2021 State of the College & Foundation Annual Report

04 WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE 05 STATE OF THE COLLEGE 2021 WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE CARES RISING TO THE CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 O n March 13, 2020 a National State of Emergency was declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Westchester County was the site of the first large scale outbreak on the East Coast. Westchester Community College mobilized quickly to protect public health, shift to a predominantly on-line format for coursework and student services (some labs continued socially distanced on campus), and to help over 1,000 staff transition to remote operations. Even before the National Emergency was declared – before testing was even available – calls had started to come in of students, employees and family members taken ill and reaching out to the college campus Health Center for guidance, referrals and advice. Many lives at WCC have been impacted by the COVID crisis – through disruption of normal learning and work, illness and loss. The entire campus community honors the lives of students, employees, friends, and family members that were lost and tragically impacted by COVID. 2020 COVID Response Spring Break 2020: Heroes Convert Nearly 100%of Courses and Student Services to Online in TwoWeeks W CC extended Spring Break from one to two weeks in March 2020 so it could move nearly 100% of coursework online. Hundreds of in-person courses were converted over the two weeks to an on-line format. WCC faculty spent their spring break learning new software, new online teaching and testing methods, and helping each other as the Academic Leadership Team and faculty put students’ learning and safety as their first order of business. Student services also shifted to online delivery to ensure counseling, financial aid, library services, and academic support were all provided to students seamlessly. Although many students experienced personal challenges in switching suddenly to online instruction, over 49% were very satisfied or satisfied with the mode of instruction provided. Student concerns about COVID nonetheless persist: 92.5% of students surveyed were concerned about contracting COVID and 57.1% were concerned about returning to campus for in-person classes. Student services also shifted to online delivery to ensure counseling, financial aid, library services, and academic support were all provided to students seamlessly. Westchester Community College mobilized quickly to protect public health, shift to a predominantly on-line format for coursework and student services (some labs continued socially distanced on campus), and to help over 1,000 staff transition to remote operations.