants receive a health screening and must wear a mask. Parking is available in the Hartnell Parking Structure.

Employees: Only a limited number of employees are working on Hartnell campuses, although a gradual return of more employees to campus is anticipated in coming months. Those who are not working on campus but have been approved by their supervisor to come on campus for a specific purpose are asked to check in with Campus Safety at (831) 755-6888 upon arrival and departure. Plexiglass shielding is being installed in open public reception areas and around adjacent work stations throughout Hartnell facilities where staff, students and other visitors come into contact.

Campus safety: Use of face coverings and compliance with physical distancing is required on all Hartnell campuses. Offices and other facilities are being cleaned and sanitized after use, and personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves and face shields is available to employees upon request to (831) 755-6888. Filtration of ventilated air into college buildings, which already meets recommended standards, is in the process of being further upgraded. The college closely follows guidelines from the Monterey County Health Department and the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Through required check-ins allow for contact tracing in the event of infection.

Vaccination: Hartnell strongly encourages employees and students receive the COVID-19 vaccine for their own safety and the health of others. We are working with the Monterey County Health Department to arrange drive-through vaccination clinics at our Alisal Campus in May and June. Details will be shared as soon as they are available.

Testing: Hartnell is working with an outside vendor to provide weekly COVID-19 testing for Hartnell student-athletes participating in practices and competition. We intend to be the site of a future public testing clinic, with details to be shared as soon as they are available.

Athletics and athletic facilities: Hartnell Athletics is maintaining team practices and competition on a limited basis within county health and CDC restrictions and as directed by the California Community olleges Athletics Association. Fans are not allowed at any intercollegiate events at this time. The Hartnell track and tennis courts are open for daytime, weekday use. Requests by organized groups to use Hartnell athletic facilities will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For information, contact the Department of Athletics at (831) 755-6837 or email to dteresa@hartnell.edu.

As eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccination continues to rapidly widen by age group, the Monterey County Health Department has announced five mass vaccination sites from April 7-11 in Salinas, Soledad, Greenfield and Monterey.

As of April 1, vaccination appointments are now open to all Monterey County residents 50 years and older. On April 15, all residents 16 years and older will be eligible to make a vaccination appointment. 

Hartnell will continue to provide information on upcoming opportunities as it becomes available.

Below (and attached) are the specifics for the five upcoming mass vaccination sites, provided by the health department:

Mass VAX #2:  Natividad Hospital hosting the following:

DATE:  APRIL 10 (Saturday)

• HOURS:   7:00am – 6:40pm
• PLACE:  Everett Alvarez High School—Salinas (1900 Independence Blvd)
• ELIGIBILITY:  Monterey County vaccine eligibility site—Click here. 
• To register: Click here (4-10-21) 

Mass VAX #3:  Natividad Hospital  hosting the following:

DATE:  APRIL 11 (Sunday)

• HOURS:   7:00am – 6:40pm
• PLACE:  Everett Alvarez High School—Salinas (1900 Independence Blvd)
• ELIGIBILITY:  Monterey County vaccine eligibility site—Click here. 
• To register: Click here (4-11-21)

Mass VAX #4:  Soledad Vaccine Clinic is hosting the following:

DATE:  APRIL 9, 10, 11 and 12

• HOURS:   10:00am – 7:00pm
• PLACE:  Community Center-Old YMCA—560 Walker Dr., Soledad
• VACCINE:  Johnson & Johnson
• ELIGIBILITY:  Focus is on agriculture workers.  However, anyone who is eligible for the vaccine–click here–is welcomed.
• To register:  CALL 831-235-9064 (Adriana Santos – Lideres Campesinas) OR 831-757-6700 (Eva Garcia -UFW).
• For information in SPANISH, click here.

Mass VAX #5:  Greenfield Vaccine Clinic is hosting the following:

DATE:  APRIL 10 and 11

• HOURS:   10:00am – 7:00pm
• PLACE:  Greenfield Memorial Hall—615 El Camino Real, Greenfield
• VACCINE:  Johnson & Johnson
• ELIGIBILITY:  Focus is on agriculture workers.  However, anyone who is eligible for the vaccine–click here–is welcomed.
• To register:  CALL 831-757-6700 (Eva Garcia -UFW) OR 877-881-8281; 831- 235-9065 (Adriana Santos – Lideres Campesinas).
• For information in SPANISH:  click here.

Mass VAX #1:  The City of Monterey Fire Department is hosting the following:

DATE:  APRIL 7 (Wednesday)

• HOURS:  9:00am – 12:30pm
• PLACE:Monterey Conference Center––One Portola Plaza, Monterey
• VACCINE: Moderna (available to ages 18 and older)
• ELIGIBILITY:  Monterey County vaccine eligibility site–click here. 
• REGISTER:  via Screening Form, click here.
• For more info,visit the City of Monterey website:  HERE. 

To find general vaccine appointments in Monterey County, click here.

Participation by scores of Hartnell College nursing students in administering the COVID-19 vaccine in Monterey County and educating residents on the need for vaccination will soon expand to include the school’s respiratory care and EMT programs.

The role of vocational and registered nursing students, which began in December, will grow exponentially in coming weeks as the college assists Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas (CSVS) in giving 4,500 vaccine doses to agricultural workers and other high-priority groups.

Dr. Sonja Sheppard, who is coordinating the collaboration in her job as associate director of nursing and allied health, said nursing students continue to answer the call. They earn clinical hours that count toward their graduation but are not paid for their work. Many have completed multiple shifts — providing information, giving injections, screening vaccine recipients or observing for adverse effects after the shots.

“I’ve been really touched by their response,” Dr. Sheppard said. “One student told me, ‘The more people we vaccinate in our community, the higher the chances of eradicating this COVID.’”

The pandemic’s expanding public health demands will soon extend to all Hartnell students studying to be health care providers, she said. The need is especially great for student volunteers who speak both English and Spanish, given the prevalence of Spanish-first speakers within the county’s large Latinx community.

“I’m asking that every program support it at some level,” Dr. Sheppard said, “even the respiratory care students, who might not have been trained in how to do injections yet, can participate in some capacity.

“There’s a way for every student to support this effort, especially looking at the volume we need to do. We need all hands on deck.”

Clinic director says students are ‘critical’

Erica Padilla-Chavez, president of the Hartnell Community College District Governing Board, said the students are making a historic contribution in their own communities.

“There can be no better evidence of just how important our students and graduates are to the health and well-being of people in Monterey County and beyond,” Padilla-Chavez said. “We at Hartnell are all very proud and grateful for their service, which at the same time hones their skills.”

Dr. Raúl Rodríguez, interim superintendent/president, added his own thanks to college staff and faculty and to community partners like CSVS, who have forged lasting and mutually rewarding relationships.

“Under normal circumstances, these connections are of enormous benefit to our students and also a key resource for clinics, hospitals and other providers,” Dr. Rodríguez said. “During this pandemic, they have been absolutely essential.”

That point was echoed by Vicki Sinnhuber, director of nursing at CSVS, which operates 11 clinics in the Salinas Valley, including two dental clinics, as well as having capacity for mobile clinics.

She said involvement by Hartnell nursing students is “critical” as her agency prepares to deliver about 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine a week.

“They’re getting a lot of experience, so they’ll be expert shot-givers by the time that they’re done,” Sinnhuber said. “It also improves their communication skills in terms of patient information and making sure that what they (recipients) are getting is understood.”

Students deliver vaccine and provide information

Since December, Hartnell students have already worked with CSVS to vaccinate about 1,400 first responders, and they have administered to employees and others at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital in Salinas and at Mee Memorial Hospital in King City.

On Feb. 25, students helped staff a CSVS vaccination clinic for more than 300 agricultural workers over age 65 at a D’Arrigo California facility in Salinas. They are scheduled to do so again on Feb. 27 at the CSVS clinic on North Main Street in Salinas.

They also are preparing to assist the Monterey County Visiting Nurses Association with vaccination events in Gonzales on March 2 and at St. Mary’s Church in Salinas on March 5 and will staff vaccine events for the Soledad Medical Clinic on March 8 and March 11-12.

Hartnell students also have presented information about the vaccine to groups of agricultural workers, beginning with employees at facilities of grower-shipper Taylor Farms in Salinas, San Juan Bautista and Gonzales. Similar presentations are planned at D’Arrigo California locations, starting March 2, and other companies may invite Hartnell’s help in the future.

‘This is going to help everybody’

Starting at 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 23 at the Taylor Farms Retail production center in Gonzales, second-year registered nursing student Alvaro Hernandez-Torres made several solo presentations to a total of 550 workers. A second student was scheduled to join him but couldn’t make it.

The Taylor Farms workers, warmly dressed for jobs inside the refrigerated plant, sat outside on widely spaced folding chairs to listen to the 20-minute briefing before heading inside to begin their shifts. Several of them posed questions related to the goal of achieving herd immunity and its value for family members, as well as the varied types of coronavirus vaccine.

Hernandez-Torres, who is from Watsonville, practiced his presentation at home and created flash cards so he would be sure to include everything students were asked to cover.

Having earlier volunteered to administer the vaccine, he said presenting to such a large group strengthens his public speaking skills, which are important for health education and possibly in future leadership roles.

Hernandez-Torres said that most of all, he wanted to reassure workers about the importance of being vaccinated and allay any fears or misconceptions they might have.

“I think just by giving them all the facts we can remind them that in the end this is going to help everybody,” he said.

The Monterey County Health Department and the Office of Emergency Services have notified the Monterey County Office of Education that all employees who are now working in education and childcare in Monterey County have the opportunity to begin registering for the vaccination process beginning Wednesday, March 3. The information below provides you with a list of options where you can sign up for the vaccine if you would like to receive it.

In preparation for the vaccination clinics, we recommend that employees click here and here to watch videos about how vaccines work, visit here for FAQs about COVID-19 vaccines, and read the vaccine fact sheets from Moderna and Pfizer. We do not know which vaccine will be available at each clinic, so it is important to review information on both vaccines. If additional brands of vaccines are available in the future, we will provide you with additional fact sheets.

All educators in Monterey County are invited to attend a free "town hall" webinar to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines from Dr. Allen Radner, Infectious Disease Specialist from 3-4 p.m. on Friday, February 26. Register here. The webinar will be recorded. We encourage participants to submit questions prior to the webinar here.

As a reminder: beginning today, February 17, if you are a current employee in education, are 65-74 years old, and are working in Monterey County (even if you live within another county), and would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, please use the "options" listed below. Employees can use a current badge, recent pay stub or letter of verification from their employer to verify eligibility. The vaccinations are entirely voluntary and free of charge. These vaccination scheduling links should not be shared with anyone.

Beginning, March 3, all remaining employees in education and childcare can begin registering to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Options to Register to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

Option 1: You may contact your primary care provider to schedule an appointment to receive your COVID-19 vaccination.

Option 2: You may register at a local clinic to receive your COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine clinics are posted here and are scheduled as vaccines are available. 

Please select only ONE clinic option to register for your first vaccine appointment.

Also, please note:

Clinics cannot vaccinate persons who:

• Are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms
• Have had any vaccination in the last 14 days
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding 
• Have had an anaphylactic reaction to a vaccination or injectable
• Have received passive antibody therapy in the last 90 days

These persons should contact their primary care provider.

You will be required to remain at the vaccination site for 15 minutes after your vaccination so please schedule appropriately.

The Monterey County Health Department has released this projected timeline for advancing through the remainder of Phase 1b of California’s Vaccine Plan:

Also, beginning March 15, individuals with certain medical conditions that place them at high-risk for serious illness will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Health care providers may use their clinical judgement to determine if their patients have one or more of these conditions. The list of conditions can be found here.

Monterey County Health Department will schedule community-based clinics when new shipments of vaccine are received. Monterey County’s vaccine appointment registration website www.mcvaccinate.com will be updated as clinics are scheduled.

While vaccine supplies remain scarce and new variants of the virus continue to spread, it is important that all Monterey County residents continue to adhere to COVID-19 prevention strategies like: 

• Staying home except for essential activities
• Wearing a mask when leaving home
• Limiting interactions with people outside your immediate household
• Keeping physical distance of at least 6 feet apart
• Washing hands for 20 seconds
• Getting the COVID-19 vaccine if you are eligible and vaccine is available 

For more information, visit the Monterey County Health Department’s website at: www.montereycountycovid19.org, call the COVID-19 Call Center at 831-769-8700 Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, or call 2-1-1.

Thank you for your attention to this important information and your conscientious efforts to keep yourself and others healthy and safe!

 I am sharing this timely message from the Monterey County Office of Education:

The Monterey County Health Department and the Office of Emergency Services have notified the Monterey County Office of Education that employees ages 65-74 who are currently working in education and childcare in Monterey County have the opportunity to begin registering for the vaccination process beginning Wednesday, February 17, 2021. The information below provides you with a list of options where you can sign up for the vaccine if you would like to receive it. Please note: Expansion of vaccine eligibility to the remainder of Phase 1b is dependent on the availability of vaccine.

In preparation for the vaccination clinics, we recommend that employees click here and here to watch videos about how vaccines work, visit here for FAQs about COVID-19 vaccines, and read the vaccine fact sheets from Moderna and Pfizer. We do not know which vaccine will be available at each clinic so it is important to review information on both vaccines. If additional brands of vaccines are available in the future, we will provide you with additional fact sheets.

Starting on February 17, 2021, if you are a current employee in education, are 65-74 years old, and are working in Monterey County (even if you live within another county), and would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, please utilize the links below. Employees can use a current badge, recent pay stub or letter of verification from their employer to verify eligibility. The vaccinations are entirely voluntary and free of charge. These vaccination links should not be shared with anyone.

Option 1: You may contact your primary care provider to schedule an appointment to receive your COVID-19 vaccination.

Option 2: You may register at a local clinic to receive your COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine clinics are posted here and are scheduled as vaccines are available. 

Please select only ONE clinic option to register for your first vaccine appointment.

Please note:

Clinics cannot vaccinate persons who:

·  Are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms
·  Have had any vaccination in the last 14 days
·  Are pregnant or breastfeeding 
·  Have had an anaphylactic reaction to a vaccination or injectable
·  Have received passive antibody therapy in the last 90 days

These persons should contact their primary care provider 

You will be required to remain at the vaccination site for 15 minutes after your vaccination so please schedule appropriately.

If you have any questions about this information, please contact me, Daniel Scott, director of public safety and emergency management, at dscott@hartnell.edu or 831-770-7013.

For Hartnell College nursing student Jerrica Dexter, coronavirus-related limitations on clinical training have been frustrating because she knows medical staff could use extra help during the pandemic.

That has made being able to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to first responders all the more rewarding, said Dexter, who intends to graduate this spring with her associate degree in registered nursing.

“We feel so helpless that we can’t be there in the hospital helping and relieving some of the nurses,” she said during a break in giving shots to firefighters and EMTs on Jan. 9 at the Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas (CSVS) location in north Salinas. “So it’s a great opportunity for us to pitch in — in the only way we really can right now.”

Dexter, who plans to become an emergency room trauma nurse, was one of 18 Hartnell registered (RN) and vocational nursing (VN) students who volunteered to staff four CSVS vaccination clinics in Salinas, Castroville, Greenfield and King City, administering hundreds of doses under the direction of the Monterey County Health Department. She was also among about 30 students who gave COVID-19 vaccinations to Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMHS) employees right before Christmas.

Even though these opportunities are strictly voluntary and have come during Winter Break, students have been lining up to be of service and gain valuable experience, said Dr. Sonja Sheppard, associate director of Nursing and Allied Health. There has even been a waiting list of students wanting to help.

“I was telling my faculty, I feel like I’m giving away lottery tickets,” Dr. Sheppard said. “They are so excited, and there are only so many slots.

“This is not a class assignment; this is not a requirement for graduation. This is out of your own time, taking half of a Saturday to serve the community, and they’re just falling over each other trying to get the opportunity.”

Hartnell nursing faculty have also volunteered to supervise the students, who have been helping with either delivering injections or assisting with patient intake and screening, depending on their level of training.

“It’s been so rewarding to have students from our community doing this work,” said instructor Debbie Thorpe, who supervised the students working from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the CSVS clinic at 2018 N. Main St. “They’re people with kids, taking care of family. They’re an awesome group of students.”

Erica Padilla-Chavez, president of the Hartnell Community College District Governing Board, said the nursing students’ community service reflects the importance of the college’s health care programs, which include respiratory care and emergency medical technician.

“Both through their training and after they graduate and join the workforce, our students really are on the front lines of public health and safety, not only during this pandemic, but at all times,” she said.

Dr. Sheppard, who joined Hartnell in October, said the learning that comes from delivering the COVID-19 vaccine go well beyond the practical aspects of giving the injection.

“We all think giving a shot is no big deal, but you still need to practice, and doing it on a fake arm only goes so far,” Dr. Sheppard said. “When you’re doing it on real people, and a volume of real people, everyone is different.

“Muscle mass is different; how people respond to it is different. Some people have no problem, some people do have reactions, and some people don’t like the sight of a needle and pass out, even a firefighter. This is real-life training.”

Such an experience also builds soft skills, she said.

“This is a very calm response to an outbreak, but how do you deal with something on a mass level when you have hundreds of people coming through in a relatively short amount of time? How do you keep your cool, keep it positive and keep everything flowing? You’ve got to learn those skills as well.”

One of the vaccine recipients at the Salinas clinic on Jan. 9 was Salinas Fire Department Engineer Mike Micer of Station 5, who said it is “a relief to know you’re going to be protected.” He said the nursing students did a “great job.”

“It’s just a shot, and they’re very highly capable of doing it,” Micer said.

Dr. Raúl Rodríguez, interim superintendent/president of Hartnell, noted that both SVMHS and CSVS are clinical partners with the Hartnell nursing program, meaning they provide ongoing opportunities for students to gain crucial real-world experience.

“We are grateful for these partnerships, which are so vital to our students’ preparation and also of great value to the health care providers,” he said. “This instance of COVID-19 vaccinations is a perfect example – and one that makes us very proud.”

Pandemic Response Plan

Because the health and safety of Hartnell College employees and students are always our top concerns, I and other administrators continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation. You likely are aware that the Monterey County Health Department on Wednesday announced a new countywide stay-at-home order effective from this past Sunday night through January 11. Because of Hartnell's ongoing safety precautions and limited on-campus staffing, as well as our overlapping Winter Break, this county order will have no real impact on college activities.

However, the new order is a reminder for all of us to stay vigilant during the holiday weeks. Please carefully consider your need to travel at this time and take all available precautions if you do. Likewise, I encourage everyone to limit celebrations to your own households as much as possible. These steps will help protect the health of our families, friends and, potentially, our coworkers. If you must travel, please self-quarantine for 14 days while monitoring for coronavirus symptoms. You also are encouraged to seek a COVID-19 test. If you are infected with the virus, please notify your supervisor about your ability to work.

In addition, please review these crucial precautions to minimize the risk for yourself and others. These steps are the same as those recommended to prevent the spread of all respiratory illnesses -- and for general good health:

• Wear a mask or face covering when around others.

• Keep your hands clean and wash them frequently with soap and water. 

• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when you cannot wash your hands.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Do not share cups, straws or anything else you put in your mouth.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Get a flu shot – it’s not too late – available at most pharmacies.

• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve. 

Thank you again for your careful attention and concern as you enjoy the holidays safely.

As we enter the final weeks of the Fall 2020 semester, I sincerely thank each of you for the concern and extra effort you continue to extend to our students amid the challenges of COVID-19. Since last spring, our college has used a variety of strategies for virtual instruction and to sustain students’ academic success and overall learning experience. None of those would be possible without your creativity and dedication.

We also know from our students that the pandemic has made things difficult for them on a number of levels. Many still struggle with inadequate WiFi, an unreliable computer and the lack of a suitable place to study at home. To help remove these obstacles, we have developed a plan to host in-person study areas on a limited basis. This plan has been approved by the Monterey County Health Department and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and will follow their established guidelines.  

Our first in-person study area will open Monday, Nov. 30, in the Main Gym on our Main Campus in Salinas. We will offer three-hour, in-person study periods – with wireless service – from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. Students will use this online appointment form to reserve one or more of these in-person slots. We can accommodate up to 50 students at a time, with generous spacing for physical distancing and careful sanitizing of surfaces and required use of face coverings. Depending on demand, we may open additional study areas during the Spring 2021 semester, possibly including evening hours as well.

Because this study area requires monitoring by staff, we are asking for your voluntary assistance. Each day, we will have two three-hour shifts that you can sign up for. The college will ensure that a variety of personal protective equipment (PPE) is available for employees who participate. You may sign up using this online sheet, which includes the available time slots 

Your support is essential to the success of this effort. Please meet with your supervisor to schedule at least one three-hour shift. No cleaning or sanitizing will be required of any staff participating. Our maintenance department will manage that task. Students will complete health screening and acknowledgment of risk before coming onto campus. Any on-site health screening will be managed by a college administrator.

Next to everyone's safety and well-being, our highest priority is to make sure our students continue to achieve their educational and career goals. We are determined to do all we can to keep them on track. I wish all of you and your families a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving break next week. Thank you all for your caring dedication!

I am sharing the guidelines, procedures and practices that Hartnell College continues to follow whenever individual employees know or suspect they have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19, regardless of whether they are working remotely or on campus. Adherence to these is critical for the health and safety of our workers, their families and the greater community – and also required under state and county public health mandates.

The trigger for these subsequent actions is when any employee is known to have been exposed, or potentially exposed, to the coronavirus through “close contact” with an infected person or persons.

Definition of “Close Contact”:

 “Close contact” is defined as any of the following, in relation to someone who is known to have COVID-19:

• Being within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes without a mask.
• Caring for them at home.
• Direct physical contact (e.g., touched, hugged or kissed).
• Sharing eating or drinking utensils.
• Exposure to respiratory droplets via sneeze, cough or other transmission method.

Managing Exposure Risk – Off Campus and On Campus

The response to an employee’s exposure to COVID-19 varies based on whether that exposure occurred at a Hartnell facility or away from campus.

Suspected Exposure OFF Campus

Employee Steps:

 If an employee has been exposed to COVID-19 through close contact at home or in the community but NOT at Hartnell, that individual must take the following steps:

• Self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor for symptoms.
• Get tested for COVID-19 by their health provider.
• Remain away from Hartnell until either (a) being released by a health provider, (b) providing proof of negative test results for COVID-19 or (c) remaining free of all symptoms (without use of symptom-reducing medication) for 7 days.
• Use appropriate employee leave for non-working days. (Note: In consultation with immediate supervisor, the employee may be able to work from home if task(s) can be performed remotely.)

College Steps:

• Facilities: Office/facility closure is not necessary in the event of an employee’s suspected off-campus exposure. Regular cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch surfaces in college facilities should continue. All remaining employees must wear face coverings, social distance and regularly wash/sanitize hands.
• Notification to other employees: If the person exposed to COVID-19 has not been on campus since the time of exposure, notification to other employees is not required. In the event that an affected employee has been on campus since their exposure, the following will occur:

o   Hartnell Human Resources (HR), upon learning of exposure, will inform employees who were in close contact with that person of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Confidentiality will be maintained, as required by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).

o   Those employees will continue working as long as they are asymptomatic.

o   Encourage remote work, for employees who are identified as high-risk.

o   Employees who are identified as high risk but have had close contact while continuing to work on campus should self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, muscle and body aches) prior to coming to campus.

Suspected Exposure ON Campus

Employee Steps:

The steps for an employee with suspected exposure to COVID-19 are the same regardless of whether their potential exposure occurred at Hartnell or away from Hartnell.

College Steps:

Facilities: In most cases, the office/facility where an affected employee worked will not need to be closed. HR will work with Facilities staff to determine appropriate measures:

• If it has been less than 7 days since the affected employee has been in the workspace, any areas used for prolonged periods of time by that person will be closed off and:

o   Facilities staff will wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting to minimize potential for other employees being exposed to respiratory droplets. If waiting 24 hours is not feasible, they will delay as long as possible.

o   During this waiting period, Facilities staff will open outside doors and windows to the extent possible in order to increase air circulation in these areas.

• If it has been 7 days or more since the infected employee used the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection is not necessary. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of all high-touch surfaces in the facility will continue.

• Other employees: HR will inform employees who were in close contact with the affected person of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be maintained. Notification of all employees is not required. Affected employees will be asked to take the following precautions:

o   Stay home for 14 days, telework if possible, and self-monitor for symptoms.

o   Get tested for COVID-19 by their health provider.

Confirmed or Apparent COVID-19 Case

Employee Steps:

An employee who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should:

• Notify supervisor and, if working on campus, leave work immediately or not report to work if at home.
• Get tested (if not already tested) by their own healthcare provider.
• Remain away from work until released by a healthcare provider and/or having been free of all symptoms (without use of symptom-reducing medication) for 7 days.

College Steps:

The college will notify all employees in the event that an employee working on campus – whether briefly or regularly – has tested positive of COVID-19.

Thank you for your interest in these policies, practices and procedures related to suspected and confirmed employee cases of COVID-19. Hartnell continues to take every reasonable precaution to protect employees and students while we cope with this pandemic. Do not hesitate to contact me if you would like further clarification or additional information.

You may reach me at dscott@hartnell.edu or at (831) 770-7013.

As we prepare for the start of fall classes on Aug. 24, I am providing this detailed update on Hartnell College's response to COVID-19 in my role as Hartnell's director of public safety and emergency management. On behalf of Interim Superintendent/President Dr. Raul Rodriguez and the entire Executive Cabinet, I sincerely thank all employees for going above and beyond to ensure that Hartnell students are able to keep moving toward their educational goals. 

Hartnell will continue to deliver classes online until government restrictions are lifted and we have taken all reasonable steps to maintain a safe learning environment. At this time, only employees whose duties require them to work on campus are doing so, within strict physical distancing. All other employees are working remotely.

Dr. Rodriguez has assigned me to lead a work group for return-to-campus planning, which this fall will become a reconstituted Safety Committee with ongoing responsibility for prevention of illness and injury at Hartnell facilities. The work group, representing all campus constituencies, has met three times since May, and I expect we will meet regularly in anticipation of a phased return to on-campus activity.

The following is a high-level summary of Hartnell's immediate outlook in response to COVID-19:

• Employees' return to campus: Only when we are ready and authorized to do so, the college will ask additional employees to resume their on-campus work. This is not likely to occur until local schools resume in-person instruction, freeing parents from weekday supervision of their school-aged children. Individuals deemed to be at especially high risk of becoming seriously ill from the coronavirus will be allowed to continue working remotely. 
• Safety measures: Preparations for workplace safety have included acquisition of personal protective equipment (PPE) for use as needed. Employees will be instructed on cleaning their personal work areas to support and complement the efforts of custodial staff. As is already the case, employees will be asked not to come to work if they are ill. Physical barriers, primarily clear plastic shields, are being installed in work areas where needed, and floor markings are being applied to designate required six-foot distancing.

• Face-to-face instruction: Planning also will continue for a time when faculty and students may resume face-to-face instruction. This will occur only when government health officials advise that it can be done safely, with face coverings and social distancing required as long as the virus remains a threat. Even then, many courses likely will continue to be taught online or in a hybrid fashion to ensure that safety requirements are adhered to.

• Student and employee resources: Hartnell continues to loan Chromebook laptops, mobile wireless hotspots and headsets to students who need them in order to effectively participate in online courses. With help from generous donors and grantors, we are providing emergency financial assistance to individual students in need. Students who lack suitable technology tools can request them online, and they will be informed how they can pick their items up on scheduled days. Students who have emergency financial needs can apply for help here. Employees also can request technology and other items they need to work effectively from home by contacting their immediate supervisors.

Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding as we manage our way through this unprecedented situation. If you have specific questions or concerns, please email me at dscott@hartnell.edu or share them with your immediate supervisor. I will provide future email updates on a regular basis.

When COVID-19 forced Hartnell College and other schools to jump from face-to-face learning into internet instruction, students in physical activity courses came to a surprising realization. 

They really can study yoga, self-defense, Zumba aerobics and introduction to weight training – for college credit, from the comfort and privacy of home. These and other popular activity classes will continue to be taught online through the Fall 2020 semester, which begins Aug. 24 and continues for 16 weeks. Registration is underway now.

New this semester is a hybrid version of beginners’ golf, which allows students to learn skills online and practice them at Salinas Fairways Golf Course or a course of their choice

The courses provide 1.5 units of course credit toward a degree. They are also open to community members who simply want affordable access to fitness and wellness training that they can complete at home. Those individuals can also repeat the cost as often as they want by paying a low audit fee

“We make it fun,” said Steve Terry, who will teach self-defense/martial arts, using both videos and live teaching via online applications such as Zoom.

“My idea is to teach some techniques live, share some videos of similar style of content with the student and then have them practice the technique and last share with me some technique mastery,” said Terry, who also is an assistant Hartnell men’s basketball coach.

“They will use either Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, or any app where the student can send me a video that’s less than a minute long.”

Kinesiology instructor Jamie Pedroza, who also is the college’s head volleyball coach, said students in her yoga classes don’t even need to buy a mat.

“Honestly you don't have to have one to enjoy the class,” she said. “It is a comfort thing, but I tell my students that the hardwood floor and your bare feet work great. You don’t need books or other materials at all.”

Pedroza, who also expects to combine both live sessions and videos uploaded to an online teaching system called Canvas, said she will make sure students are checking in on days when class is scheduled.

“We will be flexible,” she said. “My class will be open so first-time students can ask questions and enjoy the class.” 

One of the students in Pedroza’s yoga class agreed that flexibility is essential, no pun intended.

“In personal training, there’s a big push to online, so I’ve seen a lot of personal training videos on YouTube and everything like that,” said student Michael Taylor. “So why shouldn’t the college be able to do something like that?”

Taylor, who is majoring in kinesiology with a goal of becoming a personal trainer, also has experienced an online course in weight training.

In that course, he said, “We’ve just transitioned from actually lifting weights to more pushups, air squats – doing calisthenics, but without the weights. It’s a common misunderstanding that weight training has to deal with weights, because the body has its own weight to it.”

In yoga class, students have been able to watch Pedroza demonstrate a pose on video and then work to perfect the technique on their own, Taylor said.

“When we were in class, Jamie showed us how to do it first before she did it, and she does the same thing in the video, so it’s easy to follow,” he said.

Whether offered online or in person, these activity classes are an important part of the college’s service to its district, said Aurelio Salazar Jr., president of the Hartnell Community College District Governing Board.

“Just as with our courses in the visual and performing arts, we welcome community members who want to pursue and develop their interests and knowledge through Hartnell,” Salazar said.

For fall and spring classes, the per-course cost is $79. Students who wish to repeat a course without receiving credit – known as “auditing” the class – only have to pay $32.50. That compares to fitness centers, which typically cost $40 or more a month, equivalent to $160 a semester.

To learn more about physical activity courses or other kinesiology classes available this summer and fall, email Joanne Venegas (jvenegas@hartnell.edu) or Cristina Westfall (cwestfall@hartnell.edu) on the physical education staff.

To register, visit www.hartnell.edu.

The Department of Supportive Programs & Services (DSPS) at Hartnell College has continued to serve students during online instruction.

In fact, its services for students with physical disabilities and learning challenges are more crucial than ever, said Michelle Peters, director of student affairs and supportive programs and services.

“DSPS continues to be here to support our students as they navigate classes and programs,” Peters said. “Whether via website, email or phone, we are happy to connect with them.”

The sudden move to all-online learning in late March gave DSPS staff an opportunity to rethink how and why they provide services to students, while at the same time maximizing access and success, she said. Providing seamless services under dramatically different circumstances required creativity, flexibility and a commitment. 

“I am proud and appreciate my staff and counselors who collaborate and put extra effort to work together to provide seamless services for and about students with disabilities,” Peters said. “Weekly meetings allow us to be prepared to provide the best service possible.”

Through it all, the DSPS office is keeping students involved and engaged by sending positive messages to inspire them to stay on course, she said, as well as through coaching and leading by example.

Those extra efforts are greatly appreciated and essential, said Aurelio Salazar Jr., president of the Hartnell Community College District Governing Board.

“As a former student diagnosed with ADHD, I fully support and understand the impact DSPS staff have on our students’ success,” Salazar said.  “Academic accommodations provide our students the resources to learn according to their particular learning strengths.”

However, not everything can be replicated online, Peters said.

“Due to the technical nature of the psycho-educational tools used in the assessment of learning disabilities, we aren't able to offer this service online, although there may be temporary services available at Hartnell,” she said.  “Students should contact DSPS for further information.” 

The DSPS team has been working remotely to support students with additional resources and tools, such as laptops, iPads and other electronic devices available on loan for the students, to support them in fully participating in online classes and student services.

“Our model is, we will work through this together,” Peters said.

For the DSPS office, daily operations involve serving three main groups: continuing students who are already registered, new students or those looking to become students, and faculty/staff seeking help in supporting students.

“We message DSPS students who are active and inactive with DSPS, to ensure they have information on how DSPS is available to support them,” Peters said. “We have shared that DSPS team members are continuing to work remotely, to provide accommodation eligibility and counseling services, as well as note-taking, and alternative media for their books.”

DSPS students have a new set of challenges with online learning that requires new types of support and accommodation. For example, they may need additional time to complete exams and quizzes.

College staff also are reaching out to meet the specific needs of incoming students who will be taking college-level courses in an online-only environment.

“We have been working with high schools and community agencies to prep the incoming students for fall semester,” Peters said. “At the same time, the DSPS team is promoting success and retention, helping to design a well-balanced coursework for each student.”

During the 2020-21 academic year, DSPS will offer its own learning-skills classes, designed for students with disabilities that focus on learning strategies, memory skill building and awareness of how emotions can impact decision-making.

DSPS also is working with College Readiness staff and area high schools to support students participating in dual enrollment. This collaboration is intended to promote a smoother transition to college, when students graduate and decide to enroll at Hartnell. DSPS is also collaborating with Cal State Monterey Bay, in support of DSPS students completing their Hartnell degrees and transferring to the four-year university on the former Fort Ord Army Base.

Recently, a student sent this note of appreciation to the DSPS staff: “Thank you so much, DSPS team. You are always there for us. Please take care of yourselves."

To reach DSPS counselors, visit hartnell.edu and click on Support Services. Students may also call (831) 755-6760 for an appointment or for inquiries. 

When COVID-19 forced Hartnell College and other schools to suddenly jump from face-to-face learning into internet instruction in late March, students in physical activity courses came to a surprising realization.

They really can study yoga, self-defense and strength conditioning – for college credit –from the comfort and privacy of home. These and other popular activity classes will continue to be taught online through the eight-week summer term, which runs June 15-July 25. Registration is underway now.

This summer’s introductory classes provide one unit of course credit toward a degree. They also are open to community members who simply want affordable access to fitness and wellness training that they can complete at home. Those individuals can also repeat the cost as often as they want by paying a low audit fee.

“We make it fun,” said Steve Terry, who will teach self-defense/martial arts, using both videos and live teaching via online applications such as Zoom.

“My idea is to teach some techniques live, share some videos of similar style of content with the student and then have them practice the technique and last share with me some technique mastery,” said Terry, who also is an assistant Hartnell men’s basketball coach.

“They will use either Snapchat, Instagram, Tik Tok, or any app where the student can send me a video that’s less than a minute long.”

Kinesiology instructor Jamie Pedroza, who also is the college’s head volleyball coach, said students in her yoga classes don’t even need to buy a mat.

“Honestly you don't have to have one to enjoy the class,” she said. “It is a comfort thing, but I tell my students that the hardwood floor and your bare feet work great. You don’t need books or other materials at all.”

Pedroza, who also expects to combine both live sessions and videos uploaded to an online teaching system called Canvas, said she will make sure students are checking in on days when class is scheduled.

“We will be flexible,” she said. “My class will be open so first-time students can ask questions and enjoy the class.” 

One of the students in Pedroza’s spring yoga class agreed that flexibility is essential, no pun intended.

“In personal training, there’s a big push to online, so I’ve seen a lot of personal training videos on YouTube and everything like that,” said student Michael Taylor. “So why shouldn’t the college be able to do something like that?”

Taylor, who is majoring in kinesiology with a goal of becoming a personal trainer, also has experienced this spring’s online switch in an introductory course in weight training.

In that course, he said, “We’ve just transitioned from actually lifting weights to more pushups, air squats – doing calisthenics, but without the weights. It’s a common misunderstanding that weight training has to deal with weights, because the body has its own weight to it.”

In yoga class, students have been able to watch Pedroza demonstrate a pose on video and then work to perfect the technique on their own, Taylor said.

“When we were in class, Jamie showed us how to do it first before she did it, and she does the same thing in the video, so it’s easy to follow,” he said.

Whether offered online or in person, these activity classes are an important part of college’s service to its district, said Aurelio Salazar Jr., president of the Hartnell Community College District Governing Board.

“Just as with our courses in the visual and performing arts, we welcome community members who want to pursue and develop their interests and knowledge through Hartnell,” Salazar said.

For this summer, the cost for new students is $46 per class, plus a $10 student activity fee. Students who wish to repeat a course without receiving credit – known as “auditing” the class – only have to pay $25.

For fall and spring classes, which are worth 1.5 credits, the cost is $79. For students who want to audit a 16-week class for fall or spring, the cost is $32.50. That compares to fitness centers, which typically cost $40 or more a month, equivalent to $160 a semester.

To learn more about physical activity courses or other kinesiology classes available this summer and fall, email Joanne Venegas (jvenegas@hartnell.edu) or Cristina Westfall (cwestfall@hartnell.edu) on the physical education staff.

To register, visit www.hartnell.edu.

Money donated to help Hartnell College students cope with the impacts of COVID-19 has been quickly depleted by scores of requests for help with basic needs, ranging from rent and food to medical bills and personal hygiene products.

But the need persists.

As of April 28, Hartnell’s COVID-19 Student Emergency Response Fund had received 109 applications and distributed emergency scholarships of $500 to 63 students, with 10 students on a waiting list and about 45 more applications still in process.

“There are so many students in need,” said Dr. Nancy Reyes, a Hartnell counselor who is serving on a committee overseeing the assistance effort. “Although this does by no mean solve all of their struggles, it definitely helps and allows all of us to be more hopeful about the weeks to come, at least.”

Fundraising efforts continue through the crowdfunding website GoFundMe. The campaign, called “Keep Our Students Learning,” was publicly launched April 13 by the Hartnell College Foundation, a non-profit auxiliary of the Salinas-based community college.

So far, the fund has received almost $150,000 in individual and business contributions, on top of $150,000 in seed money approved by the foundation Board of Directors on April 7. Of that total, $31,000 has so far been spent on emergency scholarships, with remaining funds used to increase the availability of crisis counseling for students, as well as to buy Chromebook laptops and mobile internet hotspots for student facing technological challenges with online instruction.

Media coverage of the federal CARES Act funding may create the impression that all students’ needs are being met, when that is far from the truth, said Jackie Cruz, vice president of advancement and development for Hartnell and executive director of its foundation.

Hartnell will distribute $1.8 million of the federal funds in $500 payments directly to 3,600 students with the greatest need, based on their financial aid applications. But Hartnell enrolls approximately 17,000 students a year, 85 percent of who are low-income. The foundation campaign invites donors to help address that unmet need, Cruz said.

“Crowdfunding is about the collective power of people making a difference,” she said. “It’s not so much about the huge amounts of dollars, rather what each of us can do. If it’s a dollar, if it’s five bucks or if it’s two bucks, it doesn’t matter. It really is about all of us joining together, so anybody can help out with this.”

Hartnell Superintendent/President Dr. Patricia Hsieh expressed her gratitude to all who have contributed to the emergency fund and are planning to do so.

“We are seeing support from our employees, from our alums and from our friends across the district,” Dr. Hsieh said. “Among the many needs at this time, it’s essential that we continue to educate our students and prepare them for the changing workforce.”

In her counseling role, Dr. Reyes has communicated with students seeking help from the COVID-19 fund, including many who share anxiety about both their finances and the threat of the coronavirus itself.

“We’ve had students working at Olive Garden, Macy’s and other restaurants and retail,” she said. “A lot of students have been laid off, and also the parents. They’re just really trying to make ends meet, and they also want to continue attending college.”

One student said that $500 in emergency assistance from the foundation fund would allow her to quit her job delivering restaurant meals for DoorDash.

Recalled Reyes: “She said, I’m so afraid of continuing to deliver food. I don’t know what to do. If I’m awarded this emergency scholarship, this is going to help me out because I will have some money coming in and I can pay the rent for this month and be able to stay here and be with my kids.’”

Such examples exemplify the socioeconomic challenges experienced by many Hartnell students, with or without COVID-19.

“This situation underscores the essential nature of our mission to educate students and help them complete their degrees and certificates,” Salazar said. “We understand how the current environment can have an effect on their academics and economic stability at home, and we will do everything within our capacity to make sure our students are resilient.”

The foundation’s COVID-19 fund has provided $270,000 for purchase of 500 Chromebook laptop computers, which so far have been loaned out to about 100 students who lack reliable access to a device for their online classes. More will be distributed in coming weeks as additional students request one.

A student who received a Chromebook sent an email to Dave Phillips, vice president of information technology resources, to thank him for the help.

“I just want to say thank you so much for the letting us students borrow the Chromebooks,” wrote the student, Stephanie Hernandez. “A few weeks ago my computer starting giving me problems. Then it crashed. Last week I got laid off from a job I worked for the last 12 1/2 years. … I really do appreciate this and I will forever remember what Hartnell does to help me towards my future!”

“A lot of students are still doing work on their smartphones,” Cruz said. “That can get you through some reading assignments, but we want out students to have devices so they can complete their assignments, whether it’s essays or Excel spreadsheets or presentations.”

Another $50,000 from the fund has gone to purchase mobile hotspots, which are expected to be delivered in the next few days and distributed to 100 students who have applied for one.

The combination of support for basic needs and technology is intentional, Cruz said, and designed to fulfill the goal spelled out in the name of the campaign – to “keep students learning.”

“We don’t want to make our students pick between, ‘Hey, I have 500 bucks: Am I going to pay my rent or am I going to buy myself a laptop? Or I need to pay the PG&E bill or buy some food?’ We don’t want our students stuck with those really heart-wrenching decisions where they are discouraged from continuing on with their education.”

Hartnell College is extending the opportunity for Salinas-area high school seniors to participate in its “Panther Prep Pledge” priority registration program for Fall 2020 classes to April 24 rather than an original deadline of April 17.

By pledging online to attend Hartnell this fall, students will receive individualized assistance from the College Pathways Team and guidance from academic counselors to be prepared for priority registration on May 18. If they wait, they may find that courses they want are already full.

The pledge culminates outreach that began last October at 19 school sites across the Hartnell Community College District. During a series of high school workshops, the College Pathways Team led students through the Steps to Success, which include applying for admission, placement for English and math, online orientation and setting up a Hartnell email account.

Since 2013, Hartnell has held Panther Prep Day, a freshman welcome event to enroll and engage seniors, on its Main Campus in Salinas and its King City Education Center. In 2019, the event drew 550 participants in Salinas and 350 in King City. The COVID-19 outbreak required conversion to an online experience, including a virtual resource fair to showcase support services and enrichment opportunities for students.

The purpose is unchanged: to help students continue their education after high school and either go on to complete a four-year degree or prepare to begin an immediate career in a technical field.

“Panther Prep has been a great success in the past, and we were determined to provide all of its key benefits for students and their families, despite the challenges presented by the current situation,” said HCCD Superintendent/President Dr. Patricia Hsieh. “Our administrators and staff have been very creative in making that adjustment.”

Beginning the last week of April through May 15, Panther Pledge students will be able to participate in online guidance workshops with a counselor and select their first-semester courses. Parents can listen in on those sessions, and they can watch videos that help them prepare to better support their students. Parents can also tune in to a podcast that will be produced in May by the Academic Counseling staff.

“We really take them through the whole experience and take all the guesswork out of it,” said Ariana Rodriguez, the school’s College Pathways Coordinator. “We walk them through the entire process of enrollment, step by step.”

So far, about 800 of this year’s seniors have already completed the Panther Prep Pledge, but Hartnell wants to match or exceed last year’s total of 900 for the in-person events.

Combined with the benefits of the Salinas Valley Promise ― a new program of free tuition, mentoring and leadership training for first-time, full-time students ― has allowed Hartnell to consistently enroll more than 40 percent of graduating seniors at its feeder high schools.

“Whenever we go out to the schools, our Pathways Team staff always reiterate to students that we’re there to present an option, and the reason we do this across the county is so that all students have a path to college,” Rodriguez said. “Completing steps with us ensures that Hartnell is an option for them if they decide to continue with us after graduation.”

High school counselors are essential and valued partners for the Panther Prep program, she said, because they coordinate with teachers to make sure all students can take part in the workshops during their regular school day and provide ongoing support and follow-up with their students participating in the program.

Aurelio Salazar Jr., HCCD Governing Board president, said the partnership with local schools and school districts is key to Panther Prep’s ongoing impact.

“All of us share the goal of providing as much educational and career opportunity for our children and young adults as possible,” Salazar said. “Panther Prep is an expression of that team effort, and we are grateful to everyone’s support.”

Once students complete the Panther Prep Pledge, available on the college website at www.hartnell.edu/pantherprep, they will be invited to an online workshop with a Hartnell counselor to guide them through registration. 

The Hartnell College Office of Equity Programs, best known as Mi CASA on the main Salinas campus, is striving to remain a one-stop-shop for students, especially since all classes and services moved online in late March.

“We are here to support students navigate through the transitions,” said Bronwyn Moreno, director of student affairs and equity programs. “We have new systems in place to be proactive.”

The Office of Equity Programs is equipped with counselors, administrative staff and student ambassadors to create a welcoming environment for all who seek guidance on financial aid, academic planning, transfer information, advocacy, referrals and much more.

“Students can call us, email us or fill out a simple form online, and we will get back to them within the hour,” Moreno said.

Student ambassadors are trained to help fellow students navigate through Canvas, the Educational Self-Planner tool, Zoom, PAWS and other tools, which increases their ability to quickly respond to questions.

As the move to online learning triggered other challenges, the equity programs staff initiated a telephone campaign to contact more than 1,000 students and assist them as needed. This group includes all participants in all equity programs: AC (the Academy for College Excellence), MILE (the Men’s Institute for Leadership and Education), WELI (the Women’s Education and Leadership Institute), Salinas Valley Promise, RSN (Rising Scholars Network) and Mi CASA (Center for Advancement and Student Achievement).

“With this campaign, we are checking on all of these students and asking them what they need,” Moreno said. “Do they need a Chromebook, do they need counseling, any other tools, resources or anything else.”

The objective of this holistic approach is to make sure Hartnell students realize Mi CASA and other Equity Programs are ready to serve them.

“Students are so appreciative when they get the call from one of our team members,” Moreno said. “They feel special when someone is calling them personally and feel it’s a nice gesture.”

Mi CASA serves DACA and other undocumented students. It is the on-campus hub where students, employees and community members can go for the latest in immigration resources.

Mi CASA’s immigration legal services resumed April 10. Students, faculty and staff can access the appointment portal to book a date with an immigration attorney, thanks to Hartnell’s partnership with the UFW Foundation.

“As a low-income DACA student, I do not always have the money to pay for a legal consultation,” said one second-year Hartnell student, who asked to remain anonymous. As a full-time student who spends most of her time on her coursework, she said it is hard for her to make time to seek legal advice elsewhere.

“This is why having the UFW on campus offering free legal services for students like me is perfect, mostly now that we do not know the certainty of DACA moving forward,” she said.

The partnership between the UFW and Hartnell College is vital because it provides help for students who have questions, need assistance with forms or simply need advice, Moreno said.

Hartnell Community College District Governing Board President Aurelio Salazar Jr. said the combined services of equity programs send a powerful signal to students and the greater community.

“Ensuring equity is central to our educational mission at Hartnell,” Salazar Jr. said. “Programs like Mi CASA and WELI provide benefits that benefit current students and future generations.”

Hartnell’s superintendent/president, Dr. Patricia Hsieh, said it is especially important that equity programs remain fully available and accessible while students are taking online classes.

“Our college is working very hard to maintain equity in learning opportunities, regardless of how we deliver instruction,” Dr. Hsieh said. “The Office of Equity Programs plays an instrumental role in that effort.”

Contact the Hartnell College Office of Equity Programs by calling (831) 755-6723, email to micasa@hartnell.edu or visit https://www.hartnell.edu/students/programs/mi-casa-hartnell-college-dreamer-center.html.

Thank you for all your efforts to make this unexpected adjustment to online learning because of COVID-19.

Here are a few immediate and important updates:

• Student resource videos: Hartnell has begun sharing a series of short informational videos how to access and use academic and student support services. Here is the first video, in which Maria Ceja, dean of student affairs and enrollment services at Hartnell College, provides an overview of Admissions & Records resources and assistance for online students.  We will share additional videos on the Online Learning resource webpages through email and college social media channels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paBX33Hyy_I

• Zoom chat for transfer applicants: The Academic Counseling Office is starting a series of online information chats via Zoom at 3 p.m. TODAY (April 8). Mercedes Del Real, transfer center coordinator, will share changes being made by the UC and CSU to assist transferring students. If you're planning to transfer this fall or next spring, be sure to join us at https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/390304587
• Tutoring with Panther Learning Lab: The Panther Learning Lab has tutoring and Supplemental Instruction sessions happening now, including extra help with homework, online education and study skills. Click on the link below to join our Canvas page. After you join, you will be able to see the schedule and you can start attending tutoring sessions. If you have any questions please email them at pll@hartnell.edu. Also, your Canvasshell gives you access to NetTutor. Use the "NetTutor" button in your course through Canvas to access free online tutoring.

Main Campus - STEM Lab - Click here to join

Main Campus - Writing- Click here to join 

Alisal Campus - Click here to join

King City Education Center- Click here to join

Supplemental Instruction Sessions for Students (SI Leaders)- Click here to join

• Online Counseling: The Academic Counseling Office has moved its serves online and over the phone. You can reach them by submitting a Counseling Appointment Request Form, calling (831) 755-6820 and leaving a detailed message, or by email at counseling@hartnell.edu. A staff member will contact you to set up an appointment.
• Spring semester: The Spring 2020 semester will conclude on May 30 as originally scheduled, with continuing all-online instruction.
• 2020 Commencement: Hartnell's 2020 Commencement will be presented online on the originally scheduled date, Friday, May 29, starting at 5:30 p.m. We encourage all graduates to order caps, gowns and Centennial stoles from the Panther Bookstore so they can celebrate and take photos with family and friends while watching the ceremony online. Items will be shipped to students free of charge.We will share more details and links to order items online as soon as possible. If you have an urgent bookstore question, contact manager Lashanta Mitchell via email:  lmitchell@follett.com
• Summer 2020 registration: Priority registration for all continuing students is April 23 through May 1, depending on the number of credits you have already completed. Visit https://www.hartnell.edu/support/admissions/registration/index.htmlfor more information. Classes begin June 15, with one six-week summer term, ending July 25. They will be taught entirely online.
• Reminder on survey on summer plans: If you haven't already done so, please take two minutes and answer a few quick questions to help the college assess demand for 2020 Summer Session classes: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PZF3RMV
• Free wireless at Hartnell campuses: Free wireless service is now available to students from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. in Parking Lot 4 on the Main Campus in Salinas (off of Alisal Street, between pool and tennis courts) and at the King City Education Center along Second Street. A third wireless hotspot should be activated this week in the main parking lot of the Alisal Campus.  
• Financial aid chatbot: The Financial Aid webpage now features a chatbot that allows you to ask questions and get answers from staff online.

Please continue to check your Hartnell Gmail regularly for further official information and updates. Thank you again!

 Dear Hartnell students, 

We hope you are staying healthy and safe. 

To assist all students during this challenging time, the California Community College Chancellor's Office has authorized all colleges to extend the following deadlines for Spring 2020 courses: 

1. Petition for a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grade: Please be aware that there may be adverse student implications. A P/NP grade may not be accepted by a university or four-year college when transferring, applying for a license, etc. 
   • Pass/No Pass forms can be submitted to admissions@hartnell.edu anytime up to May 18, 2020. Include P/NP in the subject line. 
2. Excused Withdraw (EW) from courses for Spring 2020 due to COVID-19 may be accepted until May 1, 2020, via PAWs. The EW will not be counted in the number of repeats allowed. 

Prior to petitioning for a P/NP or Excused Withdraw students should: 

• Contact Academic Counseling to speak with an academic counselor to determine the best options and resources available to support you. 
• Contact the Financial Aid Department at (831) 755-6806 or finaid@hartnell.edu for more information on how a P/NP or EW could impact your award eligibility. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions and Records Office at admissions@hartnell.edu.

Dear Hartnell College Community,

I am writing with a further update in light of the latest developments in the response to the COVID-19 health situation.  This afternoon, Monterey County officials announced a shelter in place order that will take effect after midnight on March 18, 2020, until 11:59 p.m. on April 7, 2020.  The County’s Order and Frequently Asked Questions are accessible here on the County’s website: https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov. 

While we are still reviewing the full implications of the County’s Order, the District is able to provide the following information:

1. Your health and safety, and that of our community, are of paramount concern.

2. The District is not aware of any COVID-19 cases among our students or employees.

3. As provided in the County’s Order, the District is considered an essential business.  Therefore, we are permitted to continue to have designated employees on site for either of the following purposes: facilitating distance learning, or to perform essential functions.

Unless you received notice from a supervisor or manager to come to work to perform either of these functions, you should not come to work at a District facility starting March 18, 2020, until the County’s Order is modified or lifted, or we notify you otherwise. 

If you have been notified to come to work for these identified reasons, the District will maintain social distancing of six feet per person to the greatest extent possible, as required by the County’s order.   

4. The District is working with union representatives to address the effects on employees of the County’s shelter in place order. 

We recognize the COVID-19 health situation continues to create stressful conditions for you and your family members. This is a new, unprecedented situation, and information continues to evolve and change rapidly.  We will continue to work with our employees and employee representatives to address these challenges, and will keep you informed of any developments. 

Thank you for your ongoing attention and commitment to our District and community in these challenging times

Patricia Hsieh

Patricia C. Hsieh, Ed.D.

Superintendent/President | Office of the Superintendent/President

Dear Hartnell College Community,

Implementation of Hartnell's social distancing plan began Monday, March 16, and it went well thanks to administrators' thorough planning and coordination and the cooperation of fellow employees.

I am sharing this additional communication to provide additional details on implementation of the Hartnell College Social Distancing Plan.  In this update you will receive information regarding all divisions of Hartnell College including our educational centers.

Note to students: Although all Hartnell instruction is moving online starting March 23, students are included in this communication because social-distancing practices also apply to student workers. (See item 7)

• All employees are practicing social distancing of at least 6 feet in accordance with CDC standards effective 3/15/2020. 
• Some employees will be relocated to areas vacated by students and otherwise equipped with necessary computer access and workspace.  This action will provide the necessary social distance for other groups of employees.
• All face-to-face meetings scheduled for 10 or more participants will be converted to Zoom meetings in accordance with CDC guidelines. 
• To the extent possible, all employee gatherings will be limited in an effort to maintain the si- foot separation standard, relying on telephone and other electronic resources to accommodate inter-employee communication needs. 
• Effective immediately, all requests for college-related travel outside Monterey County will be restricted to essential travel and require approval in advance by the appropriate supervisor.  Travel will only be approved if social distance can be maintained. 
• In workspaces that allow for rearranging employee area assignments, supervisors will separate employees to allow for workspace distancing.  Employees’ workspace assignments are being rotated in certain instances to allow for public access and to allow employees to complete their work assignments without undue exposure.
• Supervisors will afford student workers the same workspace considerations as other staff in order to maintain the current social distancing standards.
• As necessary, in accord with assigned job duties, and to create appropriate work area distance, some supervisors may temporarily relocate employees to other work sites within the district.
• To the extent possible current office space may be made accessible on a temporary basis for employee use with the six foot social distance standard maintained.
• To help create additional work space, college lab spaces with computers will be available as needed for use as a workstation to maintain a 6 foot separation space requirement.
• To the extent possible, all scheduled meetings for employees will be arranged via Confer Zoom, email and phone calls.

As conditions continue to evolve, we will provide further employees and students with further updates about district plans.

 Sincerely,

Patricia C. Hsieh, Ed.D.

Superintendent/President | Office of the Superintendent/President

Dear Colleagues:

Regarding  COVID-19 and the District's response,  we continue to work with the local health officials, and to monitor local, state, and federal guidelines pertaining to the virus. We are taking appropriate and necessary steps to protect our staff and students in accordance with these guidelines.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

• The District is not aware of any COVID-19 positive tests for District employees or students. 
• The District has established the following website to keep employees, students, and our community updated: https://www.hartnell.edu/about/safety/emergency/coronavirus.html
• Spring Break is from March 16 through March 22, 2020 and the campus is scheduled to remain open at this time. Accordingly, employees who are not on vacation or other leave are expected to attend work. Employees who are ill should stay home.
• The District has implemented updated cleaning protocols to address COVID-19 related challenges, including more frequent disinfecting of high-touch areas and additional strategic placement of hand sanitizers and supplies for employee access and use.  
• The District will implement enhanced social distancing protocols, tailored to particular work sites and situations. 

If there are changes, the District will notify the Unions and all employees. Employees who have questions or concerns, are encouraged to contact their supervisor or Human Resources at extension 6103, in addition to their representatives.

Working together we will find our way through this and protect each other and all that is important to us.

Lyle Engeldinger

Interim Vice President of Human Resources and EEO

Dear Hartnell College students,

As we continue to assess and respond to the evolving public health threat from coronavirus COVID-19, Hartnell College is preparing several immediate steps – both to minimize the risk to our students, employees and visitors and in support of society-wide efforts to inhibit the transmission of the virus from person to person. 

We would like to alert all students to continue to check your official Hartnell email accounts and follow updates on the coronavirus webpage for Hartnell College.  Plans are being developed to move more instruction online, and we will keep you informed. Your instructors will be asked to reach out to you with specific information for your courses.  

Coronavirus COVID-19 is an unprecedented public health event for our state, nation and the entire world. We continue to put students first and will use all available resources to support student learning and student success.

Sincerely,

Patricia Hsieh

Patricia C. Hsieh, Ed.D.

Superintendent/President | Office of the Superintendent/President

This message is to describe the preparations our district has made and faculty roles in the event that as many classes as possible will be moved into an online education platform. The determination to move classes online will be made by the Superintendent/President on the recommendation of the Monterey County Department of Health and Chancellor’s Office advisories.

Click here for more information.

Dear Hartnell College Community, 

As we all work together amid widening concern about the coronavirus COVID-19, I want to share information I provided Tuesday evening, March 10, to the Hartnell Community College District Board of Trustees. I gave the board an overview of our efforts we are making in all areas of our college to ensure the health and safety of our students, employees and visitors.

Hartnell continues to follow recommendations from the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges system and the California Department of Public Health. One of their recommended steps is for us to work closely with local health officials. We remain in close and regular contact with the Monterey County Health Department, which continues to report that there has been no confirmed case COVID-19 in our county. As we communicated via campus-wide email Monday night, March 9, this includes the instance of a Hartnell student who became ill but tested negative for the coronavirus.

Following an emergency meeting of Hartnell's Executive Cabinet on Monday morning, cabinet members are following through on these major action items with regard to COVID-19:

• The college is reviewing and updating its Emergency Operations Plan. 

• Per the state Chancellor's guidance, if circumstances require, we are preparing to switch to distance delivery of nearly all courses on a temporary basis. This is doable, but it also presents challenges we must plan for and overcome. I appreciate the communication and support of  the Academic Senate, Hartnell College Faculty Association and the CSEA, as well as the teamwork and leadership of cabinet members, during this challenging time for us all.

• For student services and staff meetings, Hartnell provides online counseling and ConferZoom, which individuals can use to meet remotely. 

The following are the specific tasks that cabinet members are leading to complete:

1. Academic Affairs andInformation Technology Resources: Requesting that the state Chancellor's Office approve an Emergency Blanket Distance Education Addendum and implementing a training plan for those faculty who have never used Canvas and other online tools for teaching basics such as class assignments, communications, grading, etc. Dr. Cathryn Wilkinson, vice president of academic affairs, will provide more detailed information to faculty about ongoing preparations for a possible transition to online learning later today, March 12.

2. Student Affairs: Training more counselors in the use of the online counseling tool known as Cranium Cafe and providing remote student services in TRiO, EOPS, DSPS, etc.

3. Administrative Services: Focusing on completing payroll/check runs remotely (including financial aid) and implementing an enhanced regimen for cleaning campus facilities, including disinfecting floors and high-touch surfaces, etc.

4. Human Resources: Preparing communication to employees, including updated information for employees, such as how to stay healthy and advisories for sick employees not to come to work, etc.

5. Information Technology Resources: Providing virtual desktops, faculty/staff support, Chromebooks, and training for faculty/staff on Canvas and Zoom.

6. Hartnell College Foundation: Reviewing planned campus events to ensure that all participants are aware of health precautions and, as needed, postponing or modifying events.

7. Communications and Marketing: Developing communication plans for various possible scenarios, including a possible move to primarily online learning. A COVID-19 website has been created and continually updated to share the useful, timely information with the college community and general public.

There are many things for all of us to do and many details involved, but what's important is that our college has developed a preliminary plan and is taking immediate steps to protect the health and safety of all, both on our campuses and in the greater community. This will remain the Hartnell Community College District's highest priority.

Thank you,

Patricia Hsieh

Patricia C. Hsieh, Ed.D.

Superintendent/President | Office of the Superintendent/President

County Health Department Tells College: No Current Coronavirus Cases, None Pending

(click here for Press Release)

This safety message is intended to inform the Hartnell College Community of a potential case of Coronavirus COVID-19 in a Hartnell student. Our college has learned that one of our students has become ill and is being tested for this coronavirus. Results of that testing are still pending.

For this reason, and also because this is cold and flu season, we urge all members of our college community to continue taking precautionary steps to protect yourselves, your families and others from the spread of contagious illness:

Precautions: Steps to minimize the risk of contracting influenza or the coronavirus are the same as those recommended to prevent the spread of all respiratory illnesses – and for general good health:

• Get sufficient sleep, exercise regularly, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious.
• Keep your hands clean, wash them frequently with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when you cannot wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Do not share cups, straws or anything else you put in your mouth.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Get a flu shot – it’s not too late – available at most pharmacies
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve. Try to use a tissue, trash immediately.
• If you are ill, you take steps to limit exposure to others.  This would include all the previous steps as well as staying home from work or school until the sickness has cleared and there is no longer a chance of exposing others.

The illness identified as a coronavirus developed in China and has spread to other countries, including the United States. Numerous cases have been confirmed in California, but so far none on the Central Coast. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday declared a State of Emergency in response to the first documented death from the coronavirus in California. 

Coronavirus: Coronaviruses are common viruses in humans. The infectious virus that emerged these past months in China – commonly known as COVID-19 – is a new one, and doctors and researchers are working to better understand its contagiousness and severity.

Influenza (FLU):  It is important to note that it is just as important that we take steps in preventing the spread of the common cold and Flu as well. 

Travel advisory: The presumption is that any school, unit or individual that had been planning academic or other travel to China has cancelled those plans, and the cancellation will remain in place until the guidance changes. 

Scheduled events: Large gatherings are being cautioned against and many planned events throughout the county are being canceled or postponed.  It is recommended that if attending a large event, that one practice social distancing.

Thank you for your attention to this situation. We will continue to provide appropriate additional information to our college community as it becomes available. The safety and health of Hartnell students and employees are always the top priority for our college.

Sincerely,

Daniel Scott

Daniel Scott, M.A., CEM®, NEMEA.

Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management