PCC Leverages Technology to Enable Telework During Restricted Campus Access
• PCC Coronavirus Student Information Page
WINTERVILLE—Two days after spring classes resumed following an extended break for students, Pitt Community College restricted campus access and asked many of its employees to begin working from home as a means of combating the coronavirus pandemic.
According to PCC President Lawrence Rouse, a limited number of staff will continue working on campus to ensure college operations run smoothly. He explained that even though campus closed to the public at 5 p.m. Wednesday, the college is still offering educational services through alternative delivery methods.
“This is a difficult time for people around the world, and PCC is not impervious to the challenges being presented by the coronavirus,” Rouse said. “The measures we’re taking to help mitigate the pandemic’s spread are going to require a great deal of creativity, flexibility, patience and teamwork from our employees and students in order for the college to continue meeting its mission to educate and empower people for success.”
In addition to moving traditional classroom courses to the web, Rouse said PCC is making advising, career services, counseling, tutorial services, and many other important resources available to students by telephone and video conferencing. The college, he said, is ready to assist students by every means possible.
“Despite the challenges we are facing as a result of the pandemic, I want to assure our students that PCC administrators, faculty and staff are committed to assisting them with completing coursework and progressing toward graduation,” Rouse said.
Along with asking employees to telework until at least April 8, PCC officials made the difficult decision to alter spring commencement, which was scheduled for May 6.
“Our 2020 graduation ceremony will not take place ‘in person,’ as it has every year previously,” Rouse said. “Commencement is a time-honored tradition that is dear to PCC employees and graduates, but we’re battling a worldwide health crisis.
“In the interest of everyone’s health, we determined it was of the utmost importance for PCC to strictly follow social distancing guidelines and do our part to help end the coronavirus pandemic,” he continued. “We are planning to offer a graduation ceremony this spring, but it will be in a different format. Details of that ceremony will be announced as soon as they are available.”
Rouse said PCC administrators would continue to assess the rapidly-evolving coronavirus emergency and make an announcement regarding future college operations by April 3. He encouraged students and employees to monitor their college email accounts and the “PCC Coronavirus Student Information Webpage” for updates.
03/27/2020