MHCC WEIGHS REOPENING PLANS FOR FALL

MHCC is currently weighing options for the 2021 Fall Term, and many faculty members and employees have different perspectives on what the school should do.

With online student registration for classes set to open June 1, MHCC expects to offer a blend of online, in-person and hybrid (partially in-person) courses this fall.

The Advocate reached out to leaders of Mt. Hood’s three main employee groups – full-time and part-time instructors, and classified support staff – for their thoughts.

Marilyn Pitts, president of the MHCC Part-time Faculty and Tutor Association, said she’s “looking forward to our lives returning to normal – or, as normal as possible. If both students and employees are vaccinated and reasonable precautions are taken, participating in face-to-face classes can be safe.

“Hopefully, everyone will get vaccinated, and MHCC employees will work hard to create a safe environment,” she said.

Pitts has served on the college’s Reopening Team for almost a year. In order for a class to be held face-to-face, reopening plans have been created and then reviewed by members of the Reopening Team before being approved by President Lisa Skari’s executive team.

“So far, that approach seems to have created a safe environment for students and employees who have come on campus,” Pitts said.

Recently Pitts and her group’s leadership met with Skari and the executive team on May 14, with the main topic of discussion the fall reopening plans.

“We learned that the college is looking into whether a vaccine mandate might be the right approach to take,” said Pitts.

This topic will be discussed by the MHCC District Board at its June 2 work session, she said. At the same recent meeting, the PFTA leadership stressed the importance of continuing to follow Mt. Hood’s COVID cleaning protocols and maintaining air quality, “and we encouraged the college to spell out some of these details for our students and employees,” Pitts said.

Among those protocols are removing furniture in order to provide for sufficient social distancing and scheduling classes at least 15 minutes apart so that high-touch areas can be sanitized. “We mentioned that the college might need to hire some additional personnel in order to stay on top of these protocols,” said Pitts.

And since COVID appears to be most easily transmitted through the air, “We brought up the importance of the air quality being checked in each of the classrooms before they’re used,” she said.

Pitts has worked a few days on campus in the PTFA office, but still expects to do most work from home and via Zoom through Fall Term, she added.

Few specifics were mentioned by the leaders of the other two employee groups, whose focus remains on overall safety.

“We want the college to keep the health and safety of all students and employees as a top priority,” said Kim Sharer, Classified Association president.

“I think returning to campus should be a choice for all employee groups and students, said Jeanna Hunt, program director for Respiratory Care in MHCC’s allied health program and president of the Full-time Faculty Association. “I cannot speak about any specific plans, but the conversations are active and hopefully we will get everything set for a safe return.”