Dear CSN Family,
As concern over the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, I want to let you know that the College of Southern Nevada is preparing measures to ensure academic and operational continuity, while also taking care to keep our campus community safe and healthy. We will continue to update you on these measures as they develop.
You may be aware of NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly’s recent memo, which calls on all system institutions to be prepared to transition to remote and virtual instruction no later than April 3. CSN’s Incident Management Planning Team is committed and actively working on this planning in college instruction, student support, and institutional services. Please note, no decisions have been made, however, and no closure or cancellations have been planned or scheduled.
I suspect that, like me, you have been following the news on this issue closely, and you are concerned. Please know that I am in close contact with our Incident Management Planning Team, NSHE officials, and local and staff health experts, to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of our faculty, staff and students remains paramount. We stand ready to respond appropriately, including making future changes to classroom procedures if and when we deem them necessary. I want to reiterate, at this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our campuses.
We have no plans to cancel CSN-sponsored events, on campus or off, but we will be reviewing each event based on the most recent health advisories and official information. We are monitoring local, state and federal guidelines that have been released regarding gatherings and social distancing, and will continue doing so as the situation evolves. We are also working with external groups with scheduled events on our campuses in case circumstances require event cancellation.
A quick reminder that employees who feel ill should stay home and notify their supervisor. See the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines on “What to do if You Are Sick.” Any employee who believes they may be a member of the defined vulnerable population for COVID-19 as set forth by the CDC guidelines should consult with their supervisor as well.
While all international travel was canceled several days ago, there have been questions about the cancellation of faculty and staff domestic travel. At this time, in state and out of state travel will be restricted, as is attendance at local conferences without approval from your respective vice president. For your safety, we recommend that faculty and staff refrain from attending large events and social gatherings in general.
Finally, please keep in mind that while COVID-19 is a worldwide issue, it may affect those all around us. We must support our campus and local communities, regardless of their ethnicity or background. We should never stereotype or stigmatize any individual or group, and we should always treat each other with respect and empathy.
Thank you.
Federico