Dear Faculty,
The College is actively monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) is activated. As District Incident Commander for our Emergency Operations Center (EOC), I assure you that the College is taking the emerging situation seriously and communicating regularly with federal and state officials. The EOC is charged with developing a centralized, coordinated response that takes into account federal, state, and local health authority guidelines, as well as the safety, security and needs of our students and employees.
Our College community should be consulting the MDC website at https://www.mdc.edu/coronavirus/ for the latest updates and guidance regarding health and safety precautions. A collegewide communications plan has been launched so you will receive regular updates through MDC email. All communications will also be made available on the website. Additionally, communications regarding academic operations will come directly from me.
Student and Employee Travel
In the interest of the safety and well-being of our faculty and students, as well as guidance from the Florida Department of Education, the College has made the decision to cancel all summer 2020 study abroad programs, as well as all College-related student and employee travel – domestic and international – effective today.
Academic Continuity
Institutions of higher education in Florida and across the nation are making decisions to ensure continuity of education and limit disruption to student learning and progress. Some institutions have made early decisions to move all instruction online while others continue to monitor the situation, taking the lead from state and local authorities. MDC is planning for academic continuity but no drastic action will occur unless the College is faced with campus and/or collegewide closure.
Preparation is Key
To prepare in the event of a campus or collegewide closure, I have directed the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs to collaborate with the Academic Leadership Council to prepare an academic continuity plan for the COVID-19 situation. This plan will include the launch of specialized, on-demand training offered through the Center for Institutional and Organizational Learning (CIOL) for faculty who are new to online instruction through our learning management system, Blackboard. These trainings will be rolled out soon and I recommend all faculty who have never taught online, blended, or web-enhanced classes at MDC to complete the training. Later this week, I will share more specific information and resources regarding academic continuity plans and proactive steps that faculty can take at this time.
As we all watch the coronavirus news and see it spread across the globe, I request caution and calm in communicating with our students and that we only share the facts. A link to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health are on our website https://www.mdc.edu/coronavirus/.
Thank you for what you do today and every day for our students, our College and our community.
Lenore P. Rodicio, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Provost
Miami Dade College
300 NE 2nd Ave. | Miami, Florida 33132
T: (305) 237-3803 | F: (305) 237-7176
E: lenore.rodicio@mdc.edu