A MESSAGE FROM DR. BARBARA GABA - JUNE 22, 2020

June 22, 2020

Greetings Faculty and Staff:

First and foremost, I hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. The health and safety of faculty, staff, and our students are my utmost priority.

Last week, 140 faculty and staff attended my first virtual “Coffee with the President”. At this meeting, we discussed plans for the re-opening of the college campuses; the anticipated budget challenges due to decreased State funding and expected decreased fall enrollment; as well as the virtual Commencement, Chapter 12 construction projects, technology upgrades, marketing and community outreach efforts, CCOG and CARES Act funding for students, and Foundation fundraising activities. I appreciated the interactive session and thank you for sharing your thoughts and suggestions.

Campus Reopening

Reopening our campuses is a priority of the Coronavirus Task Force. Our reopening plan aligns with CDC protocols and with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) Restart Standards for all New Jersey Institutions of Higher Education.

The Campus Reopening Plan outlines three phases:

• Phase I: Return of staff. This phase lays out guidelines for reopening the College’s campuses safely including bringing staff back to work onsite in a gradual, phased-in approach beginning with the President’s Cabinet. This phase is complete with the development of the cleaning and sanitizing protocols based on CDC guidelines with guidelines for social distancing and implementation of personal protective equipment (PPE) protocol is in place.
• Phase II: Return of students and faculty. Academics are working on the Fall plan based on the guidelines from the Governor and Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE). Student Services is currently working on a plan that encompasses admissions, registration, testing, advising, and counseling services in tandem with financial aid, as well as student engagement activities such as athletics, and the Student Government Association (SGA).
• Phase III: This future phase will provide the “new normal” of college operations in the post-COVID-19 landscape.

I will continue to keep you updated on our plan and the reopening timeline. I look forward to seeing you back on our campuses.

All Students are Welcome

In response to the killing of George Floyd and the outcry against systemic racism, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) recently issued a press release on behalf of all community college presidents. In part, it states, “We value all people and embrace the opportunity to stop hatred and promote peace through education, continued discourse, and by doing all we can to ensure that every member of our community knows they are welcome on our campuses.” I could not agree more.

Recently, there were two Supreme Court decisions that have begun to address social injustices that go beyond race. While the struggle to address systemic racism and economic inequality continues, the Court’s decisions on DACA protection and workplace discrimination against LGBT+ individuals are important decisions needed to continue the advancement of civil rights. We serve all students in our community regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, or sexual orientation. Students should have the ability to apply to and attend college without fear of reprisal. I am proud that we are an institution of higher education that supports all students and each other.

In closing, I found this quote and I hope you will enjoy reading it, as I believe working together we will come back stronger than ever before to serve our students and our community. We are Atlantic Cape Strong!

"The ability of a group of people to do remarkable things hinges

on how well those people can pull together as a team" - Simon Sinek

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara Gaba

President