Skip to main contentSkip to footer
COVID-19 background
COVID-19
Home > Administration > PIO > Notices > COVID-19 Update
COVID-19 background
COVID-19

Home > Administration > PIO > Notices > COVID-19 Update

Coronavirus Response Summary

Message #5 from the Chancellor

Dear Colleagues,

Since Wednesday morning of this week, people from all corners of our campuses have met, strategized, adjusted, created flexibility, been responsive, and listened to each other as to how our college can smoothly, safely, and responsibly move forward.

On Thursday, we sent to you, our students, and the public our plans to help safeguard the health and safety of our students, and our community.

As the situation and the novel coronavirus rapidly evolves, we are in new territory, the likes of what I have never experienced in my lifetime. While this situation is very different from other crisis that COC has experienced in the last 50 years – what the 1971 Sylmar Earthquake, the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, 9/11 attacks, the recession of 2008, the recent Tick fire, the Saugus High School shooting, and the Coronavirus (COVID 19) have in common is that people who comprise of COC and the SCV community are once again coming together with care, compassion, quick-action, flexibility, concern, and common sense to rise and meet the challenges at hand.

At this time (6:00pm, 3/13/20), outside agencies continue to issue further warnings, requests, and guidance for moving forward. Plans have been developed, produced, modified, finalized, and revised many times with the onset of each piece of new information. For a complete list, please see the COC website: (https://www.canyons.edu/administration/pio/notices/index.php).

Highlights include:

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update #1 – (Email sent 3/6/2020 – Dr. Van Hook)
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update #2 – (Email sent 3/10/2020 – Dr. Van Hook)
  • Instruction Office Response to Coronavirus Contingency Planning (Email sent 3/11/2020 – Mr. Gerda)
  • Letter finalized and sent to the CA Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) requesting to move to simulation/simulators for our nursing students (Email sent 3/11/2020 – Dr. Van Hook)
  • Important Information for Our Employees memo issued to staff on travel, absences, committee meetings, staffing needs, and services areas on campus (Email sent 3/12/2020 – Dr. Fiero)
  • News Release – College of the Canyons Plans Two Days of Class Cancellations to Transition to Remote Learning for March 18-19 to accommodate for training academic faculty and all staff/departments to facilitate the move to remote education (Email sent 3/12/20 – PIO)
  • Coronavirus (COVID -19) Update #3 – (Email sent 3/12/2020 – Dr. Van Hook)
  • College of the Canyons Update #3 sent to students (Email sent to students 3/12/2020 – Enrollment Services)
  • Meeting held with new SCV Sheriff’s station Capitan Diez and other public agencies (schools, county, city, Cal Arts, and Master’s College) on operational plans and safety concerns (Via teleconferencing, 3/12/2020).
  • Meetings held with Dean’s Council and IAC (3/13/2020 – Mr. Gerda).
  • COC Travel Advisory (Email sent 3/13/2020 – Ms. Coleal)
  • Memo sent by Mr. James GG regarding training and support for conversion of courses to online instruction.
  • 500 Laptops ordered for students to checkout to assist those with tools needed to go online.
  • Training in progress, as I write, to assist in moving to online/remote delivery!
  • Department meetings (for all departments) scheduled for next week to move as many student services, professional development events, and informational sessions for students online through Canyons M App.
  • Governor Newson issued Executive Order N-25-2, which partially suspends certain provisions of the Brown Act while “social distancing” measure are ordered or recommended by state or local public officials.
  • The Curriculum Committee met yesterday to consider suspending the Distance Learning Addendum (DLA) requirements.
  • Academic Senate meeting to approve resolutions/waivers on DLA’s and training requirements.
  • Meeting held with LA County at 4:00pm (3/13/20) on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) case identified in the SCV.
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update #4 (Email sent to employees, 3/13/2020 – Dr. Van Hook).
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update #4 (Email sent to Students, 3/13/2020 – Enrollment Services).
  • News Release – In-Person Instruction Suspended Effective March 16 (3/13/2020 - PIO).
  • News Release – College of the Canyons Cancels Events in Compliance with State and Public Health Mandate (3/13/2020 - PIO).

As we continue to monitor and evaluate the situation, we will keep sending information to our campus community.

Thank you.

Dr. Dianne Van Hook
Chancellor

Distributed March 13, 2020