MHCC OFFERS RESOURCES FOR SAINTS AS FALL TERM REMAINS MAINLY ONLINE

Welcome to a unique (we hope) Fall Term, Saints!

For Fall Term (and now, as announced on Sept. 24, Winter Term also) MHCC is still mainly operating remotely and online, especially for teaching, studying, and other student support.

The campus is open only by appointment, with a limited number of courses and programs being offered in-person, or a “hybrid” mix of online/in-person sessions. Visit https://www.mhcc.edu/MHCC-Fall-Term-2020/ to see the plan for specific programs and courses.

These programs have also each submitted a full reopening plan to the college’s reopening team to for review and approval. MHCC has also submitted a reopening plan to the Multnomah County Health Department and its own District Board of Education; this has been reviewed and approved, as well.

“We expect to maintain our current (online course emphasis) and remote work (for employees) at least through the rest of the year, if not longer, in order to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, staff and campus community,” said Amber High, marketing and communications coordinator for the college.

Students can access services online that they might normally receive on campus, such as the Student Support Services Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?MtHoodCC&layout_id=11

Students may also find this form by visiting any page at mhcc.edu and clicking the link in the gray bar at the top of the page.

Focus on student support

High said Mt. Hood is providing “robust” support programs and resources to help students overcome several barriers. “Students should know that MHCC’s faculty and staff are 100% there for them,” she said. “We recognize that the pandemic and the recent wildfires have had a profound impact on our students and want them to view the college as a resource that they can lean on to help them stay afloat, stay focused and come out even stronger on the other side.”

An important ally is the Basic Needs Response Team at MHCC, which features the student voice – identifying and addressing their greater needs, and how to best serve disadvantaged students, and connecting them to campus resources. Another chief goal is ensuring coordination in these efforts across the key parts of campus, including the Instruction, Student Development, Administrative Services, Development, and District Communications divisions.

An example is the Student Emergency Support Fund, established in April thanks to a $30,000 gift from the MHCC Foundation. Coordinated through MHCC’s Student Success Program, it has helped to provide students with direct payments to vendors, gift cards and loaner laptops, said High. Here are some other resources and support services for students:

· Barney’s Pantry – MHCC is still operating its campus food pantry (Barney’s Pantry). All students need to do is email [email protected] and set up a time to visit campus to pick up a box of food and supplies from the pantry. Barney’s is stocked with meals, snacks, personal hygiene items, household supplies, and more, so students should keep the pantry in mind as they enter Fall Term. A valid MHCC ID is required to access the pantry, and strict mask and physical distancing protocols will be in place. · Tutoring – Go to mhcc.edu/avid/ for information on booking online tutoring appointments, in a variety of subjects. The AVID Center can also be reached at [email protected].

· Advising – Students can book an academic advising appointment via phone or email. The Academic Advising and Transfer Center can be reached at 503-491-7315 or [email protected].

· Online Learning Team – For technical assistance with Blackboard, Zoom, Kaltura, MyMHCC and other technologies used in online and remote courses, contact Online Learning at 503-491-7170 or [email protected]. · Live Chat with the Student Services Hub – Go to the Hub website at mhcc.edu/HUB/ and hit the blue chat box in the right corner of the screen to chat with Student Hub Specialists. Live Chat hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. · Library Resources – Go to mhcc.edu/library/ for information on utilizing MHCC’s online library resources, including connecting with library staff, e-books, databases, technology help, and more.

· The Mt. Hood Scholars Program is one of several “success programs” available for students, assisting eligible first-time college students or those who are the first in their family to go to college. Other success programs include the SNAP Employment and Training Program (for students who are receiving, eligible, or interested in SNAP food benefits and currently aren’t receiving welfare TANF benefits), as well as the Incentive Waiver Program (for students are interested in receiving a tuition waiver for a future credit-bearing course), and the Student Emergency Support Fund (providing support for students with small funding gaps). For more information about these programs, visit mhcc.edu/successprogram or email [email protected].

Kelley Keith, dean of Adult Basic Skills and co-chair of the Basic Needs team, said, “This group is going to continue to work for sustainable ways for students on campus.”

Sports on hold

All fall sports – including volleyball and cross country at Mt. Hood – have been postponed by Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) officials.

How are Saints athletes keeping sharp, in the meantime?

“Several of our athletic teams are participating in our athletic classes in a virtual/in-person format in accordance with CDC and local health authority guidelines,” said High. The classes are centered more on conditioning and skill development, she said.

The MHCC gym and Aquatic Center remain closed, but the college offers several remote PE185 courses “that are very engaging and open to all students,” said High.

Textbooks

If they haven’t already, students should place their textbook orders. Some online bookstore orders have been delayed due to September wildfire/air quality closures. Students are asked for patience, and instructors have been asked to be flexible with students who may not have their textbooks the first week of term. Questions or concerns about book orders can be sent to [email protected].

Payment options

If at all possible, students should pay for their classes online using the MyMHCC portal. If online payments are not an option for students, they can call the following numbers on these days/times to make a payment over the phone:

· Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Noon-2 p.m. 503-491-7580

· Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 8 a.m. – Noon 503-491-7381

Staying safe

Students who are on campus should expect to be required to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from other people at all times, and maintain good personal hygiene by washing their hands often and/or using hand sanitizer and covering their sneeze or cough (even while wearing a mask).

It is critical that students/staff self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if they feel unwell, for any reason. Known symptoms of COVID-19 (to date) can include one or more of the following:

· Cough

· Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

· Fever

· Chills

· Repeated shaking with chills

· Runny nose or new sinus congestion

· Muscle pain

· Headache

· Sore throat

· Fatigue

· New gastrointestinal symptoms

· New loss of taste or smell

High said, “We need all students to continue to remain diligent when it comes to following all of the measures in place to ensure a safe return to holding some in-person classes this term.”