What Rhode Islanders Need to Know About Major Coronavirus Developments - March 12, 2020

President Trump's Address

In an address to the nation Wednesday night, President Donald Trump said he would suspend all travel from Europe to the U.S. for the next 30 days to reduce the further spread of coronavirus cases in America, with exceptions for the UK and Ireland.

The number of cases of infected patients in the US has spiked to as many as 1,281 cases.

He said the new travel restrictions would take effect on Friday.

CCRI Stays on Break - Then Moves to Online Learning

CCRI President Meghan Hughes released the following statement about how the state's community college will proceed.

"The spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus around the world and within our own community presents an unprecedented situation for our college. It is our goal to face this situation with the health, wellness, and safety of our entire community at the forefront of our decision-making. I am writing with an important update regarding CCRI's latest actions in response to COVID-19. We believe that CCRI has an imperative to take further actions to slow the spread of the virus in our communities and protect our students, faculty, and staff.

As part of this ongoing effort to limit the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak and to mitigate potential community spread of the virus, CCRI has made the decision to extend spring break for students through Sunday, March 22 and move to remote instruction beginning Monday, March 23.

We have made this decision after careful consideration of guidance from the Rhode Island Department of Health and with the best interest of all of us – and our families, friends, and neighbors – in mind. The CCRI community is a strong one, and I have great confidence in our ability to navigate this situation together.

At this time, there are no known cases of COVID-19 within our college. The goal of the actions outlined below is to limit the number of instances where community members are gathered in large groups and spend periods of time in close proximity with each other in classrooms and common spaces throughout our campuses. By decreasing the number and proximity of people on our campuses, we can limit the exposure to COVID-19 for all members of our community.

Thank you for your patience and resilience as we respond to this evolving situation.

Moving to Remote Learning

Beginning Monday, March 23, CCRI will deliver classes remotely through at least Friday, April 3, 2020. During this period, face-to-face instruction is suspended. Faculty will be in contact with their students regarding their plans for remote instruction prior to March 23, 2020 so that students can prepare effectively.

All of the college-based student support resources that our students need to be successful in their coursework will be available during this time, including our libraries, computer labs, Student Success Centers, and Advising and Counseling, among others.

We understand that transitioning to remote instruction is a significant adjustment for everyone in our community, and we are committed to supporting our students, faculty, and staff through this process. Over the past few weeks, college leadership has been preparing for a range of scenarios, including this one, and as a result, the work to deliver courses remotely has already begun. 

Labs, Studios, Music, Theater, and Productions

Faculty will be developing plans for these specific learning opportunities in the coming days and will provide affected students with further guidance prior to March 23.

Clinicals, Fieldwork, and Internships

We are currently assessing the status of students engaged in clinicals, fieldwork, and internships to determine what, if any, alternatives will be necessary during this time, and the college will communicate with those students about any required adjustments prior to March 23.

Workforce Partnerships' Programs

We are currently assessing all of our offerings in the Division of Workforce Partnerships and will be creating alternative solutions where needed.

Faculty

During the week of March 16, 2020, faculty will be transitioning their classes to the remote learning platform, Blackboard. Led by Academic Affairs, training, technical, and other support will be provided during the period that remote teaching is required.

We recognize that transitioning to remote instruction is a significant adjustment for everyone in our community, and we are committed to providing the necessary support to our students, faculty, and staff.

Staff

While the college transitions to remote learning, our campuses will remain open. Staff are expected to report to work. Please look for a forthcoming communication from Human Resources providing additional information.

Student Employees and Work Study

Many students participate in essential work functions for the college or rely on work study programs. Students working in roles at the college may continue working in their roles at this time. Students working off-campus via work study should follow the guidance of their work-study partner regarding reporting to their internship.

Next Steps

Later today, Vice President of Academic Affairs Rosemary Costigan will be contacting faculty with instructions for transitioning to the college’s remote platform. Department chairs will work with their deans to communicate specific instruction plans to students and faculty.

As we continue to work together throughout this challenging time, I ask that we all stay informed during this transition. We will continue to send out regular updates to our college community. I urge all students, faculty, and staff to monitor their CCRI email regularly and to frequently check our website for important information regarding this transition to remote learning and other actions we are taking to ensure the continuity of college operations.

For students with specific questions or concerns, please contact Michael Cunningham, Dean of Students, by email at [email protected]. Faculty should contact their department chair or dean and staff should contact their supervisor.

I know that this period is a time of worry for many in our community. I also know that this college is filled with a community of people who will come together in support of each other. Thank you very much for all you are doing for CCRI.

Providence College Suspends In-Person Classes

Providence College announced Wednesday that it is suspending all in-person classes through its Easter break (from Monday, March 16 through Monday, April 13th) as a precautionary measure with regard to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Classes will be delivered via digital technology beginning Wednesday, March 18. (The College is currently on spring break, and classes had been scheduled to resume on Monday, March 16.)

The College plans to resume in-person instruction on Tuesday, April 14th; however, those plans could change depending on the severity and extent of the outbreak.

In addition, the College is in the process of postponing and/or cancelling all on-campus meetings and events expected to bring external groups to campus in numbers of 100 people or more.

NBA Suspended 

The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. The league announced that the season has been suspended.

The NBA suspended all games following the conclusion of Wednesday’s schedule of games until further notice. 

The league will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

Seagrave Observatory Closed

Due to the COVID19 virus and as "an abundance of caution" the Seagrave Observatory will be closed for observing on Saturday nights until further notice. 

"Despite our closure, keep your eyes to the skies each and every clear night. Be safe and remain healthy," writes Dave Huestis, of Skyscrapers, Inc.
 

European Markets Trading Lower

The Financial Times is reporting on Thursday morning that "European stocks dived in early trading, extending a week of historic market tumult after the US temporarily suspended travel from Europe in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The UK's FTSE 100 index, the German Dax and the continent-wide Stoxx 600 were all down 5 percent in early dealings. Futures trading indicated Wall Street was expected to open 4.1 percent lower."