Good morning,
I hope you and your families are doing well.
By now, you know I have taken the following precautionary measures that are intended to protect the safety, health and well-being of our BC3 family with regard to COVID-19:
I have suspended all face-to-face format courses this week, and approved transitioning those courses to remote instruction starting March 23 through the end of the spring semester. I have also decided to cancel all college and public events scheduled to be held on our main campus and at our additional locations until further notice.
I want to reiterate that there are no reported or confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our main campus or at any of our additional locations at this time.
Our emergency response team has been meeting since late January to stay atop of circumstances related to the dynamic COVID-19 situation. Our team has been incredibly active over the past several days.
Among our proactive and strategic goals are to share important, timely messages to you first – this has been a top priority for me since becoming President in 2007 – and then to our external stakeholders.
I hope you have noted the specific Cabinet member sharing these important, timely messages. Each message corresponds to the Cabinet member’s area of responsibility and allows for a level of clarity at our emergency response team table while events rapidly change.
Brian Opitz, Executive Director of Operations, and-or Tina Fleeger, Executive Director of Human Resources/Equal Opportunity Compliance Officer, have sent messages to staff, and-or pertaining to main campus and additional location facilities.
Dr. Case Willoughby, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management,has sent messages to BC3 students and-or to families whose children attend the Amy Wise Children’s Creative Learning Center.
Dr. Belinda Richardson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, has sent messages to faculty.
Jim Hrabosky, Vice President for Administration and Finance, has sent messages pertaining to travel.
Jessica Matonak, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, has worked with her staff in addressing the media and social media, and publishing updates on BC3’s website.
Ruth Purcell, Executive Director of the BC3 Education Foundation, Inc. and External Relations, has communicated directly with the BC3 Education Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors.
And I, as President, have maintained contact with our Board of Trustees, appropriate governmental agencies and the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
As President, I am ultimately responsible for each of these areas. But relying on my incredible team in a carefully orchestrated and well-practiced emergency response puts our college in the best possible position to address this unique, and dynamic, situation.
I realize these precautionary measures present a challenge for all of us. I am thankful for your cooperation as we work to protect our BC3 family.
Thank you for your continued support.
