MiraCosta College COVID-19 Updates Background Image

MiraCosta College COVID-19 Updates

INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYEES
INFORMATION FOR FACULTY
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS

 

A Message From Our President

For immediate questions, please email pio@miracosta.edu

July 22, 2020

Hello MiraCostans!

With a blink of an eye, fall semester is quickly approaching. While summer is often associated with relaxation and vacation, this summer has been very different given the impacts of a global pandemic and financial crisis. In fact, San Diego county, after making much progress on limiting the spread of Covid-19, began to open up in discrete phases. However, after an increasing percentage of people began testing positive for Covid, the county issued new, more restrictive orders. The pandemic continues to generate a great amount of uncertainty in our state and nation as businesses and organizations are restricted from operating at full capacity.

MiraCosta College has been diligently working to solidify our transition to an online modality, continuously improving the quality of online instruction, successfully launching Workday and a new website, and establishing fiscal independence. Thank you to the many, many people involved in these efforts! There have been a myriad of professional learning opportunities to help our employees focus on equity as the center of our work and to address institutional bias, policies, and structures that produce inequities in educational outcomes. We are very grateful that our Board of Trustees, Administration, Academic Senate, Classified Senate, and Associated Student Government leadership are in partnership on this journey.

We are preparing to welcome students to a fall semester with a primarily online course schedule. Some courses that require in-person instruction, such as those with hands-on labs or clinical placements, will be offered as in-person sessions, utilizing social distancing and safety protocols. Professional learning aimed at helping faculty enrich student engagement in the online environment have been provided by our own MiraCosta faculty experts. Additional planning is in the works to support faculty as they continue to engage deeply with their curriculum and classroom practices from an equity-minded lens. There is a great deal of professional development through webinar formats that is available on a variety of topics, and I would encourage you to review these opportunities carefully to foster professional growth.

Robust student support and academic services, and most of the district’s business operations will continue to be conducted in remote formats. Our efforts to re-design the student experience will include the launch of student success teams that will take a holistic, team approach to ensure that partnerships with faculty and students have the resources needed during these challenging times.

In addition, facilities improvements have been ongoing at each site. A new Student Services and Administration Building is under construction at the San Elijo Campus, and a new Student Services Building is under construction at the Community Learning Center. The Oceanside Campus track and field construction project is nearing completion and final plans are underway for the cluster of new buildings at the Oceanside Campus, including the Health and Wellness hub, Chemistry–Biotechnology Building, and a new Student Services Building. A number of renovation projects are also well underway. This week, we will seek bond ratings from Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s for Measure MM to sell a second tranche of $255 million dollars of bonds to support the capital improvement projects planned in our 5-year construction plan.

Many MiraCosta College employees will continue to work primarily online and remotely this fall. Events, meetings, and social gatherings will continue to be held in virtual formats, rather than on campus, to uphold San Diego County requirements. We ask for your patience and support as we continue to improve upon services.

Please be sure to join our virtual All College Day on Friday, August 21 beginning at 9 a.m. We will have a general session together and then will offer a number of breakout sessions for more in-depth coverage of important topics that morning.

MiraCosta College is steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safety of our students, employees, and community. Thank you for your continued dedication to our students. By working together, we will continue to reduce the risk of illness, promote the health of our community, all while providing quality education.

While none of us has experienced times quite like this, I hope that you and your loved ones remain well and that you may find a few moments of peace and rest during these difficult times. Please remember to take care of yourself.

Sincerely,
Sunny Cooke, Ph.D.
Superintendent/President

Previous Communications

The COVID Curve

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I protect myself from getting sick (flu and/or coronavirus)?

If you are sick, please stay home from school or work. To help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, please follow these important tips as follows:

  • Get a free flu shot at a County of San Diego Public Health Center Immunization Clinic.Obtain more information.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick and encourage others to do the same.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Seek immediate medical care if symptoms become more severe, e.g., high fever or difficulty breathing.

What do I need to know about the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)?

An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been identified starting in Wuhan, China. Some patients have had mild illness, while others have been more severe, and some have died.

Although coronaviruses are a group of viruses that aren’t new, this is a new type of coronavirus and we are still learning about it. However, the health risk to the general public in California remains low.

Typically, human coronaviruses cause mild-to-moderate respiratory illness. Symptoms are very similar to the flu, including:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath

In some cases, COVID-19 can cause more severe respiratory illness.

MiraCosta College, the County of San Diego’s Public Health Services, the California Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are all carefully assessing the situation as it evolves.

For the latest information on repatriation and federal management, please see thisstatementfrom the CDC. There is also helpful information on the California Department of Public Health website.

What if I have symptoms?

If a person develops symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath, and has reason to believe they may have been exposed, they should call their health care provider or the County of San Diego Public Health Services before seeking care. Contacting them in advance will make sure that people can get the care they need without putting others at risk. Please be sure to tell your health care provider about your travel history. You can also take the following precautionary measures: avoid contact with sick individuals, wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, and get a flu shot.

If you are having a medical emergency, please call 911. If you are feeling ill while on campus, please go to Health Services at the Oceanside Campus (Room 3326) or the San Elijo Campus (Room 922). If students are off-campus or at the Community Learning Center, and would like to speak with a nurse, please call Health Services at 760.795.6675.

Additional questions? Contact Health Services at mccshs@miracosta.edu.

What is the treatment for COVID-19?

Most people with illnesses due to common coronavirus infections recover on their own; there are no specific treatments for coronavirus infections. For patients who are more severely ill, hospitals can provide supportive care. We are continuing to learn more about this novel coronavirus and treatment may change over time.

How can I obtain more information?