RichmondCC Following New Order for No Masks Required

May 17

May 17, 2021 - Gov. Cooper’s Executive Order #215 issued on Friday, May14, lifted restrictions on meeting room capacity, social distancing and face coverings. Effective immediately, masks will be optional for all employees and students, inside and outside of college buildings. All of our campus spaces will return to full capacity.

"I appreciate everyone’s efforts to deal with the this virus, and while there is still risk for the unvaccinated, we can celebrate this next step in the return to normal life," said Dr. Dale McInnis, College president. "For anyone interested in getting a vaccination, the Richmond County Health Department is providing shots, both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, to anyone without an appointment."

To locate a vaccination clinic, visit https://myspot.nc.gov/ or https://www.vaccines.gov/search/.

December 14, 2020 – Richmond Community College’s Board of Trustees approved Monday morning a change to the academic calendar for the 2021 Spring Semester. Spring classes will now start Jan. 28 due to recommendations from the health department and to better align with the public schools’ schedules.

“As we near the finish line for the fall semester this week, we had to consider our plans for the spring,” said Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC. “Two major events are converging on our communities in January. All of the modeling from the state shows a major surge in COVID-19 cases the first two weeks in January. At the same time, the long awaited vaccine is scheduled to be provided to hospitals, health departments, first responders and our own nursing students and faculty.”

RichmondCC nursing students will be on the frontlines helping administer the vaccine when it becomes available to local residents.

Last week McInnis consulted with the local health departments and public school officials to consider the best options for the safety of students and employees based on these expected developments.

“Keeping with the same approach we have used since March, our focus is how to best serve our students and communities in the most effective and safe manner,” McInnis said.

The revised schedule puts the first day of the Spring Semester starting Jan. 28 and ending May 27. Graduation will be held June 3, and the Summer Semester will begin June 8, ending on Aug. 3.

The College will hold a FAFSA & Registration Day on Jan. 26 at both the Hamlet and Scotland County campuses.

McInnis noted that the change in the academic calendar will mean a longer winter break for faculty members but a shorter summer break.

The College will be closed for the holidays Dec. 23 through Jan. 1, reopening on Jan. 4. Adjustments will be made for staff members returning to work to be distanced safely apart in their work spaces.

“Just as we have for these past 10 months, our faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting our students and the communities we serve, and to being the best community college in this state,” McInnis said.

For more information or to register for the Spring Semester at RichmondCC, call Student Services at (910) 410-1700. Complete a free application online.

September 2, 2020 A Message from Dr. Dale McInnis, President of Richmond Community College

July 16, 2020 - 4:13PM EST Richmond Community College is rolling out a plan for the 2020-2021 academic year as the fall semester start date quickly approaches. When fall classes begin Aug. 19, there will be safety precautions in place for the security of employees and students, and the College has adapted new instructional options born out of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students stand in the substation and work on testing equipment

After reviewing the experiences from the spring and summer semesters and receiving input from staff, faculty and students, the president of RichmondCC, Dr. Dale McInnis, and his leadership team have worked on the plan for fall that prioritizes safety and optimal learning.

“The past four months have been a challenge for our country, state and communities," McInnis said. "I am proud of how our college has adapted and worked through the obstacles the pandemic has placed on us. Our experience with face-to-face classes this summer has been successful and well received by both faculty and students."

The College is taking the following measures to keep students, employees and the community safe:

Ensuring social distancing in classrooms by reducing class size when needed.
Including classroom safety expectations in course information provided by instructors to students.
Supporting Gov. Roy Cooper’s mask requirement in public areas and where social distancing is not practical.
Following local health department and CDC guidelines for notification and sanitation related to reducing risk and potential spread of the virus.

"We are providing a safe learning environment, and we are using instructional methods that provide the best opportunity for our students to be successful," McInnis said.

The fall schedule includes course delivery formats that will include but not be limited to:

Traditional Format: face-to-face class instruction.
“Anytime Online”: Online instructional model that gives the students the most flexibility and convenience for meeting the course requirements within instructor prescribed parameters.
“Real-time Online”: Use of virtual programs to allow classes to meet at a scheduled time and be broadcast interactively to enrolled students, providing them with structure and immediate feedback.
Hybrid Format: A combination of face-to-face and online instruction.

Several programs at RichmondCC are offered 100 percent online, including University Transfer-Associate in Arts, Business Administration, Accounting & Finance, Early Childhood Education, Criminal Justice Technology, Healthcare Management Technology and several Information Technology programs.

While not all classes are designed for online delivery, RichmondCC learned this spring the College must have a plan for all contingencies. In the event the College or a particular traditional class cannot meet as planned, all feasible classes will have an online option ready, and instructors will be able to switch to an online format on short notice.

"Communicating to our students, employees, and the community about our classes and our services will remain a priority," McInnis said. "As long as we remain open, we will continue to serve our students and be focused on providing high demand programs that lead to high salary careers. Our college is dedicated to providing a high quality and individualized education at a great value."

June 25, 2020 - 11:32AM EST Governor Cooper’s Executive Order from yesterday outlines the required use of facial coverings in most public places and government buildings. Required Use of Face Masks On Campus In adopting this requirement we are also following processes outlined for dealing with those that choose not to wear the face covering. We expect everyone that doesn’t wear a face covering is doing so due to one of the eleven exceptions listed below, as copied from Executive Order #147.

We will post signage across our campuses and through our website and social media explaining the facial covering requirement and the Executive Order.

Employees and students are expected to bring their own facial coverings. A limited number of disposable masks will be made available in reception areas on both campuses and in other key locations. Visitors will be asked to wear a facial covering. If the offer of the mask is rejected, no action will be taken by the college, nor explanation required. Persons not able to wear masks will be asked to maintain appropriate social distance from others.

Thank you for your support and patience. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Chris Gardner, Director of Counseling at (910) 410-1731 or csgardner@richmondcc.edu.

Exceptions

This Executive Order does not require Face Coverings for-and a Face Covering does not need to be worn by-a worker, customer, or patron who:

Should not wear a Face Covering due to any medical or behavioral condition or disability (including, but not limited to, any person who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to put on or remove the face covering without assistance);
Is under eleven ( 11) years of age;
Is actively eating or drinking;
Is strenuously exercising;
Is seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing-impaired in a way that requires the mouth to be visible;
Is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience;
Is working at home or is in a personal vehicle;
Is temporarily removing his or her Face Covering to secure government or medical services or for identification purposes;
Would be at risk from wearing a Face Covering at work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulations or workplace safety guidelines;
Has found that his or her Face Covering is impeding visibility to operate equipment or a vehicle; or
Is a child whose parent, guardian, or responsible person has been unable to place the Face Covering safely on the child's face.

Anyone who declines to wear a Face Covering for these reasons should not be required to produce documentation or any other proof of a condition. Children under two (2) years of age should not wear a Face Covering.

Application of Exceptions. Under this Executive Order, all North Carolinians will be on the honor system about whether or not there is a reason why they cannot wear a Face Covering. Everyone in this state is asked to tell the truth and-if they are healthy and able to wear a mask-to wear a Face Covering so that they do not put other people at risk of serious illness and death.

May 27, 2020 - 9:37AM EST Richmond Community College is open at all of its locations and back to providing normal services and resources to its students and the community. The College has taken numerous precautions to maintain a safe learning environment for students and faculty, while continuing to provide the personal, individualized attention that RichmondCC is known for. Signs have been posted around campus reminding students and visitors to maintain a safe social distance and to practice proper hand washing.

A section of online summer classes started May 18, but more classes, including college transfer and face-to-face technical classes, will begin June 15. Students requested more hands-on classes, so the College developed a plan for these later starting summer courses. The June 15 schedule also includes more online classes. Registration for those summer classes are June 3rd at the Scotland County Campus from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and June 4th on the Hamlet Campus from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The College is also currently registering students for the 2020 Fall Semester, which is scheduled to begin August 19. Counselors at both campuses are ready to meet with new and current students to schedule their fall classes. New students can complete a free application online to begin the admissions process.

May 6, 2020 - 2:36PM EST Richmond Community College Transition Back To Campus

RichmondCC Reopen

Governor Cooper’s current stay at home order is set to expire on May 8, and in preparation for Phase 1 of his recovery plan, the college is taking the necessary steps to be able to bring the remainder of our employees, and eventually students, safely back to our campuses beginning on May 11.
Now, as an organization essential to our counties and the region, we begin the first steps in the reopening our campuses to our students and communities.

Safety Precautions and Protocols

The safety of our employees and students is paramount. We have made preparations and changes that will minimize the risk of virus contraction, while allowing our campuses to be operational.
Social distancing practices for employees and students will be reinforced and required. Signage will serve as reminders and guides to establish and maintain a 6ft distance between persons.
Hand sanitizing stations are installed across the campuses.
Facility services staff will be continuously cleaning common contact areas.
See through plastic barriers are being installed in workspaces where social distancing is impractical.
Reusable and disposable face masks have been ordered and will be available for employees as requested.
Listening to our employees and students, we will take any additional steps that improve the safety of our campuses and provide the peace of mind we need to move forward and succeed.

Transitioning from Home to Campus

Our employees working from home, whether teaching and serving students or carrying out critical mission functions, have done a tremendous job these past few weeks.
Some employees are anxious to return, and others understandably have questions and concerns.
The Emergency Leave Provision in place through April 30 is extended through May 8. Absence from work after May 8 will have to be applied to annual leave, sick leave or the federal Families First Corona Virus Response Act. Our leadership team and Gaye Clark will help impacted employees find their best option.
Employees under quarantine by their health department due to virus infection within their household should notify their supervisor and Gaye Clark when they will be released.
The leadership team will coordinate any questions about individual or departmental work schedules and job coverage as we transition back to campus over the next two-three weeks, with the goal of being able to fully serve students when classes resume May 18.

Summer and Fall Semester Plans

Make up work for Spring semester incompletes should begin as soon as practical this summer.
8 week on-line classes will begin on May 18 as originally scheduled.
8 week in-person and Basic Skills classes will begin on June 15.
The new addition to the Lee Building housing our student services and career/transfer center is scheduled to be complete on July 17 and we will be moving in that week.
The 2019-20 Commencement will be held on August 7, with program specific pinning ceremonies occurring on August 5.
At this time, the Fall semester remains as previously scheduled.

Closing Thoughts

I appreciate the stress and strain you and your families have endured over the past few weeks. I have felt it personally. My wife tested positive for the virus (my result was negative), and we recently spent two weeks strictly quarantined in our house. Luckily, Thomasa has enjoyed a full recovery and returned to work this week. I share this with you all to let you know I take the virus seriously, but I also take the essential role we play for our students and communities seriously as well. As other businesses begin to open back up, they will turn to us for the skilled talent they need to relaunch. Our students will look to us for hope, and we need to find the resilience and courage to be their hope. We need to be strong to tackle these challenges, and I believe we are stronger together than apart from each other. I have missed you these past few weeks, and look forward to seeing each of you, from a safe distance, in the next few days.

Take care and stay safe,

Dale McInnis
President, Richmond Community College

Updated April 3, 2020 2:44PM EST-Important message from Dr. McInnis, President of Richmond Community College

Send your story or video to contact@richmondcc.edu

Updated April 1, 2020 3:28PM EST- Important message from Dr. McInnis, President of Richmond Community College

As you know, Gov. Cooper issued a new executive order that went into effect Monday, March 30 and lasts until the end of April. A link to the stay at home order is provided below. I would urge you to read the stay at home order itself carefully, since many of the summaries in the news have seemed incomplete. It identifies which essential businesses and organizations can remain open, and under what circumstances we can leave our homes. First and foremost, take this order seriously and take yours and your family’s health seriously. That will always be my number one concern.

The Governor has recognized our college as an essential entity. This will allow us to continue to serve our current students and prepare for what I believe will be very busy summer and fall semesters. We will continue to restrict access to the campus and coordinate employee telework efforts with the work that can only be done on campus.

With the first week of this new normal in the books, the reports from our Leadership Team are very positive. Thanks to your focused efforts of our faculty and staff, the vast majority of our students are on track. I have heard great stories from students and colleagues about the outreach, dedication, compassion and patience shown by the RichmondCC family. We must build on this positive energy to generate the momentum to sustain our students, our communities and our families in the days and weeks to come.
I welcome your questions and ideas as always, and look forward to seeing you as soon as possible.

Dale McInnis
President, Richmond Community College

State of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, Govenor, Executive Order No. 121

Updated March 24, 2020 5:30PM EST - Important message from Dr. McInnis, President of Richmond Community College

This is an important update from Richmond Community College about our next steps as our students and faculty work to complete our current classes while mitigating risk to the corona virus.

Student Access

Most of our campus buildings are restricted to approved college personnel, but we are going to provide limited access to students on Wednesdays beginning March 25. This effort is to support our students who face challenges with Internet and computer access.
The Academic Success Center and Library on our Hamlet campus and the Covington Street Building on our Scotland County campus will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays for students to work on assignments or take a proctored test. 
College personnel will be taking temperatures with a non-invasive procedure for anyone entering these buildings, so if you are sick, please stay home. Students must bring a current student ID, and for the safety of your children, they must stay at home.
Student-use WiFi will be available starting Monday, March 30, in the parking lots of the Cole Auditorium in Hamlet and Morgan Center in Laurinburg. WiFi will be limited to school-related activities.

Graduation

The College and community will be celebrating student accomplishments when courses are finished and degrees are earned.
RichmondCC is happy to announce we have rescheduled 2020 graduation to Aug. 7.
The separate pinning events for Medical Assisting, Dialysis and Nursing will occur on Aug. 5.
Our Graduation Fair will also be occurring on Aug. 5.
More details about these events will be released closer to August.

Future classes

Summer registration is going on right now. The College will provide a full schedule of courses this summer.
Students wanting to earn a high school equivalency can still enroll in our Basic Skills program by appointment. These classes will be offered online. Call the College’s main number, (910) 410-1700, for more information.
This is a tough time for all of us, especially for our students. The College has licensed counselors available for students by phone and online. Visit the College’s website or call (910) 410-1700 for details.
The College encourages its employees and students to use reliable sources for information on the virus and the state and national response. NC Department of Health and Human Services offers the most current and accurate news about the virus and our state’s response. https://www.ncdhhs.gov/
For the latest College information, please visit www.richmondcc.edu or call (910) 410-1700.

Updated March 19, 2020 7:30PM EST - Important message from Dr. McInnis, President of Richmond Community College

I want to share this announcement with you about our status as we face the corona virus together. I have just updated our employees and informed them on recent developments and the next steps in our response to this virus. As the virus spreads and touches us all in new and unexpected ways, our college and each of us individually, we have to continue to adapt and be resilient.

We recently rescheduled spring break from April 14 to this week in order to convert many of our classes from face to face to an on-line format. Thanks to the talent and efforts of all our faculty and staff, I am happy to announce those classes are ready to roll out beginning Monday, March 23. This is a huge accomplishment! We are going to provide extra support to these students, who may have signed up for a traditional face-to-face class, but are now in the online setting. If students don’t have the experience and comfort with Moodle we are going to do all we can to make sure students have the confidence needed to succeed.

For our remaining courses in WED and those not compatible with the conversion to Moodle, because they are face-to-face, we had planned to continue to teach as many of them as possible for as long as we could. That plan, unfortunately, has now changed. We received new guidance from the North Carolina Community System President who recommends we pause all face-to-face courses by Monday, March 23. We are not cancelling any classes.

Based on this recommendation and the feedback I have heard from many of our employees and our students, I have decided we will pause and take a break from all face-to-face classes, curriculum and WED at all locations, effective this Friday, March 20. Moodle classes that are in place will continue through the end of the semester. Students will be informed of this decision through a separate message and contacted by their course faculty. We want you to understand this is a pause. The classes have not ended, and we are going to try to pick back up where we left off as soon as it is safe for everyone to be back in a classroom setting again.

This was a very difficult decision, because I know how hard our students in these classes have worked, and how close they are to completing their dream. I share in your disappointment. However, protecting the health and well-being of each student and every employee has to be my highest and greatest priority. We are not going to take any unnecessary risks with your health whether you are a student, an employee or a member of the community.

While we are pausing these face-to-face classes, we are also going to be making a major change in how we staff our campuses. Effective Tuesday, March 24, most of our employees will be directed to work from home. Our vice presidents or deans will be notifying employees if they are required to be on campus, based on their duties and the needs of the college.

Many of our buildings are going to be closed to the public, but I want to reassure you this does not mean your college is closing. We are going to continue to serve our students and our communities to the best of abilities, but we are going to have to adapt, just like everyone else is, how we work to protect ourselves, our employees, our families and our students. Many of employees’ jobs and duties may be changing temporarily, but I want to ensure our permanent employees they will continue to be paid their full salary and will not be charged for leave time during this pause.

Our mission now is to do our part as a college to mitigate the spread of this disease, without losing our connections to our students and to each other.

If anyone has questions, concerns or ideas, please let us know because our goal is to overcome this virus so our College will be stronger and better than we are today.

Updated March 16, 2020 2:30PM EST - Here is the latest update for Richmond Community College's Plan of Action in regards to the corona virus pandemic, as of March 16, 2020 at 2:30PM. If you have any questions or concerns please call (910) 410-1700 #RichmondCC

Good Morning,

I am sure the corona virus and efforts to contain it have already impacted the daily lives of you and your family. Our college is adapting as we all take the necessary steps to continue our mission and serve our students, while supporting all efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus. As we move forward into uncharted territory, the College will make every effort to keep you all informed, and listen to your questions, ideas, and concerns. For questions, call our main number (910) 410-1700.

Current Plan of Action

Switching spring break from April 14-17 to this week is necessary to give our faculty and staff the time needed to implement and verify the conversion to on-line and communicate the change to students.
We will transition all compatible classroom courses to an on-line format that will be in effect by Monday, March 23.
Classes that are not compatible with an on-line format will resume their regular schedule and location on Monday, March 23. Students impacted will be notified separately by the VP for Instruction.
These same steps will apply to Early College High School students and CCP students enrolled in our college classes
Classes taught on site at the high schools will be converted to an on-line format or suspended until the high schools reopen.
We will operate our computer labs on both campuses for students to use, and for proctoring of on-line course tests when needed.
All WED (short-term training) and Adult Education classes will continue to meet as scheduled, including this week.
Our facility services team will be working hard to keep our spaces as clean as possible.
This is a dynamic, evolving national crisis. Please monitor your College email, our website, your Moodle classes, and RichmondCC Facebook and Instagram continuously for updates and announcements.

As long as we are allowed, we will serve our students to the best of our ability, while maintaining everyone’s safety.

Dr. William D. McInnis, Ed.D
President

Updated March 14, 2020 9:50PM EST - This afternoon at 4:30, Gov. Roy Cooper announced his decision to close all K-12 public schools in our state from this Monday, March 16 through March 30 to fight the spread of the corona virus.

Richmond Community College does not fall under this order from the Governor and will remain open for business until otherwise directed by Governor Cooper or our local health departments.

So that we can take the necessary steps to maintain our educational quality in the safest possible setting, Richmond Community College will move spring break for students in curriculum classes (originally scheduled for April 13-17) to March 16-20. All students in curriculum courses will not be expected to attend classes next week.

The college will remain open during this revised spring break, with all short-term training classes (WED & Basic Skills, etc), as well as all college offices and functions continuing as usual.

By noon, March 16 our college will send out more specific directions for employees and students as to our next actions in facing this historic and unprecedented situation. Our priority is the success of our students, while securing their safety and that of our employees and their families.

March 13, 2020 - Based on Gov. Roy Cooper’s guidelines issued yesterday afternoon and today’s direction from Dr. Tommy Jarrell, Richmond County Health & Human Services Director, Richmond Community College is prohibited from holding any events that draw more than 100 people starting today through the next 30 days (March 13 – April 12).

In the interest of public health and compliance with these directions, the College is coordinating with all impacted parties and stakeholders to reschedule events if possible, including the final two shows of the DeWitt Performing Arts Series. We ask that any ticket holders for the “An American in Paris” musical and Phil Vassar concert retain those tickets until further notice about rescheduled performance dates.

Cancellations of on-campus events will be reported on our website and RichmondCC Facebook.

No classes at Richmond Community College have been cancelled, and the College is open for business. We are registering students for summer semester while taking all necessary precautions for the health and safety of students and employees.